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$100 for a royal meal at Hue Festival
Friday, April 18, 2014
Leading Vietnamese chefs displayed their refined cooking techniques and the use of unique ingredients featuring royal delicacies, bringing alive the traditions and flavors of the Nguyen Dynasty at the Hue Royal Palace on Tuesday.
Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, said the meal was truly a medieval feast fit for a king, one of the major highlights of the ongoing Hue Festival 2014.
Despite the pricy cost of the meal (at VND2 million, or $100), ticket sales remained robust and the event received a warm response from local people and visitors alike.
The Royal Night took place in all the main chambers of the Royal Place. The sparkling beauty of the Royal Palace at night and the historic atmosphere served as a fitting complement to the gourmet cuisine.
The evening began with a tribute to the Nguyen Dynasty and the royal and traditional folk cultural life, which included choreographed scenes pulled from history, including a reenactment of the second wife of the king returning to the palace, and the princess’s wedding. Other lively scenes of the daily lives of the aristocracy and royal dances took place in the royal garden.
The main menu of Royal Palace Night included six dishes that Kings in the Nguyen Dynasty were known to feast on with their relatives.
Some pictures of the royal meal:
The queen and the king, portrayed by two actors, appeared to start the royal banquet, with over 600 guests.
 The king and queen sat at the head table, with orderlies and eunuchs beside them. The dishes offered in the banquet were prepared by culinary artisan Ho Thi Hoang Anh (a descendant of the last chief chef of the Nguyen Dynasty – Mr. Nguyen Ho Van Ta). The King.
A mandarin stood upon the stage, using a small bell to signal the music to stop and attract the attention of guests. He then reported to the king and queen the list of cuisines.
 Palace maids carried flowers, candles and cuisines. The dishes were tested by a eunuch before being offered to the king and the queen. Palace maids served food to each guest. The first royal meal on April 15 attracted many foreign tourists.  The menu was written out on a small paper fan. All 600 tickets for the banquet were sold out very quickly.
Many dishes impressed guests. Some of the royal delicacies had been lost for hundreds of years. This was the appetizer, which was prepared with great sophistication.
 
During the meal, the king and queen asked for a music and dance performance. Though the party took place from 19h30 to 22h, guests still comfortably stayed until the end to enjoy the special cuisine and court music.
 After each dish was served, the king asked his eunuchs to visit each table to consult the party attendants about the food. |
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