Opening a rich experiential space for the highland flavors of Dak Lak durian

Experiencing Dak Lak durian cuisine

Venue and theme of the durian festival

At the Eco Place venue, the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Culinary Festival officially opened under the theme "Unlocking the Flavors of the Great Forest." The event is part of the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival series, drawing a large number of artisans, chefs, businesses, restaurants, cooperatives, orchardists, locals, and tourists.

Taking place from August 15 to 23, the festival gathers nearly 200 booths showcasing regional specialties, agricultural products, and various creative dishes made from durian. This is regarded as a platform to promote local produce by linking production with processing, consumption, and tourism development.

The festival's highlight was the preparation and showcase of 102 dishes creatively crafted from Dak Lak durian. Using this signature ingredient of the highlands, chefs explored diverse combinations to produce dishes that were both novel and representative of the local culinary identity.

Alongside culinary experiences, visitors also had the opportunity to enjoy the "Durian and Fire" show, watch the "Thanh Sau" (Durian Master) contest, mixology performances, street arts, traditional musical instruments, acoustic music, circus acts, and magic tricks. This series of activities was organized to offer visitors more experiences while bringing durian products closer to cultural life and tourism services.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Le Hoang Co, General Director of Dam San Investment, Tourism and Trade Co., Ltd., stated that durian plays an important role in Dak Lak's agricultural product portfolio. Beyond generating value from production and export, this fruit also offers immense potential for processed food products, culinary experiences, and tourism services.

According to Mr. Co, the festival serves as an occasion to introduce fresh approaches to durian while offering opportunities for chefs, artisans, enterprises, and local residents to meet, share experiences, promote products, and explore partnerships. Through this, Dak Lak durian gains an additional market channel rather than being recognized solely as fresh produce.

As part of the program, the Organizing Committee also reviewed and awarded prizes for the culinary competition held on August 15, which featured 20 teams and 60 chefs from various provinces and cities across the country. The teams presented diverse culinary concepts, showcasing creativity and the versatility of durian as an ingredient.

Notably, the project to prepare and display 102 dishes made from Dak Lak durian was officially recognized and awarded a Vietnam Record Certificate by the Vietnam Records Organization (VietKings).

The Organizing Committee awarded 4 Consolation prizes, 2 thematic awards for "Most Creative Dish" and "Dish with the Deepest Dak Lak Identity", along with 3 Third prizes, 2 Second prizes, and 1 First prize to the teams with outstanding achievements.

By approaching durian from a culinary perspective, the festival not only creates a highlight for the promotional activities of Dak Lak's agricultural products, but also opens up a path connecting agriculture, processing, culture, and tourism. Through this, the value of durian is expected to continue rising, contributing to building an increasingly diverse and appealing image of Dak Lak durian in the eyes of consumers.