Speaking part 3: Food and cooking

1. Do you think food is a big part of celebrations and festivals?

Certainly, festivals frequently feature traditional or special dishes that are prepared specifically for the occasion, and these culinary offerings play a significant role in the overall celebration and cultural experience, so I would say that one way to enjoy and celebrate a festival is to savor the delicious food that is associated with it. Moreover, food also serves as a means to foster social bonds through the act of preparing meals and trying out different dishes together. 

2. Does food help to preserve culture?

Of course, since food is one symbol of culture and tradition. Through the food people can really learn about the culture of a certain country or area. For example, the culture of 3 different regions of Vietnam can be told through the flavors of their food. Northern food has a salty flavor while Central and Southern food usually comes with spicy and sweet taste. 

3. Do you think an excessive amount of money is being spent on food at festivals and celebrations?

Being a small part of the public, I can’t really speak for everyone. I would say that whether the amount of money spent on food is wasteful or not varies from person to person. Some people might think that preparing lavish food can contribute to the overall joy and enhance their experience during the festival. On the other hand, others might think that it is not necessary. 

4. The production of food has caused a lot of harm to the environment. Do you think we should switch to more sustainable production methods?

Definitely, it can be seen that the traditional cultivation practices have really inflicted great damage on the environment such as deforestation to get more cultivating land or waste from food factories being dumped into the environment. Because of this, it’s definitely advisable to come up with more eco-friendly practices such as adopting the use of renewable energy in food processing factories instead of using coals for heating. Or a new waste management system should be applied to make sure that all the waste is properly disposed of.