HCM CITY — More than 350 guests including professional chefs, restaurant owners, culinary experts and leaders from the food service industry attended the Future Menus Vietnam 2025 hosted by Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) at GEM Centre in HCM City on Thursday.

Themed 'Food That Moves Us', Future Menus 2025 is not just a trend forecast, but a compass guiding the food and beverage industry in redefining operational models, innovating menus and achieving sustainable development.

Amidst significant shifts in taste preferences and consumer behavior, UFS has identified three key factors shaping the choices of modern diners: Value for money – Premium experiences for all – High personalisation.

Market reports indicate that while consumers are not cutting back on dining expenses, they are spending more selectively and cautiously, especially among Gen Z and Gen Y. These groups prioritise dishes that are not only flavourful and aligned with their tastes, but also offer creativity and comfort, delivering an experience they feel is worth the price.

This is precisely why each trend in Future Menus 2025 is designed to address a key priority in today’s consumer behaviour.

UFS officially released its Future Menus 2025 report - an in-depth study of global food trends identifying four major currents expected to shape dining behaviour in the coming year:

1. Street Food Couture – Elevating Street Eats

This trend reflects a transformation from dishes that are “tasty, simple, affordable, and relatively healthy” to culinary experiences that are “enticing, authentic, and elevated”. 

2. Culinary Roots

This trend signals a clear shift from emphasising Western cuisine and techniques to Vietnamese chefs and diners rediscovering pride in their homeland’s culinary heritage - from regional specialties to traditional methods.

It’s not merely a revival of old dishes, but a transformation that allows local culinary treasures to thrive in the tastes of the future. Vietnamese heritage dishes become a bridge between tradition and modernity, allowing culinary legacies to be retold in the language of a new generation.

3. Borderless Cuisine – Where Cultures Converge on a Plate

This trend celebrates cross-cultural creativity, reflecting the growing waves of travel and migration in Việt Nam. Examples include Singapore-style Salad (a “prosperity toss” with Asian and European herbs) or Quảng Cuốn (a European twist on Mì Quảng that preserves its traditional essence).

The movement has shifted from experimental fusion based on popular flavors to intentional, refined combinations of ingredients, techniques, or tastes from multiple culinary traditions — creating new dishes that are both original and authentic. This is no longer mere fusion — it is a storytelling journey through multicultural gastronomy.

4. Diner Designed – Co-creating the Culinary Experience

Dishes like “Cơm Nhà Mới” (braised pork and broccoli evoking homestyle meals) or “Gió Hạ Tây Bắc” (matcha–plum mousse merging tradition and modernity) reflect the growing demand for personalisation, as diners seek emotional and aesthetic connections with their food.

In response to Gen Z’s demand for personalized experiences, UFS has also introduced the Future Menu AI Assistant — a tool that helps chefs assess how appealing a menu is to young diners, while offering curated recipe suggestions developed by UFS culinary experts.

Nguyễn Xuân Huy, General Manager of UFS Vietnam, said "Future Menus is not just a trend report — it’s our commitment to supporting chefs and restaurants in staying three steps ahead in an ever-evolving culinary world. We’re not here to dictate what they should cook, but to provide tools, inspiration and practical solutions so they can confidently innovate, grow and inspire diners in return. When Vietnamese kitchens thrive, our mission is fulfilled.”

The inspiration from Future Menus will continue to spread to chefs across Vietnam through a nationwide event series and online experience available at: https://www.unileverfoodsolutions.com.vn/vi/chef-inspiration/future-menus-2025-landing-launch.html

The goal is to accompany Vietnamese chefs and the food and beverage industry as they keep pace with the country’s economic growth. _ VNS