Tasting Vietnam

HIGHLIGHTS OF GLi’s VIETNAM PROGRAMS

• FIELD VISITS: Hanoi Street Food, Thai Minority Tea Plantation And Fruit Farms, Banh Chung Village, Hmong Village Farms, Duong Lam Ancient Village, Tra Que Vegetable Village, Cam Thanh Fishing Village, Tra Que Vegetable Village, Tien Giang Rice Processing Factory, Cu Chi Rice Paper Village, Thieng Lieng Island
• CULTURAL EXPERIENCES: Hanoi City Tour, Trekking To A Hmong Village, Hue City Tour, Imperial City And Emperor Tombs, Bicycle To A Fishing Village, My Son Temple Sanctuary, Bicycle in the Mekong Delta, HCMC City Tour
• COOKING CLASSES: Northern Staples, Central Seafood, Mekong Delta Cuisine, Your Farewell Dinner
• SUSTAINABILITY TOPICS: Food Systems, Agriculture And Aquaculture, Urban Development, Environmental Issues, Biodiversity, Safety And Hygiene, Waste Management

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

• Understand the geographical, historical, and economic factors that have contributed to the development of Vietnam’s regional food culture, and critically analyze the country's food systems and socio-cultural meanings.  

• Discover how to “taste” by preparing Vietnamese regional cuisines, using ingredients and flavors that reflect geographical, historical, and cultural differences in cuisines.
• Observe Vietnamese agricultural practices, food processing techniques, and culinary preparation methods. 
• Learn the Vietnamese food vocabulary and how to describe the sensory aspects of Vietnamese ingredients and food.
• Understand and be able to explain the cuisine of Vietnam through study, fieldwork, and hands-on experience in the kitchen.
• Investigate and imagine sustainable practices for the future.

4 WEEKS | 3 COURSES | 15 CREDITS

• FIELD VISITS: FUJI OIL, KIZU MARKET, YUASA SOY SAUCE FACTORY, MT. KOYA  KONGOBUJI TEMPLE, SHUKUBO & KOUYASAN UNIVERSITY, IKEDA CITY SCHOOL MEAL CENTER, NO THEATRE, OSAKA MUSEUM OF HISTORY, OSAKA CASTLE, KYOTO TOUR
• HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES: DASHI MAKING, SHOJIN CUISINE, RICE KOJI AND MISO COOKING WORKSHOP, SOY SAUCE MAKING, PLANT-FORWARD COOKING WORKSHOP 
• SUSTAINABILITY TOPICS: FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE, NUTRITION, ALLEVIATING POVERTY THROUGH BUSINESS, CONSERVING MARINE RESOURCES, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, GASTRONOMY TOURISM
  

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the intellectual framework and perspective of “Critical Food Studies” and how to apply that perspective to analyze food systems. 
• Understand the core philosophy of the Japan Food Studies College: “Philosophy at the Dining Table,” and how it might be practically implemented to benefit future generations.
• Learn the foundational ideas behind Osaka’s food culture, its geographical, historical, economic, and spiritual factors.
• Learn to “taste” and understand taste in the context of Japanese cuisine. 
• Understand the various food sectors that comprise the Japanese food industry and learn how these sectors interact within the Japanese marketplace.
• Discover Gastronomy Tourism and Osaka’s position as Japan’s most visited city by international tourists. 
• Understand issues of Global Sustainability and Social Business Models and evaluate Future Food Business Models.
• Develop competency in the lexicon of Japanese food.

A Country of Incredible Regional Histories and Cuisines

Vietnam is a beautiful country, with a remarkable landscape that unites the mountains with the sea.  For most of its existence, Vietnam was a wet rice agricultural society, primarily centered in village life around the rice paddies.  While Vietnam is steeped in tradition, it has rapidly sought to become a modern industrial society.  This has led to significant issues with food cultivation, production, consumption, and waste management.  You will learn how the Vietnamese are addressing these complex issues to ensure their future.

Vietnamese cuisine is highly regional, reflecting the diverse culinary traditions of the people who comprise the country of Vietnam—its lands, migrations, histories, and politics. Vietnam is a country with a distinctive and recognizable blend of social and cultural expressions, influenced by Vietnamese, Chinese, Cambodian, Cham, French, and American cultures. Even as the Vietnamese have resisted incursions by outsiders, they have also absorbed elements from all these cultures, often adopting their languages, social norms, and culinary traditions.  You will discover and appreciate the great variety of socio-cultural expressions that distinguish each region of Vietnam. 

Vietnamese cuisine can be described as three countries in one bowl: the North, Center, and South, each with its distinctive style. In all cases, rice and noodles are the staples.  In the three primary culinary regions of Vietnam, food is typically eaten fresh, fish sauce is used to season almost every dish, aromatic herbs are frequently used, and small pieces of meat or seafood are often wrapped in lettuce or rice paper. Vietnamese food characteristically combines the raw with the cooked, the cold with the hot, and the soft with the crisp.  Each meal must have certain harmonizing elements to make it complete.  You will be immersed in these varied food experiences, in markets, restaurants, and kitchens, and learning to cook an array of Vietnamese dishes.

ABOUT GUSTOLAB INTERNATIONAL

Gustolab International has been actively involved in educating the public about food systems and sustainability since 2006, when interest in food studies was still in its infancy. Since 2018, students from partner universities have explored Food Studies through the lens of Osaka's food culture.

Gustolab International, headquartered in the United States, offers educational programs in Japan, as well as in  Vietnam, China, and Italy. Our unique study abroad experience transforms Osaka into your living laboratory and classroom. Students consistently describe GLi programs as exceptional, both academically and personally. By actively engaging in daily Japanese life—exploring Osaka neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, and markets—students are fully immersed in an environment that fosters investigation and discovery. Our curriculum is enhanced through fieldwork, special projects, workshops, excursions, and various activities. Students report that navigating unfamiliar territory and adapting to a new international setting cultivates valuable skills, promotes personal growth, broadens their perspectives, and creates future professional opportunities.

 In Italy, GLi’s Borromini Institute has 12 PhD-level professors and collaborates with 50 universities worldwide. Every year, between 300 and 400 students from around the world visit Rome for training programs.

ABOUT JAPAN FOOD STUDIES COLLEGE

Japan’s first research and educational institution dedicated to the scientific study and dissemination of information on food and food culture.

The various challenges we face today—climate change, the biodiversity crisis, the loss of regional cultures due to globalization, and the intensification of international competition over resources—are all deeply connected to our dining tables. The Japan Food Studies College is guided by the philosophy of “The Philosophy on the Dining Table,” proposed by Chairperson Aiko Tanaka, as a roadmap for reform. This philosophy serves as the core principle of our institution. By practicing “The Philosophy on the Dining Table,” we aim to collect and integrate intelligence from diverse fields to create a sustainable food culture for the 21st century, ensuring that everyone on the planet can enjoy a healthy and sustainable diet. We serve as a think tank dedicated to promoting a sustainable food culture.

This program offers immersive experiences that bridge historical traditions, contemporary food business, and future innovations in Osaka. Students will gain firsthand insights through guided field visits, cultural workshops, and industry engagements.

ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS (Historical & Future Perspectives)

🏯 Osaka Castle – A deep dive into Edo-period commerce, exploring how Osaka became Japan’s historic food hub.

🐟Kizu Wholesale Market – An early-morning market visit, witnessing real-time transactions between suppliers and chefs while examining the supply chain challenges in Japan’s food industry.

🧘 Monastic Stay at Mount Koya – A temple immersion experience, learning about Buddhist vegetarian cuisine (Shojin Ryori) and its spiritual significance in Japanese food culture.

CULTURAL AND CULINARY EXPERIENCES (Hands-on Learning)

🍣 Sushi-Making & Dashi Tasting Workshop – Master traditional Japanese culinary techniques, with a focus on seasoning, fermentation, and umami.

🍚 Rice Koji And Miso Cooking Workshop - Learn the art of cooking with fermented Japanese ingredients.

🍱 Plant-Forward Cooking Workshop with Osaka Summer Vegetables - Craft a fresh meal using locally-sourced vegetables.