IELTS Speaking – a memorable meal you had with other people

My all-time favourite is bun cha, which is grilled pork served with rice noodles, fresh herbs and a sweet and sour dipping sauce. It's a Hanoi speciality. I probably have it once a week, usually for lunch, since there's a tiny place near my university that does an amazing version. The smell of the grilled pork is irresistible.

It's definitely my mum. She's a fantastic cook, and she takes real pride in preparing proper family meals, even after a long day at work. My dad is in charge of the weekend barbecues, though, and he's quite competitive about it. Whenever I'm home, I try to help out in the kitchen and pick up a few of her recipes.

On a day-to-day basis, I prefer eating at home. It's healthier and cheaper, and I know exactly what's in my food. But eating out is great for special occasions or catching up with friends, because nobody has to do the washing up. I'd say I eat out about twice a week, mostly at cheap local places.

Yes, bitter melon. When I was a kid, my mum used to make a soup with it, and I absolutely hated the bitter taste. I'd try to hide the pieces under my rice. But somewhere along the way, I developed a taste for it, and now I actually find it refreshing, especially in summer. My mum finds that hilarious.

The meal I'd like to describe is a family dinner we had at my grandparents' house in the countryside on the first evening of Tet, the Lunar New Year, two years ago. It took place in their old house, which has a large wooden table in the main room, right next to the family altar. That year was special because, for the first time in a long while, the whole extended family managed to get together. My uncle's family had flown back from Germany, so there were about twenty of us altogether, including several cousins I hadn't seen since I was a child. The food was a traditional Tet feast. There was banh chung, the square sticky rice cake that we'd wrapped together the day before, boiled chicken, spring rolls, pickled onions and a big pot of bamboo shoot soup. My grandmother had been cooking for two days, and she wouldn't let anyone else take charge of the kitchen, although we were allowed to help with the chopping. Everything was delicious, but what I remember most is how lively it was. People were talking over each other, the kids were running around, and my uncle kept telling embarrassing stories about my mum when she was young. The reason this meal was so memorable is that it brought everyone together after years apart. My grandfather gave a short speech at the start, and he became quite emotional, saying it was the happiest day he'd had in years. Sadly, he passed away the following spring, so looking back, that dinner was the last time we were all together with him. That's why it means so much to me now, and why I treasure the photos we took that evening.

I think it's mainly about convenience and time. Young people today are often busy with study or work, and food delivery apps make it incredibly easy to order a cheap meal in minutes. In big cities, many also live in small rented rooms without a proper kitchen. Another factor is that parents sometimes prefer their children to focus on studying, so they don't involve them in cooking. Having said that, I've noticed cooking videos are hugely popular on social media, so perhaps the interest is still there. It's just that the practical opportunities are fewer.

Quite noticeably, especially in big cities. Twenty years ago, there were very few international fast-food chains in Vietnam, but now you can find fried chicken and burger outlets in almost every shopping centre. Many children see these places as a treat, and some families eat there regularly, which has probably contributed to rising rates of childhood obesity. That said, I don't think fast food has replaced traditional eating habits completely. Vietnamese street food is still cheap and everywhere, and in a sense, dishes like pho or banh mi are our own version of fast food, only usually healthier.

Yes, I strongly believe they should. Cooking is a basic life skill, yet many young people leave home without knowing how to prepare a simple, healthy meal. If children learn about nutrition early, they're more likely to make sensible food choices and less likely to rely on processed food later. Practical classes could also be fun and hands-on, which is a nice change from sitting at a desk. The main challenge, I suppose, is that schools would need kitchens and trained staff, which costs money. But in the long run, it could save a lot on healthcare.

Absolutely. Food is one of the most direct ways a culture expresses itself, because it reflects a country's history, geography and values. In Vietnam, for example, the custom of sharing dishes from the middle of the table says a lot about how much we value family and community. Food is also closely connected to festivals, like banh chung at Tet. And when people live abroad, cooking their traditional dishes is often how they stay connected to their roots. Of course, cuisines change over time and borrow from each other, but I think that's part of what keeps culture alive.