Vietnamese cuisine has achieved increasing international visibility through iconic foods such as phở, bánh mì, Vietnamese coffee, and a diverse regional culinary heritage. Yet global recognition of food does not automatically translate into national reputation, cultural influence, or economic value. This study examines how Vietnam can convert its culinary attractiveness into a more systematic source of soft power and nation branding in the global cultural economy. Using a qualitative research design based on secondary-data analysis, policy-document review, and comparative evidence from Thailand, Japan, and Singapore, the study develops a Culinary Soft Power Conversion Framework linking culinary resources, strategic mediation, international experience, national reputation, and cultural-economic value creation. The findings reveal a significant conversion gap. Vietnam ranked 14th globally in the “food the world loves” attribute of the 2026 Global Soft Power Index but only 52nd overall, suggesting that its culinary attractiveness exceeds its broader capacity to transform cultural appeal into international influence. The study argues that closing this gap requires an integrated strategy combining culinary branding, overseas restaurant networks, diaspora participation, culinary tourism, food exports, digital storytelling, and cross-sectoral institutional coordination. Vietnamese cuisine should therefore be treated not merely as cultural heritage but as a strategic asset connecting culture, diplomacy, tourism, trade, and national competitiveness.