The head chef of a 5-star hotel posed a riddle: "If two bowls of pho are identical, how can you tell which one tastes better?"

With two bowls of pho that look exactly the same, served at the same time, how can you tell which bowl of pho is better? Whoever answers correctly will be given 5 special bowls of pho at the Vietnam Pho Festival.

Guests at the Vietnam Pho Festival took to the stage to answer challenging questions from Chef Duong Duc Huan of the Majestic Saigon Hotel - Photo: HUU HANH

At the Cooking Show - How to cook pho On the morning of October 19th, as part of the Vietnam Pho Festival, the head chef... Duong Duc Huan of the Majestic Saigon Hotel - part of the Saigontourist Group - posed the following challenge:

"If two bowls of pho are identical in appearance, from color and broth to the amount of meat, and are served at the same time, how can you tell which one has more bones and tastes better, and which one has fewer bones and tastes less?"

Pho - the quintessential national dish of Vietnam - Photo: HUU HANH

A challenging question from the 5-star chef at the Vietnam Pho Festival.

The question received enthusiastic responses from many people present at the Vietnamese Pho Festival. "A lighter broth tastes better," "the consistency," "taste," "ignore the initial sweetness and focus on the aftertaste"... were some of the answers given. However, according to the head chef of Majestic Saigon, all the answers were incorrect.

He said that this was a rather challenging question, one that not everyone could distinguish, and answered it with a very scientific argument that left the audience completely convinced.

"If two bowls of pho are served at the same time, especially in an air-conditioned room, one bowl will be completely cold while the other remains hot. In principle, the more protein, the more heat it retains. The bowl of pho with more bones will retain heat better and for longer," he explained.

Vietnamese pho is causing a sensation in Singapore, with diners crowding to enjoy it.

Two customers experience the presentation of a delicious and appealing bowl of pho - Photo: HUU HANH

The head chef shares how to cook a bowl of pho worth 500,000 VND.

At the Cooking Show , the head chef Duong Duc Huan shared instructions on how to cook a delicious, authentic bowl of pho. He said the reason for revealing his secret was "to spread the authentic Vietnamese pho to the world ."

Many people were surprised to learn that this bowl of pho is currently being served at Majestic Saigon for nearly 500,000 VND (approximately 23 Singapore dollars).

According to him, rice noodles are one of the important ingredients in pho.

For making pho noodles, whole grain rice, specifically old rice, is recommended. This gives the noodles the right amount of chewiness, makes them easier to make, and creates a more distinctive and delicious flavor.

Regarding the broth, one of the particularly important elements for a delicious bowl of pho is soaking the bones in a diluted salt solution (10%) for about two hours to remove impurities. Then, blanch the bones in boiling water to completely remove any remaining contaminants.

Two guests experience Vietnamese pho at the Cooking show - Photo: HUU HANH

According to him, the bones should be simmered for at least 8 hours. Initially, bring the broth to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes, continuously skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and maintain this temperature for the remainder of the simmering time.

"Throughout the process, do not stir the bones, to avoid clouding the broth. When removing the bones, it's better to ladle the broth into another pot first instead of lifting the bones directly," the head chef noted.

After simmering the bones for about 4 hours, add the spices (which were roasted beforehand).

Mr. Huan advises customers to choose cinnamon sticks with thick stems for the best aroma. When roasting, roast each type separately until fragrant and slightly yellowish. As for shallots and onions, roast them until golden brown and fragrant, then peel them.

"All the spices are placed in a cloth bag before being added to the pot to help the broth capture only the essential aromas without any sediment, keeping the broth clear," he explained.

Regarding meat preparation, the head chef believes that proper handling is necessary to maintain tenderness and sweetness. Depending on preference, various cuts of meat such as beef brisket, beef ribs, or oxtail can be used.

Beef brisket and ribs are boiled together in broth until tender. Then, they are removed and immediately soaked in clean water. This technique prevents the meat from drying out and turning dark. Finally, the meat is thinly sliced ​​and presented.

Chef Huan shares his secret to seasoning the best bowl of pho: First, don't add any seasoning. Take a spoonful of broth; the sweetness of the bone broth won't be on your tongue but will linger in your aftertaste. Then, depending on your taste, you can start adding seasoning.

Chefs from 5-star hotels of the Saigontourist Group prepare for the Vietnam Pho Festival in Singapore.

Besides enhancing the effectiveness of its promotional activities at the ITB Asia 2025 International Tourism Fair in Singapore, Saigontourist Group continues to achieve success in bringing the Saigontourist Group Culinary Culture Festival to the international stage through the Vietnam Pho Festival 2025 in Singapore.

As a co-organizer, Saigontourist Group proactively organized many outstanding activities, networking events with partners and diners, participated in demonstrations, guided people on how to cook delicious pho, and shared interesting experiences on how to enjoy pho with Singaporeans and international visitors.

In collaboration with Saigontourist Group, the Vietnam-Singapore Business Networking Conference, the brand promotion exhibition area, and the festival's main food stalls, the group welcomed over 30,000 visitors to experience Pho and other Vietnamese delicacies; to exchange information, visit, and learn about Vietnamese tourism programs and destinations; and to expand cooperation and promote two-way tourism between Vietnam and Singapore.

It can be said that with its pioneering spirit, Saigontourist Group – 50 years of growth alongside the nation – has always steadfastly contributed to bringing Vietnamese tourism, and Ho Chi Minh City tourism in particular, to a world-class level.

Saigontourist Group continues to affirm its position at international food festivals. The success of this event follows a series of impressive achievements by Saigontourist Group in the field of tourism, especially culinary tourism.

Vietnam Pho Festival 2025 in Singapore

Connecting cultures, fostering cooperation.

The Vietnam Pho Festival 2025 in Singapore, organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore, Tuoi Tre newspaper, and Saigontourist Group in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade and the Liaison Committee of Vietnamese People in Singapore, under the direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, will take place on October 18 and 19 at Our Tampines Hub, Singapore.

The festival is being held in the context of Vietnam and Singapore having recently upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, affirming the topical significance and scale of the program.

With the message "Pho - Enjoying together, growing together," the Vietnam Pho Festival 2025 aims to go beyond simply inviting international friends to enjoy a signature Vietnamese dish, which was listed by CNN as one of the top 50 must-try foods globally in 2011. It also conveys Vietnam's aspiration for connection, sharing, and collaborative development.

Through this festival, pho will be introduced as a "cultural ambassador," serving as a bridge connecting Vietnam and Singapore, as well as international friends, to work together towards a prosperous and sustainable future.

The most important activity of the festival is giving Singaporeans and visitors the opportunity to enjoy the authentic taste of Vietnamese pho. At Our Tampines Hub, attendees will be able to enjoy pho prepared directly by top artisans and chefs from Vietnam.

The head chefs of the 5-star hotels belonging to the Saigontourist Group system, including the four luxury hotels Rex Saigon, Majestic Saigon, Grand Saigon, Caravelle Saigon, and the Pho restaurant brand Golf Thu Duc (Vietnam Golf & Country Club), along with famous pho brands such as Pho Sen Sasco, Pho Thin Bo Ho, Pho Ta, Pho Phu Gia, Pho Vuong, Ba Ban Pho… will bring diversity in cooking methods and ways of enjoying pho.

Besides pho, attendees also had the opportunity to enjoy many other traditional Vietnamese dishes, prepared by Saigontourist's 5-star chefs, creating a vibrant "culinary symphony".

Notably, alongside the Pho Festival, a large-scale investment forum was also held: the Vietnam-Singapore Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Forum 2025, affirming the substantive nature of the event. The forum took place immediately after the opening ceremony (morning of October 18th) and was expected to attract approximately 150 businesses from both countries.

At the forum, government agencies and businesses will discuss new cooperation trends in green processing and logistics, tourism and aviation services, import and export of Vietnamese agricultural products and specialties, digital transformation and e-commerce.

In particular, the Business Matching program (one-on-one business networking) will facilitate direct meetings between Vietnamese and Singaporean businesses, allowing them to explore practical cooperation opportunities.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bep-truong-khach-san-5-sao-do-2-to-pho-giong-nhau-sao-phan-biet-duoc-to-nao-ngon-hon-20251019122418484.htm