Third generation descendant shares about the pho ancestor named Co

From March 15-17, the 2024 Pho Festival will be held in Nam Dinh - a locality famous for its long-standing traditional Vietnamese dish - aiming to build a dossier and include it in the list of World Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Many pho restaurant owners of various brands attended the 2024 Pho Festival held in Nam Dinh.

The cradle of pho profession

Speaking of Van Cu (Dong Son commune), it is a long-standing pho cooking and noodle making village in Nam Dinh. Van Cu's pho is famous and available everywhere thanks to the secret of making broth. The main ingredients are made from beef and pork bones. Van Cu people know how to remove the bad smell, bringing out the fatty and sweet smell of the stewed bones combined with vegetables and fruits to cook together, creating a unique flavor.

The pho profession in Van Cu was formed and passed down through many generations. Up to now, many families in Van Cu have had 3-4 generations following the traditional profession.

Sharing with us, Mr. Co Van Lau, who has spent many years making a living selling pho in Hanoi , said that he is the third generation, followed by his children who are still developing.

Mr. Lau proudly introduced that his father (now 91 years old) and his uncles in the family were among the founders of the famous "Pho Van Cu" brand of the Co family, which is present in all regions of the country.

Mr. Co Van Lau shares about the famous pho dish of the Co family

According to Mr. Lau, from around 1950 to 1960, life in the countryside was miserable, so his uncle and father wandered to Hanoi, selling pho on the street to earn a living.

"At that time, there was a period of French colonial rule. In the countryside, there was hunger and poverty, so my father and uncles had to go to work as waiters, staying up late and waking up early to earn money to bring back home to support everyone."

Mr. Lau remembers most the pho selling call his father told him: "Who wants to buy pho, pho is sold on the street here". Every time he heard the call, the French opened the gate to buy a bowl of pho, brought it into the house, sat on a wooden chair, finished eating, went out the gate with a bowl and a few coins to pay the seller, and could not go into the house. That image showed the sophistication of customers when choosing the perfect dish.

"That's why there is the Van Cu pho brand today. My father is 91 years old this year and just came from Hanoi yesterday to attend the festival. Thanks to pho, many people have a comfortable life like today. My children and grandchildren are now traveling everywhere to bring the taste of pho closer to pho lovers," Mr. Lau proudly said about his father's contribution.

Pho is a long-standing traditional dish of the Vietnamese people. Pho is recognized by many chefs, experts, and international magazines as one of the most attractive dishes in the world.

Honoring the pho profession towards intangible cultural heritage

After more than 100 years, Pho Van Cu has become a brand and a typical dish for the culinary culture of Nam Dinh in particular and Vietnam in general. It is the pride of not only the people of Van Cu village but also of the whole Nam Dinh province.

Mr. Le Tan, Vice President, General Secretary of Vietnam Culinary Culture Association

Mr. Le Tan, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association - an interviewer for this program, shared that it is not simple that Pho is loved by many Vietnamese and foreigners. In terms of yin and yang, Pho is the meeting of yin and yang, and in terms of the five elements, it fully encompasses the five elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Therefore, eating Pho in the summer feels cool and refreshing, and eating Pho in the winter feels warm. The taste of Pho has a mysterious and strangely attractive power.

"If anyone knows how to eat Pho, women will have beautiful skin, men will have beautiful faces". Pho is a dish that everyone knows has appeared and become famous for hundreds of years and has been transformed in many ways to suit each period and local habits. Known as the national delicacy of the nation, I think that Pho has achieved all the necessary elements. Therefore, when talking about Pho, it must be delicious, must be enjoyable and everyone must like it. That's why not only Vietnamese people but also many foreigners especially love Vietnamese Pho. The word "Pho" is in the dictionary of many countries in the world", said the Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association.

When it comes to pho, locals and tourists immediately remember Pho Co, made by people from Van Cu village, Dong Son commune, Nam Truc district, Nam Dinh province.

In Van Cu, Nam Dinh Culinary Culture Association honored the village's elderly artisans including Co Viet Hung, Co Huu Chenh, Co Huu Chenh, Co Huy Kien, Co Huy Nghi, Co Nang Van, and Vu Quang Le.

In order to create conditions for Pho Van Cu to develop more strongly, at the ceremony, the Organizing Committee awarded certificates to more than 50 people from Van Cu village to use the logo of Nam Dinh Culinary Culture Association and Pho Van Cu Association, affirming that members will have to operate within the framework of the association's charter and preserve and promote cultural heritage, especially culinary cultural heritage.

Within the framework of the program, there was a procession of Van Cu villagers and a ceremony to worship the Saint at the village communal house, expressing the wish for a new year with many successes for the children of the village, who continue to bring Van Cu pho throughout Vietnam and the world.

At the festival, many domestic and foreign tourists had the opportunity to experience making pho noodles with artisans, enjoying the most delicious bowls of pho, true to the brand name "Pho Van Cu".

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Co Nhu Doi, Chairman of Van Cu Pho Association, said that in 2022, Van Cu Pho Association was established, a professional social organization under the Nam Dinh Culinary Culture Association.

The association was established with the purpose of gathering and uniting those who are making pho and love the quintessential traditional dish of their homeland to support, learn, create, and help each other to protect the traditional profession of their ancestors, to bring to the people and tourists the most delicious bowls of pho, true to the brand name "Pho Van Cu".

The flavor of Pho Co is not only famous in the country but also in many countries around the world. This dish has become a specialty that tourists must try every time they have the opportunity to visit Nam Dinh.

Sharing at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Thu, former Director of Nam Dinh Museum, Vice President of Nam Dinh Culinary Culture Association said that beef noodle soup, along with Siu Chau candy, Giao Thuy spring rolls, fish sauce... are dishes on the list honored in the top 50 Vietnamese specialties.

"The vitality of pho is very strong, spreading and developing into different types of pho. Pho Van Cu carries within it a story of history, folk knowledge, professional secrets, social customs..., reflecting the identity of the community, with typical cultural values to become a national intangible cultural heritage and an intangible cultural heritage of humanity", Mr. Thu expressed.

Therefore, Mr. Nguyen Van Thu also believes that pho should be seen not only as a dish but also as a culinary cultural heritage. In addition to making a delicious bowl of pho that ensures quality and food safety, there needs to be a culture in selling pho so that the Van Cu pho brand can fly high and far.

Pho Festival 2024 with the theme "Vietnamese Pho Road" takes place from March 15 - 17, 2024, directed by Nam Dinh Provincial People's Committee and co-organized by Masan Consumer Goods Joint Stock Company; with the support of Vietnam Fish Sauce Association, Chin-su brand and Pho Story.

In addition to the visit to Van Cu Pho village, a series of other attractive activities such as: establishing a giant pho pot, promoting "Vietnamese Pho Flavor", youth music night "Pho in Me", discussion "Vietnamese Pho Road and Pho Noodles", distributing experience coupons of 15,000 VND for a bowl of pho... will take place at the square of Nam Cuong Hotel (Nam Dinh City), starting from the afternoon of March 15.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/hau-due-doi-thu-3-chia-se-ve-ong-to-nghe-pho-mang-ten-co-2024031515293416.htm