Delegates perform the opening ceremony for Pho Day - Photo: HUU HANH
Miss H'Hen Niê experiences making pho to serve customers at the opening ceremony of Pho Day - Photo: QUANG ĐỊNH
Pho Day contributes to stimulating consumer demand.
In his welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung said that Pho Day 2025 is an opportunity for the city's people to come together to honor pho - a dish that has become a cultural symbol and a source of pride for the Vietnamese people.
Ho Chi Minh City leaders acknowledged and commended the efforts of the Department of Industry and Trade, Tuoi Tre Newspaper, various departments, associations, businesses, and numerous people who cherish Vietnamese cuisine in organizing a meaningful pho festival.
Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung speaks - Photo: HUU HANH
According to Mr. Dung, Pho Day is not just a culinary festival, but also carries many profound messages and meanings, honoring cuisine while simultaneously promoting innovation and improving the quality of products and services.
"The festival also contributes to stimulating consumer demand and promoting the city's economy and tourism towards sustainable growth," Mr. Dung stated.
Mr. Dung emphasized that activities like Pho Day contribute to elevating Vietnamese products, agricultural products, and brands, including supporting the food processing industry towards modernization, while also expanding export opportunities and conquering global markets.
Miss H'Hen Niê shared her thoughts on pho at Pho Day 2025 - Photo: HUU HANH
The potential for pho's growth is "tremendous".
Accompanying Tuoi Tre Newspaper in many activities of Pho Day, Miss H'Hen Niê said, "Pho is truly the most powerful cultural ambassador of Vietnam."
According to the beauty queen, pho has the ability to connect people, promote economic, cultural, and tourism development. International friends who come to Vietnam all seek out pho, and before leaving, they must also enjoy it.
When traveling abroad, she often searches for the keyword "pho" on Google Maps and almost always finds Vietnamese restaurants. In Switzerland, she found a pho restaurant opened by a Thai person. In Austria, H'Hen was also surprised to find a pho restaurant opened by a Chinese person.
These examples show that pho has not only followed the Vietnamese people to the world but has also been adopted and commercialized by other nations, affirming the appeal and strong potential for the dish to spread widely.
H'Hen Niê believes the potential for pho's development is "tremendous." Pho is no longer just a breakfast dish but has evolved into many different forms, for example, fine dining pho, lobster pho." She cited the example of a bowl of beef pho in the US costing over $100, demonstrating the enormous potential for tapping into the high-end market.
Not to mention the increasing popularity of industrially produced, packaged pho products, which help pho reach more consumers worldwide. This presents a great opportunity for food lovers, chefs, and processors to continue innovating and developing.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang speaks at the opening ceremony of Pho Day - Photo: QUANG DINH
Culture becomes the soft power of commerce.
Ms. Phan Thi Thang, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, shared that this year's Pho Day has a special significance as it is themed "Elevating Vietnamese Rice - Spreading Across Five Continents." This is an opportunity to honor culinary culture, and is one of the prime examples of using cuisine to promote the national brand.
Culture has become a soft power of commerce, with many Vietnamese products spreading to the world thanks to their distinctive cultural identity, of which pho is the most typical example.
The successful organization of the Vietnam Pho Festival in many countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore demonstrates the appeal and effectiveness of this model, showing that pho is not simply a national dish, but has truly become a brand ambassador with strong persuasive power, building international trust in Vietnamese products and driving Vietnamese goods to reach the world.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang (left) at Pho Day 2025 - Photo: QUANG DINH
According to Ms. Thang, in the context of deep international integration, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has identified the key objective as diversifying markets and increasing export value. To promote culinary activities, it is necessary to think in terms of increasing export value, viewing cuisine like pho as an opportunity to export an entire value chain.
The Ministry will direct the system of Vietnamese trade offices abroad to continue supporting the promotion of pho to more countries. At the same time, these agencies will provide the most favorable market information, technical support, and trade connections so that Vietnamese processed food businesses can confidently expand into the global market.
To establish a firm foothold in demanding markets like Europe and the US, pho and other rice-based products need to quickly standardize production processes, raise quality standards, and ensure transparency regarding origin.
"At the same time, we must proactively understand consumer preferences, overcome technical barriers, and make the most of the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed. With the theme 'Elevating Vietnamese Rice - Spreading Across Five Continents' associated with pho, I believe this event and related strategies will create a new wave of vitality, further affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products and cuisine on the world map," the Deputy Minister shared.
Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, Tran Xuan Toan, speaks at the opening ceremony of Pho Day - Photo: HUU HANH
Pho is widely available both domestically and internationally.
According to journalist Tran Xuan Toan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee for Pho Day 2025, there are currently no accurate statistics on the number of pho restaurants and bowls of pho served daily globally, but the number of people choosing pho for their meals is steadily increasing.
"Pho is widely available both domestically and internationally. The number of pho restaurants and eateries serving pho is increasing rapidly, and pho products and ingredients are commonly found in supermarkets both domestically and internationally. Pho has become an iconic symbol of Vietnam in the world."
Ho Chi Minh City leaders attend Pho Day 2025 - Photo: HUU HANH
Beef pho is the only Vietnamese dish to make it into Taste Atlas's Top 100 Best Dishes in the World; Vietnam is also ranked 16th in the Top 100 Global Cuisines, with pho as its representative.
"Looking back over the past nine years, nearly a decade, Pho Day on December 12th has now become a much-anticipated event for pho lovers and Vietnamese food enthusiasts worldwide. These days, not only in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, but also in many places across the country and around the world such as France, Poland, Australia, Japan... wherever Vietnamese expatriates live, there are activities to celebrate Pho Day," said Mr. Xuan Toan.
Furthermore, what makes the program special is that it not only celebrates Vietnamese cuisine but also connects it with trade, tourism, and investment networking activities, contributing to promoting Vietnamese products and destinations to the world.
Mr. Shimamura Masafumi - Marketing Director, Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company, shared about the journey of accompanying Pho Day - Photo: HUU HANH
The enduring vitality of pho in daily life.
Mr. Shimamura Masafumi, Marketing Director of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company, stated that the Pho Day program is a meaningful cultural activity in spreading the value of Vietnamese pho. The fact that the program is now in its 9th year is clear evidence of the strong vitality of pho in social life.
"We are particularly moved that this year's Pho Day Festival is taking place in the context of cultural management agencies actively implementing concrete actions towards the goal of having Pho recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," he said.
In addition, he also pledged a long-term and deeply committed partnership with Vietnamese pho. This is one of the goals that the business has nurtured and preserved throughout its more than 30 years of operation in Vietnam.
Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu (center) - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade and Mr. Pham Huy Binh (second from the right) - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism at the festival - Photo: HUU HANH
With the theme "Elevating Vietnamese Rice, Spreading Across Five Continents," Pho Day on December 12, 2025, aims to promote the Vietnamese culinary industry more strongly on a global scale. This year's festival features the participation of 30 domestic and international pho brands, combining cultural, tourism, commercial activities and new experiences for the public.
Attending the event were Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang; Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Van Dung; Mr. Nguyen Duc Minh - Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cultural Diplomacy (Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City.
Mr. Pham Huy Binh - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism; Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade; Mr. Tran Minh Khiem, Head of the Press and Publishing Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports; Mr. La Quoc Khanh, Standing Vice President/General Secretary of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association; and journalist Tran Xuan Toan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee for Pho Day 2025.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang attends Pho Day 2025 - Photo: HUU HANH
Miss H'Hen Niê - Photo: HỮU HẠNH
Permanent Vice President/General Secretary of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, La Quoc Khanh, and representatives from Acecook - Photo: HUU HANH
Pho stalls are ready to serve locals and tourists in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: QUANG DINH
Also present were Kaneda Hiroki, General Director of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company; Shimamura Masafumi, Marketing Director of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company; and Diep Nam Hai, General Director of Cholimex Food Joint Stock Company.
General Director of Saigon Trading Corporation - Limited Liability Company (SATRA) Lam Quoc Thanh; Director of Communications of Ho Chi Minh City Development Commercial Bank (HDBank) Bui Mai; Deputy General Director of Suntory PepsiCo Nguyen Thi Hai Van.
Quế Sơn cassava noodle soup greets diners with a steaming, enticing pot of broth - Photo: QUANG ĐỊNH
Customers waiting to eat pho early in the morning - Photo: QUANG DINH
Taking place from 7 am to 9 pm on December 13th and 14th at the former Tax Department Store area, 135 Nguyen Hue Street (Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), Pho Day 2025 brings together many pho brands from across the country.
Including Pho Huong Binh, Pho Thin Bo Ho, Pho Ngoc Vuong, Pho Nhat Vi, Lac Hong Pho, Pho Ta, Pho Minh Pasteur, Pho Ong Tay, Pho Phu Gia, Pho's, ATISPHO, Pho Do - Bac Ha, Pho Phat Tai, Pho Nghi, Pho 34 Cao Thang, Pho Vit Quay Lang Son, Pho Hung To, Pho Nha, Pho Hai Thien, Pho San Que Son, Pho H'Mong Village, Pho Since 1960, Pho Tau Bay, Pho Nho Pho Nui, Pho Sam Ngoc Linh, Pho Khoe, Pho Gia Long…
Not only will you have the opportunity to explore and enjoy nearly 30 pho brands from North to South, but you will also participate in a variety of activities ranging from culinary experiences to entertainment programs, talk shows, minigames to win prizes/vouchers for pho, instant photo opportunities, and other interactive activities on stage.
Pho Day 12-12: A 9-Year Journey Bringing Vietnamese Pho to the World
Many guests were present and checked in at Pho Day - Photo: QUANG DINH
Pho Khoẻ begins slicing meat to serve the first bowls of pho - Photo: QUANG DINH
Bring a mobile pho cart to Pho Day!
Vu Tien Anh (26 years old) was the chef in charge today. He arrived at the event at 6 am but had been preparing since midnight.
Despite the hard work, he still maintained a radiant smile as he thought about the steaming bowls of pho that were about to be served to his customers.
"I'm very happy and excited to participate in today's Pho Day program. Almost all the preparations are complete. Cooking and selling from a cart like this doesn't affect the taste of the pho; perhaps the only difference is that we don't have ceramic bowls to serve the pho like in a restaurant."
For Pho Day 2025, Pho Phat Tai prepared 400 bowls of pho for the first day. Mr. Tien Anh confidently stated that they would definitely sell out quickly; in fact, he even worried about not having enough pho to serve all the customers.
Pho Phat Tai and many other pho stalls are ready to welcome customers - Photo: QUANG DINH
Ms. Tran Tran, the owner of Pho 34 Cao Thang (Ho Chi Minh City), wakes up at 3 am to start preparing. While chatting, she nimbly adjusts the counter, wipes every corner, arranges bowls and chopsticks neatly, ready to welcome the first customers of the day.
Taking advantage of the close proximity to Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Tran said the shop has proactively planned to replenish its stock if customer numbers exceed expectations.
"If we sell out, I'm ready to bring out a fresh pot of pho from the restaurant to serve," she said, her voice full of determination. For her, this is a golden opportunity to introduce the flavor of pho from 34 Cao Thang restaurant to many new customers.
Besides that, she also took the opportunity to invite regular customers, hoping they would come and support her pho stall and also try other pho stalls. Although she couldn't predict the number of customers for the day, Ms. Tran remained optimistic, hoping to sell around 300-400 bowls of pho to feel satisfied.
Pho Minh started serving customers early in the morning - Photo: QUANG DINH
The bowls of pho are ready to be served to customers - Photo: QUANG DINH
Customers arrive very early to enjoy a hot bowl of pho to start the day.
Trí Minh's family checked in for Pho Day "a little early". After buying a pho voucher, the whole family is waiting to enjoy their first bowl of pho of the day.
The child's mother said she learned about the event through the newspapers. Despite having their own work, the whole family still stopped by to try it out of curiosity. Not to mention, her son loves pho. Even though they hadn't eaten yet, the atmosphere was already buzzing with excitement.
She said her preference is for Northern-style pho, and she occasionally eats pho for breakfast, but instead of her usual restaurant, the whole family came here today because the cheerful atmosphere at the event was a unique and appealing feature.
The Manh De family (Thanh My Tay ward) came to enjoy the meal from early morning - Photo: QUANG DINH
Jean-Claude Hooper (a Canadian tourist) enjoys two bowls of pho at once, one from Minh and one from Lac Hong - Photo: QUANG DINH
As one of the earliest groups to arrive at Pho Day, Mr. Binh Pham (27 years old, leader of the Sala Cycling group) shared that he learned about the program after reading information on social media, found it interesting and meaningful, so he decided to invite the whole group to participate.
Because the members live in different, distant wards, everyone gathered as early as 5 am and began heading to the event.
Sala Cycling Group checks in early - Photo: LAN HUONG
"After each bike ride, we usually go for pho because it's the easiest dish to eat and can serve many people," he said.
The whole group sat waiting in front of the Pho Phu Gia stall, taking the opportunity to "check-in" with a few photos. According to Mr. Binh, all the members preferred Pho Phu Gia because the restaurant maintains the traditional Northern Vietnamese pho flavor, and it's always delicious.
After enjoying his first bowl of pho at Pho Minh Pasteur's stall, Marcus, a tourist from Germany, shared with Tuoi Tre newspaper that he really loves Vietnamese pho.
Despite only being in Vietnam for about three months, Marcus revealed that he has eaten hundreds of bowls of pho at various restaurants, from small roadside stalls to famous establishments. "I have faith in every bowl of Vietnamese pho," he said with a smile.
Regarding this year's Pho Day, Marcus said he will continue to try a few more bowls of pho, seeing it as an interesting way to learn more about Vietnamese culinary culture.
The Pho Day 12-12 program, now in its 9th year with the theme "Elevating Vietnamese Rice - Spreading Across Five Continents," will take place over two days, December 13th and 14th, at the former Tax Department Store area, 135 Nguyen Hue Street, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
The program features nearly 30 famous and unique pho brands from North to South Vietnam, showcasing a diverse range of pho dishes reflecting the characteristics of different regions and local cultures.
With a price of 40,000 VND per bowl, the Pho Day festival on December 12, 2025, is expected to serve more than 20,000 servings over two days. The organizers will donate at least 10% of the pho sales revenue to the "Pho of Love" program, cooking and serving pho to people in the flood-stricken areas of Dak Lak province (formerly Phu Yen), which recently suffered damage from natural disasters.
The Pho Day 12-12 program is supported and coordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cultural Diplomacy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Trade Promotion - Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, with the diamond partnership of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company for many years, and this year with the additional support of Ho Chi Minh City Development Commercial Bank (HDBank), Cholimex Food Joint Stock Company, Saigon Trading Corporation Limited (SATRA), Suntory Pepsico Beverage Company Limited, etc.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hoa-hau-h-hen-nie-pho-dung-la-mot-dai-su-van-hoa-quyen-luc-nhat-cua-viet-nam-20251213062455787.htm
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