Talk show: Pho of the past, Pho of the present, Pho of tomorrow? - Photo: HUU HANH
Talk show: France in the past . France today . "What's on Tomorrow?" will feature and share insights from speakers including: Mr. Bui Chi Thanh, representative of Pho Thin Bo Ho (Hanoi); Mr. Tran Ba Di, representative of Pho Minh Pasteur (Ho Chi Minh City); Mr. Nguyen Tat Trung, representative of Pho Trung in Tokyo (Japan); Ms. Nguyen Phi Van, international franchising expert; and Ms. Anh Ngoc, Marketing Department from Acecook Vietnam JSC, under the guidance of journalist Cao Huy Tho (Tuoi Tre Newspaper).
Of these, Pho Thin Bo Ho and Pho Minh Pasteur represent traditional pho; Pho Trung and Acecook represent modern pho.
The talk show, part of Pho Day initiated by Tuoi Tre newspaper, opened on the morning of December 13th and ran until 9 PM on December 14th at 135 Nguyen Hue Street, Ho Chi Minh City.
Customers enthusiastically enjoy pho at Pho Day - Photo: QUANG DINH
International franchising expert: I'm so sorry!
Ms. Nguyen Phi Van shared that she regrets not seeing more Vietnamese pho being franchised abroad, while Vietnamese coffee and tea brands have already achieved this.
"A coffee brand I've partnered with has franchised to India for $500,000, without even needing to export coffee yet. But why haven't we been able to sell our pho brand much in other countries, when they only need to put up a sign with our brand name and we're already making money?" Ms. Van asked.
According to her, famous Vietnamese pho brands, despite having many years of operating experience, are still owned and managed in a very "family-style" manner.
Ms. Van believes that brands are still unable to "package" pho, including packaging the recipe, brand, and intellectual property, for sale abroad.
She also suggested that "pho needs to be promoted strongly, just as Vietnam has promoted its culture and tourism ."
Expert Nguyen Phi Van - Photo: Huu Hanh
Understanding traditional pho is key to developing modern pho.
Journalist Cao Huy Thọ said that on the occasion of Pho Day, Tuổi Trẻ newspaper "commissioned" researcher Phạm Công Luận to write an article titled " The Journey of Pho in Saigon . "
In it, Mr. Luan stated that in the Ha Thanh Ngo Bao newspaper in 1930, there was a news report about a car colliding with a train, crushing a pho vendor's sandal. This means that Northern-style pho had already appeared in Saigon as early as 1930.
"By learning about traditional pho and then enjoying modern pho, we gain a better understanding of the history of pho in particular and Vietnamese cuisine in general," Mr. Tho said.
From left to right, top to bottom: Journalist Cao Huy Tho, Bui Chi Thanh, Tran Ba Di, Nguyen Tat Trung - Photo: Huu Hanh
Mr. Nguyen Tat Trung has been running Pho Trung in Japan for 12 years now. But what nobody knows is that in 2012, he took a huge risk by selling several plots of land for 20 billion VND to open four pho restaurants in Japan.
"It took 4-5 years to recoup the investment. I was both the owner and the employee, working from A to Z, toiling from morning till night. It was tough," but he said, "I still do it because I love pho and want to promote Vietnamese pho further."
Initially, Trung's attempts at cooking Vietnamese pho in the Japanese style weren't very successful. One Japanese customer commented that he had eaten pho in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but the pho Trung cooked, which was also professionally made, didn't taste as good as the pho he ate in Vietnam.
That question "awakened" him. He completely changed the recipe, cooking authentic Vietnamese pho, and the restaurant began to stabilize. Now, after 12 years, it has become a well-known chain brand in Japan.
Not only Vietnamese people, but foreigners also love pho - Photo: QUANG DINH
Foreign tourists sample pho at Pho Day 2025 - Photo: NGHI VU
Meanwhile, Mr. Bui Chi Thanh said that the familiar Pho Thin Bo Ho restaurant at 61 Dinh Tien Hoang Street will soon have to relocate to make way for the "Cultural Boulevard" project and the park and square area east of Hoan Kiem Lake in the near future.
"This is an iconic address, associated with the memories of countless generations of Hanoi residents and tourists alike. Some say that no matter how noisy it is outside Hoan Kiem Lake, when you step through this alley to enjoy a bowl of pho, it feels like time stands still," he said.
The brand representative added that some young customers now prefer eating in a more spacious and clean place rather than in a dilapidated, old alleyway.
Ms. Ngoc Anh - Photo: Huu Hanh
Representing the "modern" pho group at the talk show, Ms. Anh Ngoc stated that Acecook is very proud of its slogan "cook happiness" (elevating cuisine), specifically elevating Vietnamese pho in a convenient form while still preserving its traditional flavor through its instant pho product, De Nhat.
According to Ms. Ngoc, instant pho is being understood and appreciated more objectively by consumers every day for its convenience while still retaining its full flavor.
"Acecook's instant pho isn't a competitor to traditional pho, but it helps spread pho in a different way, bringing it directly to consumers," she said.
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/sao-pho-chua-duoc-nhuong-quyen-khap-the-gioi-nhu-tra-va-ca-phe-viet-20251213122512022.htm
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