From 15th to 17th March 2023, the Pho Festival 2024 will take place in Nam Dinh province with the theme “Honoring the Pho profession, towards intangible cultural heritage”. The program is directed by the People’s Committee of Nam Dinh province and organized by Masan Consumer Goods Joint Stock Company. The event is accompanied by sponsoring units, including the Vietnam Fish Sauce Association, Chinsu brand, Pho Story, Bluezone Pure Water, and Pho xua Nam Dinh.
Within the framework of the Pho Festival 2024 program, on the morning of March 15th, at Van Cu Pho Village, ambassadors, guests, and tourists were able to experience the atmosphere of Van Cu Pho Village, learn about the formation and development of Pho along the timeline, directly experience the stages that make up the traditional Pho dish, and enjoy the authentic taste of Van Cu Pho Village.
Rice noodle sheet
Cutting rice noodles
Slicing beef
At the same time, the signing ceremony of cooperation between Chinsu brand and the Van Cu Pho Association took place at the event. Mr. Co Nhu Doi, Chairman of the Van Cu Pho Association, said, “To always ensure the quality of delicious and authentic Pho, the restaurants and shops in the Van Cu Pho Association are building criteria for food safety and using branded ingredients to ensure quality. Currently, in addition to traditional ingredients and professional secrets, we use Chinsu fish sauce, chili sauce, and seasonings, which not only guarantee safety but also ensure the taste.”
At the event, Masan Consumer also donated VND 300 million to support the Van Cu Pho Association, contributing to the preservation of the national culture, local economic development, and the country as a whole.
Masan Consumer donates VND 300 million to support the Van Cu Pho Association
Van Cu Pho Village, known as the birthplace of the Pho profession, has produced many skilled artisans who have spread Pho throughout the country. It started in the early 20th century when the French built a textile factory in Nam Dinh and the Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi. At that time, after the harvest season, the young men in the village went to the big cities to sell street food with baskets of crab noodles, stir-fried noodles, etc. To meet the needs of customers, the vendors improved their food preparation methods and Pho was born. Gradually, the Pho profession spread to other big cities like Hai Phong and Hanoi.
The first Pho vendors in Van Cu Village started selling Pho in the 1900s. Then, the second, third generations, and so on continued the profession passed down by their ancestors. In the 1980s, the Pho profession developed rapidly, especially after Vietnam implemented the open-door policy in 1986. The people of Van Cu Village brought the Pho profession nationwide and internationally, especially in the capital city of Hanoi. Here, the people of Van Cu Village have established many Pho shops and Pho restaurants in various districts, including famous ones such as Pho Co Cu, Pho Bat Dan, Pho Hang Dong, Pho Ngoc Vuong, etc. Currently, the people of Van Cu Village have established hundreds of Pho restaurants and more than 20 noodle factories. Every day, they bring more than 30 tons of Pho noodles to the market, especially for locals and tourists visiting Hanoi.
In addition to honoring the traditional Pho profession, the Pho Festival is also an opportunity to connect and promote commercial exchanges between craft villages and businesses in the culinary field. At the same time, it allows tourists to visit, learn, and enjoy the unique taste of Pho, which is closely associated with the culture of various regions across the country. Furthermore, the Organizing Committee aims to elevate Vietnamese cuisine and turn Pho into a national brand, promoting tourism development both domestically and internationally.
Throughout the three days of the Pho Festival 2024, the organizing committee will release special discount programs with an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 bowls of Pho offered to customers in the form of coupons. Each coupon has a value of VND 15,000, and customers can enjoy one bowl of Pho at their chosen stalls. At the end of the event, the organizing committee will donate the proceeds from the sale of 5,000 coupons to the Cerebral Palsy Children’s Fund in Nam Dinh province.
