Pho - From Heritage to National Brand

Pho is the "King"

Many guests have had the opportunity to taste pho in different countries around the world, and this dish has become one of the reasons they decide to visit Vietnam. Indeed, in the eyes of international guests, pho is one of the specialties not to be missed in Vietnam.

Darryl Scott, an American tourist, shared that he had eaten pho in New York (USA) before coming to Vietnam. "My girlfriend suggested that I try pho in Vietnam. The aroma of the broth and the tender beef is a perfect combination. I must say, this is one of my favorite dishes of all time," Scott told Lao Dong Newspaper.

For Liam Ghani, a blogger from South Africa, who just arrived in Vietnam, he was amazed and said "pho is king," meaning pho is the king of Vietnamese cuisine.

"At first glance, you might easily think that Vietnam is the country of pho. Simply because pho is everywhere, from Hanoi in the North to the Mekong Delta in the South, pho is king," Liam confirmed.

Not a big fan of pho, Liam didn't intend to try it until he traveled to Ho Chi Minh City: He realized that pho is an indispensable part of Vietnamese culinary culture and decided to give it a try. Throughout his journey exploring the S-shaped land, Liam gradually changed his mind about pho, to the point where some mornings he woke up only thinking about a bowl of pho.

The young tourist was fascinated by the truly Vietnamese culinary experience when sitting at a sidewalk stall slurping a bowl of pho, with beads of sweat on his forehead from the heat, and his shoulders almost touching the person next to him because of the crowded seating. He felt he was no longer a foreign guest but rather just another local, with one hand holding a phone and the other holding chopsticks, and a helmet hanging on his knee… eating pho.

"What I love most is that pho is everywhere, for everyone," Liam confessed.

Not only do customers praise it, but famous chefs around the world also give compliments to Vietnamese pho. The late American chef Anthony Bourdain once revealed that he really liked pho. British chef Jamie Oliver, a renowned figure who frequently appears on popular cooking shows, praised pho saying, "Pho sure, it’s good" — he used the pun "pho" to affirm that this is undoubtedly a delicious dish. Oliver also posted a detailed recipe for Vietnamese pho on his website and filmed himself cooking pho on British television.

From Heritage to National Brand

In 2007, "pho" officially appeared in the Oxford Dictionary. In 2014, this specialty was also added to the famous Merriam-Webster Dictionary in the United States, followed by the French dictionary Le Petit Larousse.

Pho has appeared in countless world rankings of the best foods and international media articles praising it, such as CNN, New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Taste Atlas... It was also one of the first dishes to appear in reality TV series from countries like South Korea, Japan, the UK, the US, Australia... when documenting culinary experiences in Vietnam.

Since 2015, Vietnam's signature beef pho has been officially served on Vietnam Airlines' business class on international flights. In 2017, Vietnam chose December 12th as Pho Day, gradually creating large culinary events such as the Vietnam Pho Festival and Pho Day...

Most recently, Hanoi pho and Nam Dinh pho were officially included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage under the category of Folklore Knowledge, according to a Decision by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MOCST).

Mr. Nguyễn Xuân Quỳnh - General Secretary of the Vietnam Chefs Association, said: "The recognition of Hanoi pho and Nam Dinh pho as National Intangible Cultural Heritage is great news and something to be proud of. I believe it should have been honored earlier because Vietnamese pho has been famous and acknowledged by the world for a long time."

He further explained that this is an opportunity to promote tourism and create a boost for the cuisine of these two localities. Moreover, this recognition will motivate chefs and artisans to preserve traditional dishes while also creating new and unique dishes that still maintain Vietnamese cultural identity. At the same time, this milestone will pave the way for other regional specialties to be recognized in the future.

"We need a strategy, a national program to promote the Vietnamese culinary brand, selecting representative dishes from each region. We need to build a national brand to drive growth, promote the cultural, culinary, and tourism values of Vietnam."

Indeed, it is crucial to build a strong brand for pho in particular and Vietnamese cuisine in general on its journey to the world, a "made in Vietnam" brand that can bring in many USD for the tourism, service, and entertainment industries...

Why Choose NoodleSaigon20 Pho and Vermicelli?

At NoodleSaigon20, we believe that selecting the right rice is crucial to crafting authentic and delicious pho and vermicelli. We use carefully chosen rice varieties to produce high-quality noodles, ensuring an exceptional culinary experience for our customers.