Tuoi Tre (Youth)newspaperstarted organizing two contests this month that will last through December to find the top ten people’s choice pho restaurants and the best pho chefs in Vietnam.

The contests are part of the lead-up to the 2020 ‘Day of Pho’ (December 12), the fourth edition of an annual Tuoi Tre-backed program to honor the world-renowned food.

Pho is a Vietnamese soup consisting of a complex broth, rice noodles, fresh herbs, and meat, either beef or chicken.

Besides the main day of festivities, a pho cooking competition is open to both local and foreign chefs who currently work at eateries, restaurants or hotels across the country, as well as non-professional cooks.

Registrations should be sent by post to Tuoi Tre headquarters at 60A Hoang Van Thu Street, Ward 9, in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City or via the email address ngaycuapho12thang12@tuoitre.com.vn, with submissions closing on October 25.

The number of entrants will be limited to 160 contestants, half of whom will compete in a qualification round for northern Vietnam in Hanoi on October 29 and the other half in a similar qualifier for the southern region in Ho Chi Minh City on November 26.

The contestants will also be divided into two groups of professional and non-professional cooks.

The final will be contested by 20 finalists in Hanoi on December 12.

Five top prizes, the 'Hoa Hoi Vang' (Golden Star Anise), worth VND20 million (US$865) each, and five second prizes, the 'Hoa Hoi Bac' (Silver Star Anise), worth VND10 million ($432) each, will be awarded to the ten winners and runners-up in the professional group.

Five Golden Star Anise awards, worth VND10 million each, and five Silver Star Anise prizes, worth VND5 million ($216) each, will be presented to the first- and second-place cooks in the non-professional batch.

In addition, a vote-based competition is underway to choose the top ten pho brands most loved by diners in Vietnam.

The favorite pho brands contest is now in its nomination round. Readers and owners of pho brands can submit nominations at ngaycuapho12thang12.tuoitre.vn/binh-chon-top-10 until October 30.

The shortlisted brands will be announced on October 31 and voting will open after the announcement on Tuoi Tre’s online platform, https://tuoitre.vn/, between November 1 and 30.

Winners of the contest will be named on December 12, along with five winners of the crystal achievemant award which recognizes brands with interesting and meaningful backstories.

Furthermore, a writing and photography contests with the theme 'Pho in me,' encouraging both domestic and overseas readers to tell their stories about pho in text and visual formats, is open for registration and submissions until November 25.

December 12 was officially designated as the Day of Pho in celebration of Vietnam’s traditional dish in 2018, one year after the first ‘Pho Day’ was held.

This year’s ‘Day of Pho’ is themed 'Sublimation of Vietnamese Cuisine.'

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