Many pho brands and five-star hotels which serve the soup in Vietnam have registered to participate in the Vietnam Pho Festival 2023, slated for October 7 and 8 in Tokyo, Japan.

Some notable brands are Pho Dau, Pho Phu Gia, Pho Thin Bo Ho, and Pho Hai Thien, which are all famous and age-old in Vietnam.

Five-star hotels registering for the event include Hotel Grand Saigon and Hotel Majestic Saigon.

During a meeting at the headquarters of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday to prepare for the festival in Japan, pho artisans and owners of pho restaurants showed their excitement at their first time bringing the essence of the Vietnamese noodle dishto Japan to serve foreign customers.

As Japan has strict requirements for food hygiene and safety, Vietnamese pho restaurant owners have learned about these criteria to well prepare, process, and preserve materials during the event.

Bich Hoang, a representative of Pho Dau, said her restaurant, which has served pho for over 60 years, will prepare materials in Japan to meet the country’s stringent requirements.

However, the essence of its pho will be kept unchanged.

Nguyen Tuan Trung, the owner of Pho Phu Gia, said he will carefully calculate the volume of materials so that they will be used in a day to ensure the freshness and taste of the dish.

Meanwhile, Pho Hai Thien will introduce pho cuon (rolled pho) at the Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 in Japan, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nguyen, the owner of the pho restaurant, said, adding that the host country does not encourage serving fresh dishes to eaters at outdoor events. As a result, she will do careful preparations to offer the best possible pho cuon.

Nguyen Tat Trung, the owner of Pho Trung restaurant in Japan, who will support Vietnamese pho brands with materials, expressed his pride in cooperation with famed pho brands in Vietnam, saying that these brands are popular and age-old.

“We work together to ensure that food hygiene and safety are the top priority so that Japanese people can try pho with the exact essence that Vietnamese people enjoy every day,” Trung shared.

The Vietnam Pho Festival 2023, which marks the seventh edition of the ‘Day of Pho’ (December 12), initiated and annually held by Tuoi Tre, is aimed at promoting Vietnamese cuisine, particularly pho, a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef or chicken.

The festival also serves as a tangible commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

This year’s 'Day of Pho' will be co-hosted by Tuoi Tre and Saigontourist Group, with support from the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association, and Japanese partners.

In addition, Aoyagi Yoichiro, a member of Japan’s House of Representatives and the head of the Vietnam-Japan Festival organizing committee, as well as Mainichi newspaper have been providing significant support.

The program also enjoys sponsorship from national carrier Vietnam Airlines, Southern Airports Services Joint Stock Company, the Ngoc Linh Kontum K5 Ginseng Pho brand, and several other domestic and international companies.

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