Ms. Trang Lastella (born in 1985, from Ho Chi Minh City) has lived in Geneva, Switzerland since 2016. After more than 11 years working as a logistics supervisor at large multinational companies in Ho Chi Minh City and Geneva with a high salary, in 2020, she decided to retire early, start a new life and do what she loves.
Ms. Trang revealed that the work cycle kept her busy all day, lacking time to rest and making it difficult to enjoy life as desired. Although her salary in Switzerland at that time was about 7,100 Francs/month (equivalent to 200 million VND), the Vietnamese woman felt suffocated and no longer interested in going to work every day.
When the company in Switzerland moved its headquarters to France, she thought about it and decided to retire early to do what she wanted, including selling beef noodle soup online - a dream she had cherished since she was working for large companies in Vietnam.
“I thought if I don’t do it now, when will I do it? Time and life are unpredictable. If I do something, I have to do it now, so I decided to retire early and do what I like. I chose the online pho selling model because I found it suitable for my current conditions and abilities. First, it was to satisfy my need for delicious food, then it was to realize my dream of becoming a pho seller, and at the same time ease my homesickness,” Trang said.
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According to her, cooking a delicious pot of pho is quite hard work, but cooking a small amount is not worth the effort. Therefore, she sold and ate at the same time, initially only making about 20 servings. Friends and acquaintances found the dish delicious, spread the word and recommended it to each other, so her pho gradually became known to more people in Switzerland. From then on, she increased the quantity, about 100 servings each time.
“I only sell pho on weekends and for the past 4 years I have kept the same portion size. I don’t chase quantity because I want to maintain the quality of the dish, ensuring that diners are satisfied and delighted after enjoying it,” said the 39-year-old woman.
Ms. Trang cooks beef pho according to her own recipe, “the way it is served at home”. However, to suit the local taste, she also seasoned and adjusted the spices to balance it.
“Vietnamese people often season their broth with a little fish sauce to make it more flavorful, but the Swiss do not like that spice. Therefore, I have experimented many times to create a broth that is neutral and suits the taste of most customers,” the Vietnamese bride shared.
To make delicious pho, Ms. Trang went to the Asian supermarket in the area where her family lived to buy Vietnamese foods and spices. The pho used was dry pho, which was chewy and soft, and did not get soggy when cooked.
Beef must be selected from fresh meat, sourced from Switzerland and of guaranteed quality.
For the broth, she bought the beef tail bone and marrow bone, cleaned it, deodorized it, simmered it for about 8 hours, and then seasoned it. In addition to the bones, she also added ginger, roasted shallots, star anise, cinnamon, etc. to give the broth a natural sweetness and an attractive aroma.
“The pho is cooked to have the most authentic Vietnamese flavor possible, but it still has to be adjusted to suit the tastes and preferences of local people. I also buy additional herbs such as basil, cilantro, green onions, onions and lemons for diners to eat with pho like in Vietnam,” said Ms. Trang.
The beef is meticulously processed to ensure soft, fragrant meat with a blend of flavors.
On average, Vietnamese women use about 30kg of ingredients each time, including oxtail bone, marrow bone, beef shank and rump steak, each about 7kg. The rest is dry pho, vegetables and accompanying spices.
According to Ms. Trang, the price of raw materials and labor costs in Switzerland are very expensive. Sometimes, she has to hire more workers, and her husband helps with some work or makes deliveries when necessary.
A bowl of beef noodle soup is sold by her for about 17 Fr (Franc, about 500,000 VND).
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Each bowl of online beef noodle soup from Ms. Trang is sold for about 500,000 VND.
This woman admitted that if she calculated properly, the pho business in Europe would be highly effective and create a significant source of stable income. For example, fixed sales hours, “no need to work much but still achieve high productivity”.
“I am very careful, measuring each serving to meet the highest standards. Looking back now, I can’t believe I have been selling pho online in Switzerland for 4 years. My dream has come true and it has also brought me a good source of income. From the money I earned, I saved up and bought 4 pieces of land of different sizes in some provinces such as Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Lam Dong,” the Vietnamese woman revealed.
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Mr. Owen (living in Geneva) - a regular customer said that he has been eating beef pho cooked by Ms. Trang for many years.
“In my opinion, Trang’s pho is the best in Geneva. I used to pay double the price in restaurants in the city just to enjoy a dish similar to pho but with a much lower taste and quality. Trang’s pho tastes just like the pho I ate as a child. The broth is delicious, the pho is beautifully decorated with a generous portion, lots of rice noodles, beef and herbs. If you are a pho connoisseur or like Vietnamese food, you should definitely try Trang’s online pho,” Owen commented.
Photo: Lastella Page
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nang-dau-viet-ban-pho-bo-o-thuy-si-gia-500-000-dong-bat-4-nam-mua-vai-manh-dat-2323953.html
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