Vietnamese Pho, Banh Mi, and Spring Rolls Conquer Thousands of Diners in Korea

A large number of visitors attended the festival to experience Vietnamese cuisine - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

It is estimated that about 10,000 visitors came to visit and enjoy pho and other dishes imbued with Vietnamese identity on the first day of Vietnam Pho Festival 2024.

That shows that this event is not simply a food festival, but also a story about culture, love for the homeland and the connecting power of Vietnamese cuisine in foreign lands.

Get up at 5am to go to pho

Right from the days before the opening ceremony, information about Vietnam Pho Festival was strongly promoted through social networking platforms in Korea, attracting the attention of not only Vietnamese people but also Koreans and international tourists.

The opening day witnessed the influx of thousands of Koreans and Vietnamese from all over the country to the capital of Korea.

From Busan, Professor Bae Yang Soo – Director of the ASEAN Research Institute, Busan University of Foreign Studies – led 10 students to attend the festival. These students came not only to enjoy the cuisine but also to learn more about Vietnamese culture.

Park Ra Gyeong, a freshman, did not hesitate to wake up at 5am to take the train to Seoul to attend this event.

“The most impressive thing is the bustling atmosphere here as well as the aroma of the dishes wafting from the stalls. We are really looking forward to enjoying pho here,” Park said excitedly.

For the Vietnamese community in Korea, this festival also has a special meaning – it is a place to ease homesickness.

This event is not only an opportunity to enjoy rustic dishes but also a chance to feel the atmosphere of home in the heart of Korea. Not only Vietnamese people living in Seoul, many Vietnamese people from other provinces in Korea did not hesitate to travel far to attend.

Ms. Pham Trang could not hide her emotions: "The atmosphere of my hometown seems to come back to life after 10 years away from home. I have eaten pho in many places in Korea, but today I finally found the familiar taste of the past."

Many other Vietnamese people also come here not only to enjoy their hometown food but also to meet and share stories about life abroad.

Impressive taste

In addition, the festival also attracted the attention of many Koreans and international tourists. Park Seo Rin, a festival participant, shared that she happened to pass by the festival and was attracted by the joyful atmosphere and the aroma of Vietnamese dishes.

Mr. Hyeongjo Kim, an office worker in Seoul, said that his whole family enjoyed the Sam Ngoc Linh pho and felt the rich taste of Vietnamese pho. “Vietnamese pho is delicious. The flavor is impressive. Thank you for bringing a wonderful festival!”, Mr. Kim shared.

Many international tourists are also attracted by the festival. A family from Portugal, after a trip to Da Nang - Hoi An, came across the festival and decided to attend. They were especially interested in Pho Ngoc Vuong - a long-standing brand from Vietnam. Other Vietnamese dishes such as banh mi, cha gio, banh xeo and bun bo are also popular, creating a diverse and rich culinary space.

Particularly impressive was the sight of people lining up in front of the stalls from early morning. Many stalls had to mobilize their raw materials for the next day to meet the demand of diners. Not only pho, other Vietnamese dishes such as banh mi, cha gio, bun bo also quickly "sold out".

Ms. Hong Le, chef of Majestic, prepares ingredients to cook pho to serve diners at Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

A cultural bridge

Mr. Hyeongjo Kim, an office worker in Seoul, could not hide his delight when enjoying the fragrant, hot Sam Ngoc Linh pho. “Vietnamese pho is very delicious. The flavor is rich and impressive,” Mr. Kim shared.

Meanwhile, Kim Yong Gong, another Seoul resident, said that after pho, banh mi is the dish that most Koreans like the most, especially the grilled meat banh mi prepared at the festival.

At Saigontourist Group’s booths, chefs from the Grand Saigon Hotel, Saigon Morin Hue Hotel, and Majestic Saigon Hotel worked at full capacity to serve diners. Mr. Tuan Anh, head chef of Saigon Morin Hue Hotel, said that in the morning, Hue beef noodle soup had to be continuously made to meet the high demand of diners.

In particular, the performance of the chef of the old Saigon - Morin hotel with royal dishes of the Nguyen Dynasty attracted special attention from viewers.

This is not only a regular culinary performance but also a way to introduce to international friends the sophistication of Vietnamese royal culinary culture.

The special thing about this festival is not only the delicious food, but also the cultural stories told through cuisine. The organizers have cleverly arranged exhibition spaces and cultural and tourism experiences, where visitors can try on Ao Dai, wear conical hats, or participate in Vietnamese folk games.

This cultural space is designed as a journey of discovery, from photos of the people and country of Vietnam to activities that directly interact with Vietnamese culture.

Bringing the taste of home to the world

On the first day of Vietnam Pho Festival, it is estimated that nearly 5,000 meals will be served, mainly pho dishes from famous brands from Vietnam such as Pho Thin Bo Ho, Pho Phu Gia, Pho Ngoc Vuong, Pho Dau, Pho Sen SASCO, Pho Ta, Pho 'S, Pho Sam Ngoc Linh, Pho Atiso Da Lat...

Most of the stalls ran out of pho broth by noon, while in the afternoon people still flocked to the festival grounds, where art performances, folk games, art experiences, etc. were still taking place.

Vu Ngoc Vuong, owner of Ngoc Vuong Pho, said his stall was constantly busy and he only stopped in the afternoon to have lunch. “Koreans really like pho,” he commented.

Meanwhile, continuing to impress diners at Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 is lobster pho from the Pho Ta brand, Binh Tay Food Company. According to Ms. Le Thi Giau, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Binh Tay Food Joint Stock Company, this is pho with the broth base of beef bone broth and lobster broth, lobster pho shows creativity, renewing the traditional pho dish.

Bread and spring rolls are also "sold out"

The appeal of Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 does not stop at pho but also spreads to many other Vietnamese dishes. Banh mi, spring rolls, beef noodle soup stalls, etc. all witnessed the scene of "sold out" right from the morning.

According to records, nearly 500 sandwiches were sold out in the first few hours of the event. By noon, customers were still lining up to buy at famous booths such as the Grand Saigon Hotel and Caravelle Saigon.

Due to the high demand, the organizers had to add 300 more loaves of bread for the next day.

Dishes such as bun cha, bun bo and cha gio are equally appealing, with chefs from Saigon Morin Hue, Majestic Saigon and Caravelle hotels working tirelessly to serve diners.

Chef Tuan Anh from Saigon Morin Hotel said his team had to prepare extra ingredients for the next day due to the huge demand from diners.

A good chef guides a Korean housewife to cook pho.

Ms. Quach Thi Tinh and her husband, Mr. Alan McGreevey, Deputy Ambassador of Ireland in Seoul, Korea, spent the whole day at the Vietnam Pho Festival, enjoying pho brands from Vietnam and constantly praising the delicious food at the festival.

“Just entering the festival space, my whole family felt like they were back in Vietnam. The pho at the festival was delicious, reminding me of the food in Hanoi, Vietnamese cuisine is truly wonderful,” added Mr. Alan McGreevey.

Binh Tay Food's lobster pho impressed festival attendees - Photo: D.PHAN

Also on this stage, in the “Talk show” section, the head chef of the Majestic Saigon Hotel, Duong Duc Huan, shared the secrets to making a delicious pho dish, which is to have the ingredients of marrow bones, meat and pho noodles. In particular, the broth is the soul of pho, the bones must be simmered for at least 6-8 hours.

Ms. Mai Nguyen, a Vietnamese living here, said that she sometimes cooks pho at home to treat her family, but mostly uses recipes from the internet so the final flavor is still not as authentic as at home.

“The chef's sharing has answered many of my concerns about cooking pho for a long time,” said Ms. Mai.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/pho-viet-banh-mi-cha-gio-chinh-phuc-hang-ngan-thuc-khach-tai-han-quoc-20241005223108342.htm