Going to the Korean market together, busy preparing for Vietnam Pho Festival 2024

Pho Ta - Binh Tay Food Group chooses the best beef bones to serve the festival - Photo: MINH HUYNH

On October 3, a number of Vietnamese pho groups arrived in Seoul (South Korea), preparing for the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 which will take place on October 5 and 6. The next day, pho restaurants Ngoc Vuong, pho Phu Gia, pho Dau, pho Thin Bo Ho - Hang Tre... will gather in Seoul, "lighting the fire" to cook fragrant pots of pho.

Previously, the Saigontourist Group delegation also arrived early in Seoul and visited the site where Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 took place.

"The pho is delicious"

According to records, from early morning on October 3, more than 30 packages serving Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 were quickly cleared through customs by the Pho Ta - Binh Tay Food delegation to be brought to Seoul.

Mr. Ha Van Ky - chef of Pho Ta - said that most of the luggage was pho noodles, spices, and gifts for Korean friends. Immediately after bringing more than half a ton of "goods" to the warehouse in Seoul, the group quickly went to Majang market, the largest beef market in Korea.

"We expect to serve 2,000 servings of pho at this year's Festival. The pho is expected to be very delicious, because Korean beef is known for its high quality," Mr. Ky emphasized.

According to Ms. Thoai Chau - financial director of Binh Tay Food Company, beef and beef bones are important ingredients to make a delicious broth and bowl of pho, so the company proactively arrived early and hand-picked the ingredients. "We bought more than 60kg of rare meat, 10kg of ribs, more than 60kg of bones, all high-quality goods," she said.

Vietnamese Pho delegation serving Vietnam Pho Festival arrives in Korea to prepare for the event - Performed by: MINH HUYNH - TRUONG KIEN - MAI HUYEN - TRINH TRA

"With our dedicated preparation, we hope for another successful Vietnam Pho Festival," said Ms. Le Thi Giau, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Binh Tay Food Joint Stock Company.

"63 years of producing dried and instant pho, and 2 years of accompanying the Vietnam Pho Festival are the contributions we want to bring to the national dish," she added.

Mr. Yoon Byung Hwa - representative of Challenge Cooperation Company - said that when shopping and visiting this market, visitors can also learn more about Korean livestock culture.

"We are very excited by the enthusiasm and professionalism of the chefs and members from Vietnam. Welcome to Seoul and wish the program great success in our country," said Mr. Yoon.

It is known that the pho restaurant owners participating in the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 program are long-time pho chefs who will personally serve diners on October 5 and 6.

Mr. Vu Quoc Vuong - owner of the Ngoc Vuong pho brand - shared that although he has had many experiences cooking pho in different conditions, this time bringing pho abroad is very special.

"I have the pho cooking technique and I am very confident, but with the ingredients and cooking conditions at a foreign festival, there will definitely be many challenges. However, to promote pho internationally, pho cooks will do their best," Mr. Vuong shared.

"Looking forward to Vietnam Pho Festival 2024"

The meeting between representatives of Tuoi Tre newspaper and Korean partners on October 3, preparing for Vietnam Pho Festival 2024. Mr. Vo Hung Thuat - Director of Tuoi Tre newspaper's Media Service Center - thanked the Korean partners for their support: "We feel the cooperation from Korea, who have worked with us day and night to quickly resolve the issues" - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

Also on October 3, in Seoul, the Tuoi Tre newspaper delegation had a working session with Korean partners to complete preparations for the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024.

Mr. Lee Danny, Chairman of KTGRZ Holdings - the program's partner in Korea, said that the company considered this event an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation with Vietnamese partners, so they put all their efforts into organizing the event in the most meticulous way.

Mr. Jun Byung Il, advisor of KTGRZ Holdings, shared that outdoor culinary events in Korea must comply with many strict regulations from the management agency. "Korean law has very strict requirements on outdoor cooking and processing, so the organizers must work in detail so that chefs from Vietnam can grasp and properly implement the regulations," he said.

In addition, the organizers have proactively supported the preparation of ingredients for pho restaurants with the number registered per booth.

The space around Seoul Children's Park, where Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 will take place - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

Also according to the representative of KTGRZ Holdings, up to now, information about the Vietnamese Pho Festival - Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 has been spread to a large number of people in Korea, when information about the event appeared in more than 100 Korean press agencies, in posts by 50 Korean bloggers with more than 3 million followers, on forums, groups... Images of the festival also appeared in hundreds of residential areas, schools, some supermarkets...

Kwon Joo Sung, 27, said he had known about the Vietnam Pho Festival for more than a month and was looking forward to the event because he loves pho. "I started learning about Vietnamese dishes when I was a student and have loved Vietnamese cuisine ever since. I am also very curious about how Vietnamese people like Vietnamese pho. Therefore, the pho festival will be very special," he said.

Information about Vietnam Pho Festival at supermarkets, shopping malls...

Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 takes place on October 5 and 6, 2024 at Pie Factory, 441 Gwangnaru-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul (Korea).

The program is co-organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Korea, Tuoi Tre newspaper, Saigontourist Group, under the direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and the coordination of the Trade Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, General Association of Vietnamese in Korea, Vietnam Business Association in Korea, Korea - Southeast Asia Economic Cooperation Association (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea).

Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 has a performance stage, nearly 70 booths, including more than 40 booths selling pho and Vietnamese and Korean delicacies. Besides, there is a space for cultural experiences, exhibitions, and introductions to Vietnamese culinary culture and tourism.

With the slogan "Enjoy Pho, Discover Vietnam", the program's organizers hope to use Vietnam Pho Festival to create people-to-people diplomacy activities, promote the friendly relations between the two countries, promote culinary culture, and connect trade based on the economic and tourism potentials of Vietnam and Korea.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ru-nhau-di-cho-han-quoc-tat-bat-chuan-bi-cho-vietnam-pho-festival-2024-20241001180103512.htm