Seasoned Vietnamese chefs are eagerly preparing for the Vietnam Phở Festival 2024, scheduled for this weekend in Seoul, where they will offer phở using high-quality Korean beef.

Several Vietnamese phở teams arrived in Seoul, South Korea on Thursday, getting ready for the culinary event that will be held at Pie Factory, 441 Gwangnaru-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul on October 5 and 6.

Teams from renowned phở brands such as Ngọc Vượng, Phở Dậu, Phở Phú Gia, and Phở Thìn Bờ Hồ - Hàng Tre are expected to gather in Seoul on Friday to join the festival.

Earlier on Thursday morning, the Phở Ta - Bình Tây Food team completed the customs clearance process for more than 30 shipments of supplies for the festival and transported them to Seoul.

Chef Ha Van Ky from Phở Ta elaborated that most of these packages consisted of essential phở ingredients and gifts for their South Korean partners.

After transporting over half a ton of goods to a warehouse in Seoul, the team headed to Majang Market, South Korea's largest beef market, where they bought more than 60 kilograms of rare beef, 10 kilograms of ribs, and over 60 kilograms of bones to ensure rich and flavorful broth.

"We're set to serve 2,000 bowls of phở at this year's festival, and we expect it to be top-notch because South Korean beef is famous for its high quality," Chef Ky emphasized.

Visitors stroll along a path at Seoul Children's Grand Park in South Korea, where the Vietnam Phở Festival 2024 will be held on October 5 and 6. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

Thoai Chau, financial director of Binh Tay Food Joint Stock Company, added that beef and bones are key ingredients for a rich broth and tasty phở, which is why they took the time to arrive early and personally select the best ingredients.

With their thorough preparations, Le Thi Giau, board chairwoman at Binh Tay Food Joint Stock Company, expressed her hope for another successful Vietnam Phở Festival.

"With 63 years of producing dried and instant phở, and two years supporting the Vietnam Phở Festival, these are the contributions we wish to make to our national dish," Giau added.

Yoon Byung Hwa from Challenge Cooperation Company said that visitors can get insights into South Korea’s livestock culture by shopping at the market.

"We are thrilled by the enthusiasm and professionalism of the chefs and participants from Vietnam. 

“We warmly welcome you to Seoul and wish for a successful event in our country," Yoon added.

Vu Quoc Vuong, owner of Phở Ngọc Vượng, shared that while he has had various experiences making phở, this overseas trip is particularly special.

“Despite possible challenges of working with local ingredients and cooking conditions abroad, we’ll give it our all,” Vuong elaborated.

A delegation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper meets with South Korean partners to finalize preparations for the Vietnam Phở Festival 2024, South Korea, October 4, 2024. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

In related news, a delegation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper met with South Korean partners on Thursday to finalize preparations for the Vietnam Phở Festival 2024.

Lee Danny, chairman of KTGRZ Holdings, a South Korean partner for the event, highlighted that the company views this festival as a valuable opportunity to deepen ties with Vietnamese partners, and they have been fully committed to organizing it with the utmost care.

Jun Byung Il, advisor to KTGRZ Holdings, explained that outdoor culinary events in South Korea must follow strict regulations.

The organizers have been working closely with the Vietnamese chefs to ensure they fully understand and comply with all regulations, in addition to assisting the Vietnamese teams in preparing the necessary ingredients for their booths.

Information promoting the Vietnam Phở Festival 2024 is seen at supermarkets in South Korea. Photo: Tuoi Tre

So far, news about the Vietnam Phở Festival 2024 has already reached a wide audience in South Korea.

The event has been covered by more than 100 media outlets and featured in posts of 50 South Korean bloggers whose total number of followers exceeded three millions.

Information and photos promoting the event also appeared on various forums and community groups, as well as in hundreds of residential areas, schools, and some supermarkets.

Kwon Joo Sung, 27, said he heard about the Vietnam Phở Festival more than a month ago and has been eagerly anticipating it because of his love for the dish. 

The promotional banner for the Vietnam 'Phở' Festival 2024, taking place in Seoul, South Korea on October 5 to 6, 2024

The Vietnam Phở Festival 2024 is co-organized by the Embassy of Vietnam in South Korea, Tuoi Tre, and Saigontourist Group under the direction of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

The event is made possible through the collaboration of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, the Association of Vietnamese Communities in Korea, the Business Association of Vietnamese in Korea, and the Korea-Asia Economic Cooperation Association.

The Vietnam Phở Festival 2024 will feature a performance stage, along with nearly 70 booths including more than 40 offering phở and other Vietnamese and Korean delicacies. 

Additionally, there will be spaces for cultural experiences, exhibitions, and showcases of Vietnamese cuisine and tourism.

With the slogan 'Enjoy Phở, Discover Vietnam,' the organizers aim to use the festival to promote people-to-people diplomacy, strengthen the friendship between the two nations, and highlight their culinary cultures.

They also hope to foster trade connections, leveraging the economic and tourism potential of both Vietnam and South Korea.

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