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.

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Ms. Trang and her foreign husband currently live in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ms. Trang revealed that the work cycle makes her busy all day, lacks time to rest and makes it difficult to enjoy life as desired. When the company in Switzerland moved its headquarters to France, she thought and decided to retire early to do what she wanted, including selling beef noodle soup online - a dream she 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 have to do it, 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 capabilities. First, it was to satisfy my need for delicious food, then to realize my dream of becoming a pho seller, and at the same time, to ease my homesickness,” Trang said.

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Ms. Trang sells pho to satisfy her need for delicious food, realize her dream and spread Vietnamese culinary culture to international friends.
Recently, she also taught Vietnamese cooking to foreign guests.

According to her, cooking a pot of delicious pho is quite hard, 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, each time making about 100 servings.

“I only sell pho on weekends and for the past four years I have kept the same portion size. I don’t focus on quantity because I want to maintain the quality of the dish and ensure that customers are satisfied and happy after eating it,” said the 39-year-old woman.

Ms. Trang cooks beef pho according to her own recipe, “the way the restaurant serves it is the way it is sold”. 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 richer, 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.

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The Vietnamese daughter-in-law painstakingly prepared the beef pho dish with ingredients and cooked it for many hours.

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 is selected from fresh meat, sourced from Switzerland and 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 taste and preferences of local people. I also buy 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 the meat is soft, fragrant, and has a harmonious flavor.

On average, Vietnamese women use about 30kg of ingredients at a time, including oxtail bone, marrow bone, beef shank and rump steak, each about 7kg. The rest is dry pho, vegetables and spices.

According to Ms. Trang, the prices 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 pho is sold by her for about 17 Fr (Franc, about 500,000 VND).

Depending on whether the pho is cooked rare or well done, Ms. Trang chooses different types of beef.

Each bowl of Trang's online beef noodle soup is sold for about 500,000 VND.

This woman admits that if you calculate properly, doing pho business in Europe will be highly effective and create a stable source of income.

“I am very careful, measuring each meal to 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,” the Vietnamese woman revealed.

The 39-year-old bride hopes to introduce and promote Vietnamese culture and cuisine to international friends.

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 far inferior taste and quality. Trang’s pho tastes like the pho I used to eat 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,” said Owen.

Photo: Lastella Page

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