The best gather in the festival "Finding the best pho cook" 2025

Enthusiastically sitting next to pots of boiling water, contestants of the 2025 Pho Cooking Contest devoted all their efforts to encapsulating the quintessence of their homeland in bowls of home-cooked pho.

Candidate Do Thi Tam from Bac Ninh - Photo: HUU HANH

On September 19, at Van Thanh Tourist Area (HCMC), the final round of the 2025 Pho Cooking Contest took place. There were 26 contestants from all over the country, from Bac Ninh province to Phu Quoc island, Can Tho, Long An, HCMC, Nam Dinh , Lam Dong.

There were even two contestants from Australia and one from the US who did not mind traveling tens of thousands of kilometers to bring their bowls of pho to compete.

Unique pho pots are researched by chefs specifically for this competition.

"Let's go to the pho cooking contest to have fun."

If Ngoc Linh ginseng has gradually become familiar in pho ingredients in previous competitions, this year dragon fruit, artichoke, even grapefruit seeds and dried galangal have been creatively incorporated into pho by contestants.

Contestant Do Viet Hoang surprised the judges by using galangal and grapefruit seeds to cook pho - Photo: HUU HANH

Do Viet Hoang, currently the head chef for a large restaurant, used grapefruit seeds and dried galangal cooked in pho broth.

Reason: "Grapefruit seeds and galangal have a bitter taste and are good anti-cancer substances for health. I put them in the pot of water and boil for about 20 minutes so the broth doesn't get bitter." His cooking table is also special when it is decorated with the image of a map of Vietnam made of rice to make pho noodles, with images of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa.

Journalist Cao Huy Tho - Deputy Director of the Event Media Center - expressed his delight at the creativity and smart techniques of the contestants.

There were contestants who did not choose the creative path, instead they painstakingly searched for the authentic traditional flavor, which is what made them fall in love with this dish to this day.

Ms. Le Ngoc Huong Giang, a young contestant, already owns two large pho restaurants in Vietnam and Cambodia - Photo: HUU HANH

The most typical example of this is Doan Truong Son, from Long An. According to the story, he once enjoyed a bowl of pho that was so delicious that it left an impression on him. He tries to recreate the old taste through the bowls of pho he cooks. The judges were quite surprised when he used dried tangerine peel to cook in the broth, creating a unique flavor.

Also looking for the old taste of her grandmother's pho is contestant Le Ngoc Huong Giang. She emotionally talked about the bowl of pho her grandmother cooked and wanted to recreate the taste of her childhood to introduce to everyone.

With a relaxed demeanor, contestant Nguyen Tran Quoc Dat happily admitted that he is not a professional pho cook but specializes in cooking for wedding parties. The hot pot dish he often prepares in his menu is pho hot pot.

Mr. Dat's pho dish made the judges extremely excited thanks to its typical Southern pho flavor but not too sweet. Not only because of the food, his lively and generous personality also won the hearts of many people.

Desire to raise status from the contest "Finding the best pho cook"

Contestant Huong Giang currently has two pho shops in Can Tho and Cambodia. The shop opens from 6am to 10pm every day, selling 500 bowls a day, and about 1,000 bowls a morning on weekends. According to the judges, pho shops like Huong Giang's help spread pho to people in the Mekong Delta.

Contestant Dao Thi Hang, from Australia, brought a giant bowl of pho to the competition, leaving the judges in awe - Photo: HUU HANH

Ms. Dao Thi Hang is the owner of two pho shops in Australia. It is known that she is currently selling pho in Australia and is popular with the locals.

According to her, many Australian customers were moved after finishing a bowl of Vietnamese pho, and did not hesitate to call it the best dish they had ever eaten in their life. This made her very proud, because pho is not only a delicious Vietnamese dish but also connects ethnic groups, creating love between people.

During the competition, she ladled the pho into a special large bowl, saying it was the kind of pho she sold in Australia. Bones and beef were simmered in a 1:3 ratio. Her restaurant sells 50 liters of broth every day.

For several hours, the judges worked hard to choose the worthy prizes. And it is not too much to say that, regardless of whether the contestants won a prize or not, whether they were professional chefs or simple housewives, their love for pho - the national dish - could not be measured. All were winners.

In addition to cooking delicious pho, Mr. Nguyen Tran Quoc Dat is also talented in sculpting vegetables and fruits. He brought a very impressive work to the contest - Photo: HUU HANH

"I brought to the contest Southern Vietnamese pho. The broth includes beef bones and dried shrimp, spices such as cinnamon, star anise... simmered for 7 hours. I came to the 2025 Pho Cooking Contest to satisfy my cravings" - said Nguyen Tran Quoc Dat, everyone laughed loudly. The atmosphere of the contest became cheerful and friendly.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tinh-hoa-hoi-tu-trong-ngay-hoi-di-tim-nguoi-nau-pho-ngon-2025-20250920093610087.htm