Best pho chefs to join Vietnam Phở Festival in Singapore

The festival, set to take place from October 18 to 19 at Our Tampines Hub in Singapore, is co-organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore, and Saigontourist Group, in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade and the Vietnamese Community Liaison Committee in Singapore.

The event will be held under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.

After an intense judging process, the competition wrapped up with an awards ceremony being held at 4:30 pm on Friday, officially naming this year’s champions, including To Thanh Hung, Luong Tien Dat, Vu Trung Kien, Vuong Van Tung, and Do Thi Tam.

Among the winners, Tam from Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam stood out as the only female champion and a non-professional chef.

Though she works in the tourism industry, her passion for cooking, especially pho, runs deep.

The iconic noodle soup is a favorite of her four children, inspiring her culinary creativity at home.

Hung, a resident of former Nam Dinh Province, considered the birthplace of Vietnamese pho, is doing business in Ho Chi Minh City.

His bowl of pho impressed the judges with a unique homemade noodle infused with ginseng and cinnamon powder.

Meanwhile, Dat, a Hanoi native currently living in Australia, traveled thousands of kilometers to compete in person in Ho Chi Minh City.

He has adapted the traditional Hanoi-style pho, creating a harmonious fusion of flavors to suit both Australian and Vietnamese patrons at his pho restaurant.

Kien, a resident of Hanoi, recalled that pho was once a rare treat during his childhood – something his parents would buy only when he was ill.

Now, he cooks pho out of sheer passion, primarily for his wife and children.

“After this competition, I might just open a pho restaurant,” he said with a smile.

Tung, owner of the popular ‘Phở Tung Troc’ restaurant in Hanoi and Silver Star Anise winner in 2022, has seen his daily sales triple from 200 to 600 bowls.

He shared that he is trying to preserve the traditional pho recipe.

With a Golden Star Anise under his belt, he is more determined than ever to spread the love for Vietnamese pho far and wide.

Each Golden Star Anise winner received a prize of VND20 million (US$758), along with the coveted opportunity to promote their version of pho at the Vietnam Phở Festival 2025 in Singapore.

The competition also awarded five Silver Star Anise prizes to Nguyen Tran Quoc Dat, Le Ngoc Huong Giang, Vu Dinh Khai, Phan Duy Thanh, and Nguyen Duc Tong.

Each silver winner received VND10 million ($379), a certificate of achievement, a commemorative medallion, and recognition from the Vietnamese Culinary Culture Association.

Journalist Cao Huy Tho, deputy head of Tuoi Tre Media Service Center, emphasized the high caliber of this year's event.

“We’ve never had so many renowned professional chefs participate," he stated.

“Many contestants told us they would return next year, even if they left empty-handed this time. 

"That gives us great motivation to move forward."

The judging panel included culinary artisans Pham Anh Tuyet and Bui Thi Suong, vice-president of the Vietnamese Young Chefs Council Do Nguyen Hoang Long, Van Nu Ai Nhi from Acecook, and journalist Tho.

A new feature of this year’s competition was the inclusion of culinary KOLs and food writers as judges, such as Nguyen Tuan Trung, owner of Pho Phu Gia, Nguyen Tieu Bich Tran Tran, 2019 Golden Star Anise winner, journalist Cao An Bien from Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper, journalist Bich Phuong from VnExpress, and food media expert Thanh Van.