First-ever Vietnam Pho Day Held in South Africa. Photo: VNA

According to the Vietnamese Ambassador, the Vietnam Pho Day, although held for the first time in South Africa, was extremely successful and impressed South African friends and diplomatic corps of other countries by introducing Vietnamese culture in general and the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine in particular.

The first Vietnam Pho (noodle soup served with beef or chicken) Day in South Africa opened on December 9, in the capital city of Pretoria, VNA reported.

The event was one of the initiatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in the “Rainbow Country”, in coordination with Vietnamese representative agencies in the host country, to spread the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine to local and international friends.

First-ever Vietnam Pho Day Held in South Africa

Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoang Sy Cuong said that the Vietnamese Pho Day was also the last in a series of events organized to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (December 1993-2023).

Despite the hot summer afternoon weather, many South Africans, members of diplomatic corps from other countries as well as the Vietnamese community living, working and studying in the country, came to the Vietnamese Pho and cuisine booth. Dinners had an opportunity to enjoy Vietnamese pho with beef and chicken as well as learning about ingredients and how to cook the traditional dish.

Besides pho, traditional fried spring rolls, Vietnamese coffee, cakes and confectionary products were introduced during the day.

About 500 bowls of pho, 1,500 fried spring rolls, and instant Vietnamese coffee were served free of charge at the event.

Loving Vietnamese pho so much, Stoffel Van Zyl, a South African, has tried both types of beef pho and chicken pho as well as tried traditional fried spring rolls and Vietnamese coffee.

Stoffel shared, "This is the first time I've enjoyed Vietnamese food. The spring rolls are delicious. But I have to say the pho is really great. The only problem I have is that I don't know how to use chopsticks so I can fully enjoy this Pho like many people around me. Thank you for introducing this wonderful dish in South Africa."

Another South African Zandile Mthimunye with her husband and three daughters also expressed their love for Vietnamese food. "Today my whole family came to this market and enjoyed Vietnamese dishes. Vietnamese pho and spring rolls are very delicious. And what I like is that my whole family can gather together and enjoy food from a far away country. My children were very impressed with the pho and loved the broth. Thank you because thanks to the event, we learned about Vietnamese cuisine."

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