First-ever Vietnam Phở festival officially kicks off in Singapore

Dressed in a beautiful ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and a non la (Vietnamese conical hat), she cheerfully told friends to “come visit our homeland right here in Singapore.”

“There are many Vietnamese restaurants in Singapore, but nothing tastes quite like home,” Nga said. “Thank you to the organizers for bringing our homeland flavors here.”

Among the early visitors was the family of Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh, including his daughter Ai Nhi, who said she was excited to taste “authentic pho” cooked by Vietnamese chefs.

Having lived in Singapore for a year, Nhi said she has yet to find a pho restaurant that truly captures the taste of home, so she came to the festival with her younger brother Phuc An, their grandmother, and uncle Hung while the family was visiting the ambassador.

Nguyen Ngoc Diem, a volunteer at the festival, said she learned about the event through the Vietnamese Community Liaison Committee in Singapore and signed up to help promote Vietnamese pho while also enjoying the taste of home.

Having lived in Singapore for five years with her Singaporean husband, Diem often cooks pho and other Vietnamese dishes for her family.

“I’m from the North and very proud of northern-style pho,” Diem said.

“By joining this event, I hope to help bring Vietnamese cuisine closer to the people of Singapore,” she added.

Bridging Vietnam and Singapore through the flavors of pho

The two-day festival takes place as Vietnam and Singapore have recently upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, underscoring the event’s timeliness and significance.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Singaporean Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo emphasized that “a bowl of pho connects us.”

According to Choo, pho is more than just a beloved dish. Each bowl carries stories of family, tradition, perseverance, and resilience.

He said pho embodies Vietnamese culture — nourishing both body and soul — and it has become a bridge that brings people closer together, transcending all borders.

The warmth of pho’s broth, he noted, reminded him of the friendliness and hospitality of the Vietnamese people, who always made him feel at home.

Having visited Vietnam many times, Choo said no trip ever felt complete without a truly delicious bowl of pho.

Within the framework of the festival, the Vietnam–Singapore Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Forum gathers 150 enterprises to discuss cooperation opportunities in green logistics, tourism, aviation, agriculture, and e-commerce.

Choo emphasized that these are the kind of practical collaborations envisioned under the comprehensive strategic partnership, to turn friendship into opportunity, and ideas into tangible growth.

He added that this year’s theme, “Pho – Enjoying together, growing together,” truly reflects the spirit of friendship between the two nations — a friendship built on mutual respect, shared aspirations, and the belief that understanding one another makes both sides stronger.

Today’s Vietnam Phở Festival stands as a symbol of solidarity — a place where friendship is celebrated through cuisine, culture, and cooperation.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh described pho as a culinary icon and a source of pride for the Vietnamese people.

Following the recent upgrade of Vietnam–Singapore relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the ambassador said numerous dynamic exchanges have taken place in areas such as politics, economics, defense, trade, innovation, and people-to-people connections.

“Amid that momentum, cultural diplomacy — including cuisine — plays an essential role as a bridge fostering understanding, empathy, and closeness between our peoples,” he said.

The Vietnamese ambassador expressed his belief that the Vietnam Phở Festival 2025 would further enrich this connection — not only through the rich flavors of pho but also through the warm friendship between the peoples of Vietnam and Singapore.

Events like this, he added, not only help Singaporean friends better understand Vietnam and promote people-to-people exchange but also strengthen the pride and sense of connection to their homeland among the Vietnamese community in Singapore.

In his opening remarks, Le The Chu, editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, said the Vietnam Phở Festival is a special event — not only because the flavor of Vietnamese pho is being celebrated in the heart of Singapore, but also because its significance extends beyond a culinary festival, becoming a symbol of cultural exchange, cooperation, and friendship between Vietnam and Singapore.

A festival of connections

Pham Huy Binh, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and co-head of the organizing committee for the Vietnam Phở Festival 2025, said choosing Singapore as this year’s host reflects not only the two nations’ comprehensive strategic partnership but also the importance of Singapore as a key tourism market for Vietnam.

According to Binh, Ho Chi Minh City has consistently pursued a sustainable tourism development strategy, with cuisine serving as one of its core pillars.

Food is the fastest and most authentic way for international visitors to experience the cultural essence, creativity, and hospitality of the Vietnamese people, he said.

The flavor of pho, he added, will serve as a powerful catalyst inspiring Singaporean visitors to plan their trips to Vietnam, particularly to Ho Chi Minh City — a dynamic, creative destination offering world-class accommodation, dining, entertainment, and travel experiences from Saigontourist Group and other renowned brands.

He emphasized that the Vietnam Phở Festival is more than just a culinary event — it is part of a broader tourism promotion strategy.

“Through every bowl of pho and every delicious dish, we want to extend a heartfelt invitation to Singaporean and international friends: Come to Vietnam, come to Ho Chi Minh City, and experience the diversity and richness of Vietnamese culinary culture,” Binh said.

Vo Anh Tai, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist Group, said that following the success of previous Vietnam Phở Festivals held in Japan in 2023 and South Korea in 2024, his team is proud to bring the event to Singapore, one of Asia’s leading hubs for economy, culture, and tourism.

He noted that Singapore remains one of Vietnam’s most important economic partners and a promising source market for Vietnam’s tourism industry.

“At this festival, Saigontourist Group not only promotes Vietnamese cuisine but also showcases a modern, professional, and hospitable image of the country’s tourism,” Tai said, adding that the event also serves as an opportunity to connect with Singaporean partners, including airlines, travel companies, and investors.

Earlier on Friday afternoon, a delegation from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, along with Vietnamese businesses, met with Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh at the embassy to express their gratitude and discuss expectations for connections at the festival.

Tran Xuan Toan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre, said the festival sets a major goal of using pho to promote trade, providing an opportunity for Vietnamese and Singaporean businesses to meet and secure new deals.

“Through the Vietnam Phở Festival, the organizers hope to convey the message of Vietnam’s unique culinary culture, attractive destinations, and diverse food products to the people, tourists, and businesses of Singapore,” Toan said.

“From there, we aim to further boost trade, tourism, and investment exchanges between the two countries in the near future.”

Trade Counsellor of Vietnam in Singapore Cao Xuan Thang noted that Vietnamese trade promotion activities in the city-state are very active, especially in the food sector, as Singapore imports 90 percent of its food products from abroad.

Currently, Vietnam is Singapore’s third-largest rice supplier, along with other widely available products such as dried noodles and rice paper.

With a commitment to fully support business connections at the festival, Thang added that Vietnamese companies should approach Singapore as a transit hub, since about 60 percent of goods there are temporarily imported and re-exported.

“If this market is leveraged properly, it can bring great benefits,” he said.