Pho Festival 2025: AI and tradition combined in a taste experience!

Pho Festival 2025: AI and tradition combined in a taste experience!

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly visible in various areas, including the catering industry. This is particularly evident in Vietnam at the Pho Festival 2025, which will take place in April 2025 in the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi. With the theme “The Quintessence of Vietnamese Pho – Heritage in the Digital Age,” the festival aims to honor the traditional national dish Pho and incorporate modern technology. This is done in particular by using AI to help guests choose their Pho dishes based on individual preferences, thereby improving the dining experience reports vietnam.vn.

The Pho Festival 2025 will host approximately 50 stalls showcasing well-known Pho brands from across Vietnam, with a focus on Hanoi-based Pho, recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. The festival combines traditional culinary practices with modern experiences by giving visitors the opportunity to participate in interactive events. The exhibition “The History of Pho” will illustrate the historical evolution of this famous dish and offer visitors the opportunity to taste different pho flavors and explore nostalgic environments runs nhandan.vn.

Innovative integration of technology

One of the highlights of the festival is the use of AI technology deployed at the stands. Visitors can access photo-related content through an integrated AI system, which not only improves the customer experience at large festival sites, but also represents an innovative approach to promoting traditional culture. Additionally, Pho culture will be explored in three regions, while lectures will be offered on the evolution of Pho and the challenges of creating a UNESCO dossier on Pho preparation.

An essential part of the program are the exhibitors who demonstrate how to prepare pho. This includes selecting ingredients, making the noodles, simmering the broth and serving crispy crullers (quay). Visitors also have the opportunity to take part in a talk show event entitled “Pho as UNESCO Heritage and International Promotion”. Here, researchers and artisans discuss the development of Pho and its cultural significance so nhandan.vn.

A celebration of culture and taste

Pho Festival 2025 aims to tell the story of Hanoi through pho, highlighting the cultural significance and historical journey of this dish. A statue of the Hanoi Pho Vendor, a replica of a “Pho Ganh” by artists The Son and Tran Quoc Thinh, will be presented at the festival. This statue, approximately 1.75 meters high and made of a material with a bronze patina, symbolizes the journey of Pho's cultural heritage.

Additionally, a lotus tea area will be set up, reflecting the essence of Vietnamese tea culture. The festival also integrates digital transformation through features such as the “Pho AI” experience as well as cashless payment options. These aspects are part of a larger goal of the organizers to promote Vietnamese culinary heritage globally and increase the value of pho in international cuisine. The event is led by the Hanoi City Committee Office and supported by local businesses, contributing to a milestone in the advancement of Pho and Vietnamese cuisine as a whole reports vietnam.vn.