Vietnamese pho originated in the northern Nam Dinh region during the French colonial era, with the addition of beef. Initially a food for textile factory workers, the inclusion of beef at the request of the French introduced a new flavor. The name 'pho' may have originated from the French dish 'pot au feu' or from the Chinese Cantonese 'he fen'. Regardless of its origins, Vietnamese people embraced pho as a beloved dish. The word 'pho' first appeared in a 1906 letter from a Vietnamese person in Paris to their family, and a French painter depicted pho vendors in Hanoi in 1913. After the 1954 Vietnam division, pho spread to the south, becoming a national dish. Northern and southern pho differ in ingredients and broth, but Vietnamese people appreciate the diversity of each region. Vietnamese people opening pho restaurants around the world led to its global popularity.