Sipping a cup of Vietnamese-flavored tea in her restaurant, Lily Hoa Nguyen recalls the difficult times before becoming the successful culinary entrepreneur she is today. For the female chef, the "booster" is her love for food and the strong Vietnamese community.
In 2012, Lily Hoa Nguyen got married and moved to Istanbul, Türkiye with her husband. To introduce Vietnamese cuisine to foreigners, she started opening cooking classes.
The class was well received for teaching "authentic Vietnamese, delicious and healthy" dishes. In 2016, Lily Hoa Nguyen and her husband moved to Dubai. She continued teaching cooking for 2 years.
Vietnamese-American chef Lily Hoa Nguyen Photo: CATERERMIDDLEEAST.COM
When the first Vietnamese Foodies restaurant opened in 2018, Lily Hoa Nguyen encountered so many obstacles that she had to close on the fourth day after opening. After overcoming the difficulties, the restaurant was gradually stabilizing when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, causing revenue to drop by 70%.
The chef sought to increase orders by sending handwritten notes of gratitude to customers along with the food. Lily Hoa Nguyen's kindness became a source of encouragement for customers during the pandemic. The heartwarming result is that she now has 5 restaurants in Dubai!
Lily Hoa Nguyen feels proud that Vietnamese food lovers are helping many Dubai residents learn about their homeland's delicacies. "I feel like we are an example of how Vietnamese food can contribute to the international market," she said.
Meanwhile, in the US, chef Viet Pham's culinary journey is quite different. "I didn't cook any Vietnamese dishes at first. I only started using Asian ingredients, specifically Vietnamese ingredients, in the last 10 years," Viet Pham told Tasting Table.
Vietnamese chef Viet Pham Photo: TASTING TABLE
Over time, Viet Pham's perspective and approach to cooking have evolved. "Now that I'm more mature, my foundation, my heritage, is my sense of identity," he confided.
A prime example is his use of fish sauce in cooking. Viet Pham says that "fish sauce has really become my identity", "making bland dishes amazing". At Pretty Bird Chicken, you will enjoy a special sauce seasoned with fish sauce with each piece of hot chicken.
Like Viet Pham, Vietnamese-American chef Vince Nguyen grew up in the US (Southern California) and did not eat much Vietnamese food.
He started cooking more Vietnamese food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many dishes evoke memories and for Vince Nguyen, "it's really special."
Vietnamese-American chef Vince Nguyen (with his wife at the James Beard Awards on June 5 in Chicago, USA) Photo: OPB
Vince Nguyen told Oregon Public Broadcasting that Vietnamese flavors helped shape his style and make his dishes more vibrant. He said that when he first opened the restaurant, his roots became a foundation and gave him strength.
With his tireless efforts, in early June 2023, Vince Nguyen received the title of "Best Chef in the Northwest and Pacific" from the prestigious James Beard Award - considered the "Culinary Oscar".
Vince Nguyen is the owner of Berlu, a Vietnamese tasting menu restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The meals at this restaurant include a variety of dishes, but each dish is just enough for one person.
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