Magical kitchens

Lena's Asian Kitchen not only provides healthy meals in Houston, Texas, with a diverse menu of Asian dishes, but it's also a place where many people start new lives, according to ABC 13.

A beautiful mission

"I create jobs for people who have escaped domestic violence, and I am one of them. I empathize with people in similar situations – who feel like they are alone – and that's why I really want to raise awareness about domestic violence," chef Lena Le, also known as Le Quynh Trang, shared with ABC News.

Tracey Diehl, a food processor at Lena's Asian Kitchen, said, "She helped me understand that I needed to believe in myself. I'm reclaiming my life and moving into my own apartment." Meanwhile, Jewel Miller, a baker, said, "Lena is always supportive and she's always trying to encourage me in everything I do."

Vietnamese-American chef Lena Le. Photo: FOX 26

In a series of articles celebrating "The Heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders" in Houston last year, FOX 26 also mentioned Lena Le. The 37-year-old chef confided to the channel that many members of Lena's Asian Kitchen family had experienced difficult pasts, possibly from their home countries, before coming to America.

"Some were physically abused, some were emotionally abused, and some were even sexually assaulted. Witnessing their suffering hurt me deeply, and I really wanted to make a change. They needed a job to start saving for a new life, buy a new car, and own their own apartment," she confided.

Lena Le began studying culinary management at the Houston Art Institute after leaving Vietnam to settle in the United States in 2015. She spent many years working at prestigious restaurants in Houston such as Bludorn and even won the James Beard Culinary Award.

In early 2022, she decided to open her own food company, focusing on Asian-inspired dishes. The idea stemmed from her longing for a taste of home after a hard day's work in the US, but she quickly realized that the Asian dishes she craved weren't readily available.

The first dishes on chef Lena Le's online menu include braised pork with eggs and rice, stir-fried beef with rice, etc. - Photo: Lena's Asian Kitchen

Vietnamese cuisine is certainly present in Lena's cozy kitchen, but that's not all; they also serve Korean, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Indian, and more. Their top priority is providing delicious meals that are also suitable for those with health concerns or special dietary requirements.

Lena Le's idea quickly resonated with Americans, receiving 400 orders per week after the "magic kitchen" opened its doors for the first month.

The essence of Vietnamese cuisine

Like Lena Le, many Vietnamese-American female chefs are known for spreading the unique characteristics of Vietnamese cuisine, introducing Vietnamese culture and people to the world .

Chef Thi Le, manager of Jeow restaurant and Ca Com bakery in Melbourne, Australia, is among them. She was named "Chef of the Year" by Gourmet Traveller magazine in September 2022, having previously won the same title from the food service website Foodservice (in 2019).

Vietnamese-American chef Thi Le. Photo: DAILY MAIL

Speaking to Australian radio station SBS, Thi Le said she is familiar with the flavors of Southern Vietnamese cuisine: not too strong in taste and with plenty of fresh vegetables. She recounted that her mother grows all kinds of vegetables in the backyard, so every meal includes a basket of fresh, delicious greens.

"We travel a lot, so on weekends, the whole family tries to eat plenty of vegetables. Sometimes we make stir-fried bitter melon with eggs, other times we cook vegetable soup," Thi Le recounted.

She believes that herbs and spices are the secret to enhancing the flavor of Vietnamese dishes. That's also why Vietnamese restaurants often include a plate of herbs as a side dish. Herbs are considered "green medicine," for example, whenever she feels hungry after drinking alcohol, Thi Le often eats pho instead of bacon and eggs like some people do. Thi Le explains: "Pho is a nutritious dish that helps warm the body."

Chef Tue (Tway) Nguyen, who has "millions of views," is pictured here. Photo: Instagram

Besides Thi Le, there is another Vietnamese-American woman who has become incredibly popular promoting her homeland's cuisine on social media platforms, attracting millions of followers: Tue (Tway) Nguyen. Born in 1988, she lives in Los Angeles, California, and studied culinary arts at the California Institute of the Arts.

When the US began experiencing the first wave of COVID-19, Tue Nguyen shared a video of herself cooking egg fried rice with sausage, green onions, minced garlic, and a touch of fish sauce. Although the clip was only 30 seconds long, it inspired both Vietnamese and foreigners to enjoy Vietnamese food, paving the way for her to pursue a career in culinary arts.

Speaking to The Knockturnal, Tue Nguyen affirmed: "My goal has always been to connect people through food. Honestly, I'm most knowledgeable about Vietnamese cuisine. The challenge for me is simplifying the recipes without losing the essence of Vietnamese food."

The person who inspired her to cook was the famous chef Anthony Bourdain. Bourdain, along with former US President Barack Obama, enjoyed bun cha in Hanoi in 2016.

Vietnamese-American chef Tue (Tway) Nguyen. Photo: RESTAURANTNEWS.COM

Recently, on March 29th, when sharing with the media about opening a Vietnamese restaurant called DI DI in West Hollywood this coming June, Tue Nguyen said: "My food always tells the story of my personal experiences. Vietnam is constantly evolving, and it's time to bring modern Vietnam to Hollywood. (...) I want Vietnamese cuisine to receive the love and attention it deserves."

Remembering Mom!

Besides the familiar image of a basket of herbs, Thi Le fondly remembers the aroma emanating from the kitchen when she came home from school. "Sometimes, even before I got home, I could smell the fragrant spices and herbs of the soup my mother was cooking. The aroma clung tightly to the air," Thi Le told SBS.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been reminiscing about the simple yet nutritious dishes she loved as a child, creating many more fillings for sandwiches. For this Vietnamese-American chef, the kitchen is a beloved place, where she learned to make Vietnamese dishes like spring rolls and simple, healthy meals from her mother.

Tue Nguyen also said that Asian Americans, especially Vietnamese Americans, always tell her that her recipes remind them of their mothers and good times.

Hue Binh

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