Eastern Zodiac sign is a monkey and Western is Cancer. I definitely resonate more with the Eastern sign, I’ve never once thought about what it means to be a Cancer (though I have been told I have Cancer qualities…). The symbol of monkey is one that was a constant in my childhood and drilled in/ celebrated by my mom. I have a jade monkey gifted to me from when I was a baby.

My Eastern Zodiac sign is a pig- we actually spent tet in Saigon the last time the year of the pig rolled around. My Western sign is Gemini. Though I love the idea of a pig, I have been told my whole life that my personality very much aligns with that of a gemini. This often makes strangers scared when they find out :)

I am first generation Vietnamese American. Both my parents came to Orange County, California in the 70’s. My mom was elementary school aged, but the exact number has always been fuzzy as they lied on their papers in order to get access to more American Schooling. She’s worn the younger age very well. My grandpa on my mom’s side is of Chinese decent, but was raised in Vietnam, so we were culturally raised as Vietnamese. We found out only recently that my Mom actually speaks Chinese from the time that they spent in a refugee camp in Hong Kong- She whipped it out of nowhere when negotiating price with a woman in Chinatown. Bits of family history like this continue to get peppered in as I get older.

My great grandparents on my Dad’s side came from Ireland to Staten Island. My mom’s side is also mostly Irish and she too was raised in Staten Island- my parents grew up around the corner from each other, but didn’t meet until they were in college upstate. The Irish catholic culture was deeply embedded from my dad’s side.

Becoming a dishwasher at Mission Chinese food changed the course of my entire life. The chef at the time was a Vietnamese guy and he saw potential in me as a cook. I took to it immediately, and haven’t looked back since.

I knew from a very early age that I was interested in food as my career. Instead of going to college, I attended a 12 week “cookery course” in Ireland, called Ballymaloe. It’s a very idyllic place- rolling green hills, cottages, pints of guinness, and an emphasis on cooking seasonally and with intuition. From there I got my first kitchen job in the city, at the age of 18. I’m still not sure how I had so much conviction in this choice, as I was literally the only one of my peers who didn’t go to college- but I’m definitely grateful for the lack of debt.

For me, it’s always ginger chicken. My mom still makes my favorite version, but it was the first dish I taught myself how to make and was one of the things I made Sadie to impress her when we first started dating.

Both my parents care deeply about food. We always sat down as a family to eat dinner, which I didn’t realize was a rarity/ luxury until later in life. I have so many memories of home cooked meals- when I think of my dad, I think of making strawberry rhubarb pie in the summertime, and with my mom, it’s her minestrone soup.

Rice, eggs & chinese sausage. Either with maggi or nuoc mam. It’s our comfort meal, for breakfast lunch or dinner.

When I am looking for food to feel cathartic, slow and meditative and particularly when I’m cooking at home, I will always make soup.
Anthony calls this “Sadie Soup”.

Smirnoff Ice in the suburbs of New Jersey. Now it’s Guinness.

Unfortunately, Four Loko had a chokehold over me and my teenage friends. This was the original formula with the equivalent of like three shots of espresso plus malt liquor. The thought of the watermelon flavor still sends shivers down my spine. Now, it’s either a manhattan or a gin martini.

My guiding light is the rice god. I think about ways to eat and make rice constantly.

My guiding light is my partnership with Anthony. We run all parts of this together and have created a full life from our vested and shared interests.

Answering together that our dream collaborators are the team from Assasination Custard in Dublin. One of the most original and inspiring dining experiences we’ve had of late.

We are keeping this to New York only, so: Bo Ky and Commerce Inn, at the moment.