Aloha friends and foodies, and welcome back. Today I'm interviewing Nguyen Tran, one half of the duo behind Starry Kitchen, a restaurant and brand that was started in Nguyen's small North Hollywood apartment. Originally, it was a way to earn some money after Thi, Nguyen's wife, lost her job in the big economic crash of 2008. After realizing they had an underground hit on their hands, the two operated from their apartment for eight months before finally moving to a legit restaurant site. Since starting the restaurant, Nguyen and Thi have become part of L.A.'s food culture scene and Los Angeles Food Galore. Just a few years ago, they started Button Mash, the next iteration of Starry Kitchen, and Nguyen has also been a frequent guest to shows on the Cooking Channel. 

In this episode, we talk about Nguyen’s fascinating journey from underground restauranteur to a key member of the LA food culture, delicious Vietnamese cuisine that you can make at home, and the tip to giving amazing parties.

Find Nguyen:

Starry Kitchen

Blog

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

 

Button Mash

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Recipes Mentioned in this Episode:

Thit Ko (Braised Coconut Pork)

Nguyen’s Cookbook

Adventures in Starry Kitchen: 88 Asian-Inspired Recipes from America's Most Famous Underground Restaurant

 

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