Episode 22: Qui Tran of Mai Lee and Nudo House

His family helped bring Vietnamese food to St. Louis, opening Mai Lee in 1985. Now Qui Tran is spreading his family’s recipes across the country. Having a recipe on the cover of Food & Wine magazine was a pinch-me moment for Tran who immigrated with his family from Vietnam. While he first resisted getting into the restaurant business, it pulled him in. He is now one of the biggest cheerleaders of St. Louis restaurant scene. Mai Lee is an institution in St. Louis and Nudo House, the ramen restaurant he opened in Creve Coeur is a huge hit. So popular, they’re opening a second location. While at first resistant to follow in his family’s footsteps, Tran has hit his stride. Sit back. plug in, and enjoy!