Re-expressing Vietnamese Food: A Conversation with Chef Tu David Phu
Chef Tu David Phu is a Vietnamese-American Chef with stints include the nation’s top Michelin-rated restaurants: Chez Panisse, Quince, Acquerello, Daniel Boulud, Breslin, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern. Most recently, Chef Tu was Executive Chef of Gather in Berkeley. In 2016, Tu left his restaurant job and started to host pop-up dinners with innovative menus featuring Vietnamese culture and flavors. His dinners invite you to explore and discover Vietnamese night markets, islands and ocean in a fine-dining way.
I recently talked to Chef Tu about why he left his Executive Chef role, the cuisine he is mostly passionate about and what inspires him the most.
When did you start your pop-up dinners and why?
Tu: I used to be the Executive Chef at a restaurant called Gather at Berkeley and I started doing the pop-up dinners this March (2016). I just turned 31 years old (laugh), should be 31 years young. I wanted to step away and cook in a more intimate environment to be closer to people, and cook the food that I know the best at the same time. That is Vietnamese-American food in California.
The reason why I wanted a change is because I often struggle with my identity in a kitchen. Cooking 100% western-style cuisine doesn’t really reflect who I am. I feel the urge to create something that reflects the culture that I belong to. I want to tell my story in a plate.
On the other side, I observe that Asian food is undervalued. Americans are willing to pay a higher price of western food, such as Italian, French or Spanish food. I have done an extensive research. A lot of people don’t want to pay over $3.50 for a Vietnamese Bánh Mì, but they are willing to pay over $10 for a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with the same ingredients.
This is inspiring. Have you read the latest Lucky Peach which features Pho?
Tu: Yes, I have. I thought it was really amazing. I really appreciate that David Chang said this is the new generation for Vietnamese to innovate. But with that, we need to get to a stepping stone, and the stepping stone is that younger Asian-Americans need to let people know that our techniques, our food, and our culture are not inferior.
I grew up with a lot of Chinese friends and I have seen them cooking various styles of Chinese food. I have to say those techniques are just as hard as Michelin-starred restaurants. I came to the realization that no food should be inferior to another type of cuisine.
What is Vietnamese-Californian cuisine? How do you combine the two styles together?
Tu: It is not fusion, I always like to stress that. In fact, it is an acknowledgment to Asian-American mothers who immigrated over here and creatively used ingredients here in California to make Asian food.
For example, my mom would always go to a little Latino market to shop near our house, and she would have access to the amazing and cheap produce there. She would buy this pear-shaped Mexican squash and scramble that with eggs, adding some bitter melon and fish sauce. We ate that pretty frequently growing up.
Do you feel you live a happier life right now?
Tu: I couldn’t have been happier because I am doing the things that I really believe in, and I am doing the things that I love. If I die tomorrow (knock on wood), I will be OK with it.
What about your parents? When you quit, did they support you?
Tu: No (laugh). I would talk to them like, “Hey mom and dad, I was mentioned in this amazing magazine”. The next question I got is, “how much did you make?”. For me, it is not about the money, but the passion and the dream. Our parents came from a very politically stressful time, during which if you didn’t have money, you didn’t have rights. So they came from a very different place which I understand.
Let’s step back, as far as I know, Asian-American parents typically expect their children to be doctors, bankers, engineers or lawyers. How did you become a professional chef?
Tu: My father used to be a chef, and I always thought it was so cool. He is in the seafood industry now. I knew I wanted to be a chef early because I always loved to be in the kitchen and help my mom out. My mom would ask me to help her taste food and that’s how I developed my palate. When I was 12 I got introduced to satellite cable, and I would watch Iron Chef Japan with my father and uncle. This was even before the Food Network. I went to culinary school right after high school because I knew that was where I wanted to be. My sister is in the human resources field so she takes care of the expectation of our parents.
I feel like you read a lot and you are very sensitive to different cultures. Where do you get inspirations for new creations?
Tu: Great question. I think no matter what industry you are in, reading, studying and being informed of what’s happening and what has happened in the past is critical. If you want to be an authority on anything, you need to have the credibility. Credibility comes from knowledge and knowledge is research. Inspiration can come from many things. I would say things that inspire me the most are things that hold dearest to my heart. My parents, my community, and the culture where I come from. Currently, people aren’t giving Vietnamese cuisine the credibility it deserves. I am going to host 5-course or 10-course dinners to layer out the Vietnamese flavors progressively to prove to people that it can be done. I have a dish which is pan-fried broken rice with some truffle oil and mushroom. People eat it and they compare it with risotto.
Most importantly I hang out with creative people. One of my best friends is an artist and he once said:” I want to be able to pain the world and have people see through my eyes”, which means being a child who lives in a world without boundaries and limits.
Which is more important? Making your customers happy or making the food that reflects your philosophy?
Tu: There is definitely a business side of it. I want to make customers happy. If they come to a 10-course dinner and pay $300 for it, I have the responsibility to make them feel they spend the money well. I am very mindful of my customer’s dietary restrictions. However, will you ask Picasso to paint a picture without using color orange? There shouldn’t be a restriction on people’s creation.
Your goal is to open your own brick-and-mortar restaurants one day. If you can just imagine, how will your restaurant look like?
Tu: I don’t know yet, but I want it to be very inspired by Vietnamese architecture and Buddhism. High ceilings and big stones. There should be a nice Zen flow to it. At the same time, it is going to be clean and minimum decoration.
Are there any chefs that you admire a lot?
Tu: If you watch Chef’s Table, I am really inspired by Chef Alex Atala from Brazil. He is very progressive in terms pursuing the cuisine that he is most comfortable with and he knows the best. The same admiration goes to Gaggan Anand. His Indian restaurant Gaggan is in Bangkok. He brought Indian food to another level. His simple belief is that any cuisine can be delicious. I think if these guys can do it, I can do the same with Vietnamese cuisine.
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