About us
Hi, I’m Kelly Thuy
I grew up in Ho Chi Minh City, surrounded by the kind of food that is almost impossible to describe to someone who has never had it — a bowl of bún bò Huế at 7am, bánh mì from the corner cart, my grandmother’s thịt kho tàu that simmered on the stove every Tết. Food was never just food in my family. It was how we showed love, marked time, and stayed connected to where we came from.
After studying at the College of Technology and Tourism and graduating in 2021, I moved to New York — and realized quickly that Vietnamese food meant something different here. Sometimes it was good. Sometimes it was a pale imitation. And almost always, the stories behind the dishes were missing.
That’s why I started FoodVietnamese.com in December 2021. I wanted to build a place where the food is explained by someone who actually grew up eating it — not just cooking it, but living with it.
What I cover
- Authentic recipes — step-by-step guides tested in my own kitchen, written for readers cooking anywhere in the world. I include the details that actually matter and flag where mistakes are easy to make.
- Vietnamese cuisine guides — context on regional cooking styles, key ingredients, and the cultural background behind dishes. The food makes more sense when you understand where it comes from.
- Restaurant reviews — honest, first-hand evaluations of Vietnamese restaurants in cities across the US, focusing on authenticity, flavor, and value.
- Cafe hopping & travel — food-focused travel content from Vietnam and beyond, including spots worth visiting and ones worth skipping.
My approach
I write recipes the way I would explain them to a friend — directly, with the small details that actually matter included. I test each recipe multiple times before publishing. If a substitution works well, I say so. If a step is easy to get wrong, I warn you.
I also believe that great Vietnamese cooking does not require special equipment or hard-to-source ingredients. My goal is to make these recipes approachable for readers cooking in any kitchen, while keeping the flavors honest.
Editorial standards
Every article and recipe on this site is written by me personally. When I review a restaurant or café, I visit and pay my own way — no free meals in exchange for coverage. If a post contains affiliate links or is sponsored, it is clearly disclosed at the top of the article.
I update content regularly as recipes are refined or restaurant information changes. If you notice an error or have a question, please reach out through the contact page — I read and respond to every message.
Work with me
I am open to collaborations that are a genuine fit for this site and its readers — recipe development, food travel partnerships, and content projects related to Vietnamese cuisine. You can reach me through the contact page or find me on social media via the links in the footer.