Meet Thu Nguyen | Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Thu Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Thu, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thoughts process of my business, I wanted to bring something that make people enjoy the smallest thing in life. Honestly, a cookie can changed a person mind set with one bite.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am proud of who I am as person today vs what I was five years ago. I personally set myself a goal when I first started in the hospitality industry and that was to do everything that I could and learn bout everything. Life isn’t easy for my career choice, coming from an Asian house hold you were always told to be a doctor, a nurse, or a lawyer… But I didn’t want to be anything with that .. honestly I didn’t know what I wanted to be until I decided to go actually pastry school. Because I just wanted to eat sweets all the time. Well after I had graduated from pastry school I had gotten my first pastry assistant job with John Teasar( Top chef) only lasted a few months until it was getting harder and harder because he wasn’t in the restaurant often and the girls that I was with were too buddy buddy since they had went to school together. I didn’t know anyone and could ask for help but try to do this myself. One day Chef John, decide to fire me in front of staff but told me to come back to me a garmosé in two weeks…. Well I never went back. I decided I wanted to pack my things and move to Houston because I felt like I would have a better opportunity.. well after living in Houston for almost a decade… I finally landed a job, where I wasn’t as stress and there was always people willing to give a change or show how to do something with out being dicks about it. With in that decade… I try and try to get a real kitchen job but I felt like I was black list since I would with John..until Chef Ryan, decided to open his door and give me an opportunity to be who I am today.
The lesson Learn from a that was you shouldn’t take people and try them a certain way even if your a well know chef. Because in the end you may never know what will happen. Everybody is completely different. Some people don’t care about food as much as I do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
1. summer moon coffee. 2. Hokkidao sushi.
3… More so everything in Chinatown Houston.
I would take my best friend to all the fines restaurant..to experience the food and how it is prepared.
Hangout around discover green, or if there event going around. Do some events that are happening.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Chef Ryan Pera and Chef Hector Suarez.. without these chef. I wouldnt be where I am today. I have learn so much in a short period time. Chef Ryan, I thank you for believing in me when I first walk thru the doors of Coltivare, remembering when I told you can’t let me go because I just want to learn everything as much as I can and move up with in the company.
Chef Hector, I thank you for teach me how to better my life and my career in everyway possible. Showing me so many new things that I never have done better and testing my element in culinary.

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