A Moment With: Le Colonial’s Brigitte Xuan Pham
If you’ve stopped by the Indo-chic Le Colonial recently, you may have noticed some delicious updates to the luxe menu. And if you haven’t, you should and opt for the tasting menu! Chic tracked down the Saigon-born executive chef and food consultant who not only splits her time between the San Francisco and NYC locations (in addition to her own restaurant in Paris) but is also prepping a cookbook. Here’s the scoop!
We hear you’re working on a Le Colonial cookbook. How’s that coming along?
So many people ask me for recipes I figured I might as well put them together in one place! All the signature dishes will be featured—Chicken Lemongrass, Bun Cha Hanoi, Bo Luc Lac—with step-by-step visual instructions and sourcing chapters on where to find the prime ingredients. I’m even thinking of going back to Vietnam to search for the roots of certain recipes and to dig through the family archive. All my secrets will be revealed!
How has the industry changed?
With all the cooking shows and new talent searches, the status of chefs has shifted tremendously. There are more and more young people who aspire to the Executive Chef title and all the glamour they think comes with it. But the vast majority of chefs are not famous, let alone glamorous.
When the book is done, what next?
I’m very busy with Le Colonial for the present time. But this is America! Everything is possible. Other than that, my main focus now is to promote Vietnamese cooking to its rightful status.
What’s special about Vietnamese cooking?
Vietnamese food is about sharing one long table with many tight chairs side-by-side, family style service with generous portions and a large variety of dishes. My parents came from a big family of 10 uncles and aunts each; thus, dinners were always a matter of cooking for 20 adults. I believe my mother was the greatest cook, since my dad entertained a lot. She cooked Vietnamese and French. I probably inherited the maternal side of her genes.
What’s your favorite dish?
I like street foods and dishes that take little time in my personal kitchen. I can’t think of one specific dish that would make the top of the list. I like anything with Lemongrass: Ca Chien Sa, which is a seabass with lemongrass crust, or Bun Cha Hanoi, better known as pork combination noodles.
You’ve got quite an impressive resume—pharmacology, advertising, business administration. Was there an “aha” moment when you decided to become a chef?
I took a long and winding road to the kitchen, but the detours were worthwhile! I’m one of those late bloomers. Growing up, all the women were great cooks. My grandmother and mother were outstanding, inspirational cooks. But none of them were chefs.
Do you think your skills from those fields help you now?
Oh, definitely! They helped sharpen my organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, and gave me the disciplined mindset now required in both the kitchen and office. They helped me navigate from dark waters to smooth sailing. Being a chef is more than cooking creatively with passion. One is required to be proficient in computers to describe dishes and design menus while keeping in mind the endless competition and ever-changing trends. You need to be resourceful with budgeting and adhere to the strict food-cost rule. You need to know how to manage a staff, track inventory, and adapt to new situations. And when all else fails, you need a great sense of humor.
