You first founded Cô Thành in 2017 as a tribute to the late Nguyễn Thị Thanh — “The Lunch Lady.” Can you tell us about the moment you first met her, and what drew you to her food and philosophy?

I met her for the first time while dining at her street food stall in 2013. What drew me to her was, like many others, was how Anthony Bourdain’s described her food while featuring her on his No Reservations Vietnam show in 2019. Then after eating at her stall everyday to try each one of her daily rotation noodles soups, I became more interested as she stood out from the other street stall vendors. It showed very clearly she took more care in choosing the ingredients to build her dishes, she balanced all the flavors delicately but was able to let each flavor speak loudly for itself, her welcoming smile was just the beginning of her warm hospitable nature. 

Many chefs talk about mentorship, but what was it like to train directly under Nguyễn for three years in Ho Chi Minh City? What did she teach you that no cookbook or culinary school could?

I never really thought of it or felt like it was training. It was just an amazing adventure I got to experience with her and her family, who really took me in as one of their own. Actually, I didn’t know until I was told while I was with her family at her funeral in May; she would refer to me as her first son. She taught me so much, not only about her food and culture, but also just about her approach to life. 

When you began dreaming up the London restaurant, how did you balance staying true to Nguyễn’s legacy with creating a space that feels distinctly yours?

I’ve kept the soups as close to her recipes as I possibly could. I wanted to replicate her recipes and what she served so as to stay true to her legacy. For the rest of the menu items at Cô Thánh, as Thành only served bun at her stall. I would say the other items on the menu are more distinctly mine they are my attempt to replicate and showcase a combination of the favorite things that I’ve eaten during my time in Vietnam. Besides that, the cocktails and wine are things I love as well as the music and the design is an also extension of me and what I like.

Southern Vietnamese cuisine is often described as bright, aromatic, and layered. What key ingredients or techniques define that flavour profile for you?

Vietnamese food is a complex combination of the fresh and fermented. The key ingredient to a lot of southern vietnamese soups and specifically the recipes Thánh taught me, use different types of fermented shrimp paste or ferment fish. Fresh herbs are definitely important as well, but another ingredient I was really surprised by that is very key is pineapple, which is used to sweeten the broths and tenderize the meat.

The Lunch Lady was known for her daily-changing noodle soups; each day a new broth, a new story. Will Cô Thành in London mirror that rotating rhythm, or have you adapted it for London diners?

We will somewhat mirror her rotational menu, but instead of having them on rotation, we will have her usual Monday-Friday noodle soups available every day.

What dish on the menu feels most personal to you; the one that connects you back to Ho Chi Minh every time you make it?

Bun Mam. In my opinion, it’s the most unique. The first time I tried it, I had never tried anything else like it in any other cuisine. It’s so distinct, and it’s truly Southern Vietnamese. As I mentioned before both key ingredients, this one has them all, fermented fish, fermented shrimp paste, fresh herbs and pineapple! Even when I describe it now, it sounds like it could be a bit strange, but it works, very…very well.

You’re bringing the soul of a Saigon street stall to Covent Garden, one of London’s most historic restaurant districts. What challenges (if any) did you face in translating such an intimate, sensory food culture to a new setting?

There were definitely a lot of challenges. I felt like the best way was to find a balance. Which on one side, I started by keeping as much authenticity as I could, including ingredients and recipes. Food aside, a lot also was sourced directly from Vietnam. The banh mi karts we use as servicedstations and as our reception desk, the plastic stools, metal table tops, bowls, plates, chopsticks, spoons, cutlery holders and hand-painted signs are all from Vietnam. 

Then on the flip side, to be able to fit into the new setting of Covent Garden, I tried to balance those authentic Vietnamese items with things like modern ergonomically designed wooden booths and benchs, high end glassware, and nice bathroom amenities.

How did you source or adapt ingredients for authenticity here in the UK, particularly for things like the herbs and fermented elements that can be so region-specific?

Surprisingly there is a lot available. London is a very international city that is super diverse. There are Vietnamese communities scattered all over and if you dig deep enough you’ll be surprised at what you can find. Also, It helps that there is a lot of overlap with many Southeast Asian ingredients. For example, a lot of the herbs that are used in Vietnamese cuisine are used in thai cooking, which is very well represented in London. 

Street food is fast, informal and alive with movement. How do you preserve that energy in a sit-down London restaurant?

Although we are a sit down restaurant, I think the presentation of the food and the casual but attentive service style we strive to provide helps preserve that same energy.

How did you land on the name Cô Thành, and what emotion do you hope it carries for diners?

Cô Thành means Ms Thành which is The Lunch Lady’s name. I had originally thought to call it Ba Thành which is similar but usually used more formally and/or for older people. When I told Thành I wanted to call it Ba Thành she laughed and said, “I’m not that old! use Cô instead”, and that’s how it became Cô Thành.

What do you think Nguyễn would say if she walked into Cô Thành today?

I would hope that she would be proud, and tell me that I’ve done a good job.

When you think back on that first bowl of noodle soup you shared with her, and now see diners here tasting it for the first time, what goes through your mind?

I hope they enjoy it and that it opens the door to having them venture out to experience more of the unsung hero’s of Vietnamese Cuisine, the same way it did for me.

You’ve described food as a bridge between worlds. What do you hope Cô Thành teaches Londoners about Vietnam, beyond the plate?

Outside the cuisine I hope Cô Thành teaches Londoners about the warmth and kindness of Vietnamese people. Their people like their food, warm and nourish your soul!

Finally, if you could serve one dish from the restaurant to Anthony Bourdain and Nguyễn Thị Thanh together, what would it be, and why?

Bun Thai because it was Bourdain’s favourite and the one landed on his top ten wishlist of dishes he wanted at The Bourdain Market he was building before he passed.