I was born and raised in New Orleans where food and cooking is a way of life especially for me, a daughter of Vietnamese immigrants. My mother, Tam Thi Tran, would make dinner for our family from scratch every night with ingredients she grew in our backyard. The vivid memories of her food and cooking continuously inspires each dish I create. My culinary journey started at the age of 16. I started working at restaurants around the Crescent City, cooking and serving up Latin American cuisine, pizza, po’boys, sushi, Cajun/Creole cuisine, anywhere that would give me a chance.

At the age of 19, my family was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. They relocated to Portland, Oregon where I would soon follow, 4 years later. I ultimately spent 12 years there nurturing my career as a chef. While attending the Western Culinary Institute, I was hired as a line cook at Tapalaya, a vibrant Cajun/Creole bistro that was located on the bustling NE 28th Ave in Portland, OR. I was able to really hone my craft while reinventing the food I grew up with. After cooking there for 7 years I became owner and operator for 3 years. During my time with Tapalaya, I gained national attention by appearing on 2 Food Network shows, Chopped (2015) and Grill Dads (2018). I was a 2016 Eater Young Gun semi-finalist and went viral with the infamous Phorrito, and appeared in “Portland Cooks” cookbook in 2017. My time in Portland would tragically come to an end. Following the sudden death of my beloved mother, I decided to close the restaurant and seek comfort at home in New Orleans. In February 2020 I moved back home and helped open The Bywater Brew Pub, designing the kitchen and becoming executive chef.

As of March 2023, I have struck out on my own, creating Busy Be LLC to do private dinners, pop ups, restaurant consulting, and private cooking classes. The name comes from my family nickname “Be” meaning baby of the family, and the busy nature of being a chef. I have started a Vietnamese street food pop-up called Xanh Nola, which means “green” in Vietnamese, an ode to the lush jungles and fresh herbs of the cuisine. My menu is ever changing but always inspired by my mama’s cookin’. You can also find me teaching a few classes a month at The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts culinary program for high school students. I really enjoy mixing things up and keeping life spicy. Let’s hangout and cook!