THE COVID TAPES - This interview with Chef Nini was conducted at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when we couldn't record at the radio station. Please forgive the audio.

THE JEREMIAH SHOW Featuring Chef Nini Nguyen, Top Chef: Kentucky, Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.

A New York-based chef, instructor, and recipe developer, Nini Nguyen was a frontrunner on Top Chef Season 16 in Kentucky.

Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Nini combines her Vietnamese heritage and NOLA flair into a unique cooking style. Early in her career, she started as a pastry cook at restaurants like Coquette & Eleven Madison Park. She later moved into savory cooking with the touring pop-up, Dinner Lab. 

She also has a knack for teaching and mentoring other cooks. She expressed this passion by working at Cook Space, a recreational cooking school in Brooklyn, where she developed the culinary program. 

As a naturally curious person, Nini’s favorite pastime is roaming through markets in different cities, tasting, smelling, and squeezing all the fruits and vegetables she can get her hands on. Since appearing on Top Chef, Nini has kept herself busy collaborating with chefs, hosting private events, and starting a pop-up dinner series.

Her first book Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook, was released in August 2024 under Knopf. In 2024, Nguyen won the debut season of Last Bite Hotel on Food Network. 

https://www.chefnininguyen.com

https://www.instagram.com/chefnininguyen

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