Top Chef alumna, instructor, and author Chef Nini Nguyen is in Edmond this weekend for a collaboration dinner with Chef Jeff Chanchaleune and a book signing at Bluebird Books. The Friday night dinner, already sold out, is at Birdies by Chef Kevin Lee, and it’s Lee who organized Nguyen’s appearance in the metro, as well as another Top Chef alum, New York-based Chef Dale Talde, founder of Food Crush Hospitality. 

Lee and Talde are collaborating on a Saturday night dinner at Birdies, and it too is sold out. Lori and Robert Black’s Bluebird Books will have Nguyen in store for a book signing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, August 31. 

“This is our first big book-signing,” Lori Dickinson Black said. “It’s oddly apropos since Robert and I are both hospitality veterans.” 

The book is Nguyen’s Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook from Knopf Doubleday, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Nguyen compiled traditional and contemporary recipes, including some with a twist from her home city of New Orleans. She graciously agreed to answer some questions from EatingOKC.com ahead of her appearance in the metro.

Before we get to the book, talk a little about how this collaboration came together in terms of Chefs Kevin Lee and Jeff Chanchaleune?

“This collaboration came about because I became really good friends with Chef Kevin Lee through Tournament of Champions. He’s like a brother from another mother! I’ve also been a fan of Chef Jeff’s food for a while now. He did a pop-up with my good friend Mason Hereford at Turkey and the Wolf in New Orleans, and I just loved it. Jeff’s doing some really cool stuff, and I’m excited to bring us all together for this event.”

Have you had any experience with OKC previously?

“I’ve actually never been to Oklahoma City before, so this will be my very first time. I’m really excited because I’ve heard so many great things, and I know there’s a lot to explore!”

Talk a little about the book and what your approach was to storytelling and recipe creation.

“My book is called Đặc Biệt, which means ‘extra special’ or ‘to be distinguished.’ It’s kind of the philosophy behind my cooking style—making things a little more special. It doesn’t have to be anything luxurious; just a thoughtful touch can make all the difference. When it came to storytelling and recipe creation, I wanted to ‘chef things up’ while keeping everything very traditional. Some recipes have a twist, but most stay true to the traditional flavors because I want to preserve my heritage.” 

How did your experiences as a chef on television contribute to your understanding of communicating your message and your culture via food?

“I realized that there are so many Vietnamese-Americans who want to connect with our food and recipes, and it’s been amazing to see how similar my experience is to others. That really motivated me to write this book and document our culture. Being on TV gave me a platform to communicate and share my culture and food, but what really helped was my time as a cooking school instructor. Teaching people how to make food and sharing my story helped me learn how to communicate my culture, recipes, and approach as a chef.” 

What resonance do you find between Vietnamese food and the food of South Louisiana?

 “There’s a lot of connection between Vietnamese and South Louisiana cuisine. We share many of the same ingredients, and there are strong similarities between the Gulf Coast and Vietnam since both are coastal regions. We both love our catfish, tropical climates, and the bounty of the sea. Plus, there’s the shared thread of French colonialism—whether it’s in the architecture, coffee, or beignets, you can see the French influence in both New Orleans and Vietnam. I think that’s why my family felt at home in New Orleans.”