Tony Quach – Chef & Owner
Pho Saigon 8
3819 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, Virginia 22305
(703) 548-8580


Tony is presenting: Banh Xeo –Vietnamese Crispy Crepe and Clay Pot Spicy Lemongrass Chicken

Who are you and what is your favorite cuisine?

My name is Tony Quach.  My family and I operate a small Vietnamese restaurant next to MOM’s.  Besides Vietnamese, I’m also a big fan of Italian & Thai cuisine.  Thai and our food culture involve similar fresh herbs and ingredients.  Vietnamese cuisine is not only light & healthy but also unique in a sense that it involves contrasting flavors, textures and temperature.  For instance, our tangy dipping sauce has different layers of sweetness, sourness, saltiness and spiciness, which appeal to many levels of your tasting buds.  This sweet & sour sauce called “Nuoc Mam” compliments some dishes and brings out the flavors in others.

Where are you from and where have you been?

Due to political oppression and in search of better opportunities, my family and I escaped in 1979 on a small boat and arrived to Virginia, a place we called ‘home away from home’.   I was blessed to go where I have been.  From the day I left Vietnam when I was 5, I stayed over in the Philippines and Indonesia for a period of time and continued to travel to other parts of the world throughout my adulthood, including Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Thailand, Jamaica and other Caribbean countries.    A single important thing I learned from my experience is that the easiest thing one can do to understand and respect another culture, he/she should start appreciating the region’s food.  Food is history; it’s like a story.

Why did you choose to be a Chef?

I didn’t; it chose me.  To be honest, I’m not your typical chef who grew up wanting to become a chef.  It’s important to run a kitchen that values and relies on teamwork.  One person cannot make it all happen; everyone needs to be involved.  And that’s where my family comes in.  We have a great support team here at Pho Saigon 8 Restaurant.  When we all work together in serving our patrons, after the last table is cleared I think everyone leaves with a sense of pride and accomplishment.  .  

What do you like the most about this business?

Restaurant cooking is one of the hardest jobs around.  There’s no glamour involved. You do it because you either love it or have to, which in this case both for me.  The thing I like best about this job is the fact that results are immediate.   You know you’re doing something right when you see a brand new customer coming back the next day to try out a new dish in the menu or when you hear a long time, loyal customer raving about your new dish loudly across the room.  Not only do I feel flattered but also very motivated to keep up with the generous expectations and to strive better by expanding my horizons.

What is your goal at this restaurant?
 
With the continued support from the locals, we’re hoping to be able to ride through this economic downturn and given the opportunity to do what we enjoy best.  And that is to introduce and familiarize our patrons with Vietnamese culture and traditions through food.  You can tell a lot about a culture by looking at how and what they cook and eat.  Clay pots are the trademarks of our culinary culture and I’d hate to see them going out of fashion down the road.  For the entire month of May, when you mention this article in the Old Town Crier, you’ll get 50% off any clay pot entree at our restaurant.  

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