Christina Nguyen is an American chef and restaurateur. In 2024, she won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Midwest.
Early life[edit]
Nguyen's parents, who both grew up in Saigon, Vietnam, immigrated separately in 1975 to the United States as refugees.[1][2][3] They met as students at the University of Minnesota.[3] Nguyen has a brother.[3]
Career[edit]
Nguyen opened a food truck, Hola Arepa, in 2014.[2] She opened a bricks-and-mortar restaurant also called Hola Arepa, which serves Venezuelan street food, in Minneapolis.[1][4]
Nguyen opened Hai Hai in Minneapolis, which serves Southeast Asian street foods, in the late 2010s.[1][5] The restaurant had previously been a night club.[6][3] National Geographic said it had 'rocketed to prominence as a "new-school” Asian-inspired restaurant. Its menu is almost entirely unlike any of its peers—it’s filled with under-the-radar dishes you can’t order anywhere else, and evolves constantly'.[7]
Recognition[edit]
Nguyen won the James Beard James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2024.[1] She had been nominated for the award several times and had been a finalist for the award previously.[1][2]
Personal life[edit]
Nguyen is married to Birk Grudem.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Cobb, Josh; Crann, Tom (11 June 2024). "'The best weekend of my life': Minneapolis Chef Christina Nguyen lifts up family after big award night". NPR. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d Henry, Allen (11 June 2024). "Hai Hai's Christina Nguyen wins Best Chef in Midwest at 2024 James Beard awards - CBS Minnesota". CBS News. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d Rosen, Chloe; Nace, Aki (23 May 2023). "Hai Hai's Christina Nguyen on finding the confidence to bring her own twist to a Southeast Asian menu - CBS Minnesota". CBS News. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Christina Nguyen wins Best Chef Midwest at James Beard Awards". KMSP-TV. 11 June 2024.
- ^ Knudsen, Cory (12 June 2024). "Twin Cities celebrates Christina Nguyen's James Beard Award win". KSTP-TV. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b Jones, Justine (10 June 2024). "Hai Hai Chef Christina Nguyen Takes Home a James Beard Award for Best Chef, Midwest". Eater. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ Norton, James (16 September 2019). "Chef Christina Nguyen brings Asian flavors to Minneapolis". National Geographic. Retrieved 12 June 2024.