Young pallet

I come from a family of restaurateurs. Food and music has been in my life since I was a little girl. When I was younger, I wanted to be a singer and entertainer. But as with adults like me, our ideals change and so do we. Music writing will always be in my life but food nourishes me and keeps me alive.

My food journey began when I was little in New York having the opportunity to fill my pallet with the best gourmet food. My parents had a Chinese & Vietnamese restaurant in China Town with a family friend. But it didn’t work out.

When we lived in New York, we visited Houston, TX to visit my uncle and cousins. My cousins were working at the first Kim Son restaurant. It was a tiny restaurant off of I45. Now Kim Son has several chains and a published cook book. My uncle and cousins invited my dad to come to Houston to open a family business called King Food. It’s really located in Webster, Texas - which is on the outskirts of Houston. I tagged along with my mom and dad at the restaurant. As early as 12 years old I begged my family to let me work. I wanted to work because it seemed like fun.
My uncle gave me 25 cents for each chair I pushed in after the lunch rush. I enjoyed working closely with my family. When I finally reach 15 I poured tea and bussed tables.

During the summertime I spent hanging out with my brother, sister and cousins. I have to say that I really didn't know what a real piping bag or a cake leveler was until my cousin Hanh introduced me to the world of cake decorating. Her mom and dad let her take a cake decorating class at her local arts and crafts store (Michaels). You pay a very agreeable wholesale price on cake decorating supplies and learn the tricks of the trade.


One night Hanh made a professional birthday cake in her kitchen. She pulled out her tools. Baked a cake from scratch. It was a life changing moment for me. Glorious, I tell you.
Now I have my own cake decorating set. Not as nice I admit. But it will do for now.

In my teens I waited tables at King Food after school. After eleven years at King Food my parents decided it was time to open their own place. So now they have Thanh Phuong Vietnamese and Chinese Restaurant in Pearland, TX.

Not too long ago I admitted to my husband I wanted to open a bakery/cafe some day.
Just recently, I took a baking class with Hanh at Lee Leeds cooking school. It was an awsome
fun day. It re-sparked my ignition and made me want to bake again.

Food being an essential part of my life, this blog will be about places I have eaten and also about things I have cooked or baked. Some day I would love to open my own bakery and be a well known food critic. Here’s my practice for now.