Andrea Nguyen

Andrea Nguyen is a writer and cooking teacher based in Santa Cruz, California. She founded Vietworldkitchen.com, one of the most complete Internet resources devoted to the food and culture of Vietnam, her native country. A contributing editor to Saveur magazine, she has also written for the Los Angeles Times and San Jose Mercury News. She has led a tour of Orange County's Little Saigon for Epicurious TV, which airs on the Travel Channel. Andrea co-founded the Asian Culinary Forum, a San Francisco-based non-profit providing public education programs on Asian food culture. Andrea’s debut cookbook, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors, was published by Ten Speed Press in October 2006. A landmark publication with over 175 recipes, the work is the first comprehensive, full-color cookbook devoted to Vietnamese food in the English language. Leading food writers have praised the book for its attention to detail, accessibility, and thorough research. Andrea is well recognized for her ability to demystify the cuisine while bridging culinary traditions with contemporary practices. In 2007, her publication was among the select finalists for a James Beard Foundation Award of Excellence (best Asian cookbook) and two International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards (best first book and best international cookbook). Her forthcoming book on Asian dumplings will be released by Ten Speed Press in September 2009. A culinary professional and member of IACP, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR), and San Francisco Professional Food Society (SFPFS), Andrea also has professional experience in strategic communication, event and project management, and finance.