Vietnamese by birth, Chef An and his family left their home in Hue when he was only 6 years old. While they had the good fortune to be able to join an uncle who had already established himself in France, the move necessitated a change in career for his father. Though he had been the Principal of a school in Hue, in France his employment options were few, so he took work at a Chinese restaurant that belonged to a friend of the family.
School for young An was French, but home remained Vietnamese. By the age of 13, he had begun his culinary education, helping to cook the Cantonese style dishes served by the restaurant his family worked at.
By the age of 17, he had enrolled in culinary school at Escoffier, where he became known as an excellent student. The mix of Chinese, Vietnamese, and French influences he had been raised with inspired a bit of rebelliousness in the more traditional French setting of the school, but his eagerness to learn as well as his willingness to question earned him the respect of his instructors.
Upon graduating, the quest to hone his craft took him to some of the finest resorts in Asia. Running luxury Restaurant from New Caledonia to St Maarten, he finally returned to Vietnam in 2008. Capturing culinary hearts at the restaurants of some of the finest resorts here, in 2018 his need for creative expression led him to open his own restaurant in Da Nang, The Temptation.
Art is a reflection of the artist, and The Temptation is Chef An's canvas. The exotic flavors of his origins, the rich complexity of his upbringing, and the inventive curiosity of his nature are tempered and brought together by the refined sophistication of haute cuisine. The results are dishes that tempt not just the palate, but the soul.