Minh, his three siblings, and his parents moved to Oakland a year ago from Ho Chi Minh City after struggling for a long time after his parents lost their jobs. In Ho Chi Minh City, his parents would work from 4am-4pm, so he would take care of and cook for his siblings. His parents are still struggling to find steady work in Oakland, but Minh is happy to be improving his English and pursuing cooking. He has always liked helping his mom out in the kitchen. He loves the smells and flavors of his mom's pho. Minh's mother is a huge inspiration for him and the main reason why he decided he wants to be a chef. He has learned most of his cooking hands-on in the kitchen with her. Minh wants to perfect his cooking skills and master traditional Vietnamese cooking so that he can share it with the world. He is also passionate about learning how to cook traditional foods from other cultures.