Vietnamese Chef Conquers Las Vegas: 'Black Sheep' Becomes Culinary Pride

Jamie Tran - a Vietnamese-American chef in Las Vegas has had a spectacular transformation from the 'black sheep' in her family to culinary pride with the famous restaurant The Black Sheep and the Top Chef mark.

Thanks to the dedicated support of Ms. Samantha Colón, communications specialist of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau (Nevada) for more than 3 months, I finally had an intimate conversation with Jamie Tran, one of the rare "famous" Vietnamese chefs in this city that never sleeps.

Vietnamese-American chef Jamie is the owner of The Black Sheep restaurant, which is highly regarded by experts for its delicate blend of Vietnamese cuisine and modern cooking techniques. Her journey began with a difficult childhood, growing up with many career choices before becoming a prominent face on television in the reality TV show Top Chef and the pride of the Vietnamese community here.

Vietnamese-American chef Jamie Tran in Top Chef season 18

PHOTO: PHAN QUOC VINH

The restaurant has been open for nearly 8 years and during that time, Jamie Tran was nominated as a finalist for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Southwest category in 2022. Las Vegas Weekly awarded her the title of "Best local chef" in the Best of Vegas list in 2022. Previously, Eater Las Vegas magazine also awarded The Black Sheep the "Restaurant of the year" award in 2017 and awarded Jamie Tran the "Chef of the year" award in the same year.

Can you share a little about your family with Thanh Nien readers ?

Jamie Tran: My father is over 90 years old this year, my mother is almost 80. I was born into a traditional Vietnamese family, because my parents had 9 children, so I grew up with strict discipline but also full of love.

Currently, almost all of my maternal relatives still live in Hue . But for the past 40 years, I have never been back to Vietnam and next summer I plan to visit Vietnam, especially Hue - the land of my mother's origin.

A friendly smile always appears on the lips of the owner of The Black Sheep restaurant.

PHOTO: PHAN QUOC VINH

Before becoming a chef, you studied many different majors?

Jamie Tran: That’s right! I first studied food technology, then switched to biochemistry, and then accounting. I used to “avoid” the kitchen profession because my father was also a chef, so I knew how hard it was. But one fine day, my sister looked at me and said… “You will be a chef eventually, you can’t escape the heat!”

So I switched to business administration and set myself the goal of opening my own restaurant within 10 years. In the end, I did it after only 7 years.

Why did you decide to open a restaurant and name it The Black Sheep?

Jamie Tran: I am the “black sheep” in the family because I have always been the different, stubborn child who did not follow the stable path that my parents wanted. I think the name of this restaurant reflects my journey and… my nature. (Black sheep - black sheep, often found in English idioms. In a flock of sheep, the black sheep is rare and does not “match” the color with the rest, so it is used to describe a person with a different personality in the family or team - PV)

Pure Vietnamese dishes are "breathed into life" by Jamie Tran, creating a very unique flavor.

PHOTO: PHAN QUOC VINH

The Black Sheep is where I keep the authentic Vietnamese flavor while bringing the dishes to a more modern level using the French-American culinary techniques I learned from high-end restaurants before. I do not “Americanize” Vietnamese dishes, but only try to make them more refined and sophisticated.

Why is the restaurant located in the southwest area of ​​Las Vegas instead of the central Las Vegas Strip, where international tourists gather?

Jamie Tran: The Las Vegas Strip and Chinatown areas are crowded, bustling and stressful, but I personally prefer a slow, intimate atmosphere. I don't know if I inherited the Hue personality like my mother... (laughs) .

This is a residential area with few tourists , so it is more suitable to create a private space for locals. I like things that are simple, sincere, and not crowded. From there, I can easily prepare dishes with my love and passion for many regular diners here.

So are you more influenced by your mother or father in your cooking style?

Jamie Tran: My father is very disciplined, cooking in a military style that is precision, principle, and industrial style. My mother, on the other hand, cooks with emotion and memory. She seasoned by instinct, rarely quantifying by numbers. I learned how to "absorb" the flavor of cooking from my mother. Since then, all the Vietnamese spirit in my dishes originated from her.

I named this dish Ham-Bao-Ger because of Jamie's unique combination of using a dumpling as a hamburger.

PHOTO: PHAN QUOC VINH

For you, what does modernizing Vietnamese cuisine mean?

Jamie Tran: It is to keep fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and onions because those are the things that make up the identity, but the presentation and preparation need to follow new techniques, elevating the dish to a higher level. I want my diners to understand that Vietnamese food is not just a cheap restaurant or street food, but can stand on par with other great cuisines in the world.

How has participating in Top Chef affected your career?

Jamie Tran: I don’t really like competition, but if I want to grow in my career, I need to try. Top Chef is a competition that helped me understand myself better and learn how to stay calm under different pressures. After returning from the program as a top 4 in the competition that lasted nearly 3 months, The Black Sheep attracted a lot more diners. There were people driving from the Las Vegas Strip for nearly 30 minutes just to eat our Vietnamese food. That made me very emotional.

The author and chef Jamie Tran - owner of The Black Sheep restaurant

PHOTO: PHAN QUOC VINH

What message do you want to send to the young Vietnamese generation who want to start a business in the culinary industry?

Jamie Tran: Don't be afraid to be different! Don't be afraid to fail! I always tell my staff that if they want to open their own restaurant, I will support them wholeheartedly. Their success is not my loss, but on the contrary, it is a shared professional responsibility. And most importantly, always remember where you come from because that is the greatest source of strength!

Thank you for taking the time for this interesting conversation! We hope that you and your restaurant will attract more customers and continue your mission of spreading Vietnamese cuisine to international friends!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dau-bep-goc-viet-chinh-phuc-las-vegas-con-cuu-den-thanh-niem-tu-hao-am-thuc-185251114091805774.htm