Pho with Phriends

Pop-up in Chinatown, New York

Pho with Phriends is what happens when a group of twenty-somethings in New York turn homesickness into something bigger - and actually pull it off. The pop-up blended broth, identity, and a very online sense of humor into a night that feels both deeply personal and wildly communal. What started as a slightly unhinged idea, proving food and love are basically the same thing, quickly became an 800-person love letter to Vietnamese culture and community. In a city like New York, it’s proof that if you’re bold enough, you can make just about anything happen.

All photos by @35milaofel

Full name, age, and where are you from?

VN: Vanessa Nguyen, 25, Boston → Bushwick, NY (moved last year).

RG: Richard Ton Giang, 25, Cincinnati, Ohio.

TT: Thy Tran, 25, SoCal.

DH: Dustin Huynh, 30, Chicago, Illinois.

What is your title and how are you involved with Pho with Phriends?

VN: Lead event host & producer! I handled the creative direction, designed all the assets & social media posts, and brought the whole vision of the event to life.

RG: I'm one-half of the broth boys. I poured my family history, love and soul into each drop of broth for the pop-up. I made one of my dreams come true by cooking my favorite childhood dish for all of my friends and my beautiful community in New York who have been so welcoming and kind ever since I moved.

TT: FOH Lead, handled everything from logistics to grocery ordering to coffee runs. Project managing the creative chaos that comes with a cultural celebration.

DH: Broth Boy. Alongside Rich, I helped lead recipe development and managed all back-of-house operations. We created and tested multiple batches, scaled the final recipe, and finalized the presentation, including toppings and garnishes. I also developed the fermented garlic vinegar served as a garnish. The pho we served was a true collaboration between Rich and I. We each developed our own broths, then combined the best elements of both into one final recipe.

What inspired you to get into this industry and to host pop-ups specifically?

VN: I genuinely believe food and love are intertwined, and I've always wanted to show people that. Through cooking for loved ones, sensual food writing, and now pop ups. My first was "Beautiful Tiramisu club," investigating the correlation between hot people & loving tiramisu. And now this Pho-ndraiser about cultural pride and community. In New York, if you're insane enough you can make anything happen, and I kinda love that. It's a selfish excuse to gather my friends, indulge with them, and prove a point. This is only my second pop up and over 800 people wanted to come help me prove how food and love are intertwined. That's pretty cool.

RG: Moving to New York, I knew I wanted to keep cooking for people beyond my own kitchen because I love and believe in food's power to build community and make people feel welcome. I've always loved feeding people because it creates a mutual point of understanding and breaks down any barriers to starting a conversation. At pop-ups, people can share a meal with strangers and understand that everyone in the room just loves food and culture, and I think that's beautiful. 

TT: I've been hosting dinner parties since moving to NYC to have a natural way to meet new people. I had my own supper club hosted from my tiny Brooklyn apartment. I've always had an itch to host experiences, cook creative menus, and bring people together to build intimate connections that they wouldn't find elsewhere. I met my lovely Phriends team members through @Studiobumi.nyc. Meeting this lovely group of people who shared the same passion as I did made me feel less alone in such a busy city. We all come from different places and backgrounds, but the shared thread among all the people I've met in this community has been a love for bringing people together over good food. 

DH: I’ve been creating food content and hosting small supper clubs in my apartment for a while, but I’ve always wanted to do something on a larger scale. I actually talked about doing a pho pop-up with Vanessa back in October, so when she called and said it was time, I was all in. It was also an opportunity to support a good cause and connect with the community face-to-face.

What is the best bowl of pho you have ever had?

VN: Honestly, the best is any bowl of pho I share with my friends. It’s the most sentimental meal for me. It’s very intimate & vulnerable. If I’m eating pho with you, it means I care about you. It doesn’t matter where. I’ve had pho all over the world, Cali, Montreal, Vietnam, London, they all feel like the best because of the company I shared it with. 

RG: Pho 37 in Richmond, BC, Canada. It was so good my mom asked to go back a second time before leaving to go back home — which never ever happens (especially with Vietnamese food).

TT: Best bowl of pho I've ever had has to be Phoholic in Garden Grove, CA (sorry dad).

DH: It may sound cliché, but the best pho I’ve ever had is my mom’s. Nothing beats home-cooked Vietnamese food but some do come close.

As the Asian American diaspora continues to be influenced by so many other cultures, how do you think the future of Vietnamese food will be affected, specifically in NYC?

VN: Good question! Honestly I don’t even think it’s about influence. People are genuinely opening up & appreciating other cultures for exactly what they are. And NYC makes that so accessible, you’re surrounded by so many beautiful cultures in one city that it’s hard not to be curious & want to appreciate what’s around you. You’re already seeing it with Vietnamese food, restaurants like  Mộc Mạc and Mắm are bringing dishes people have never even heard of, going so far beyond pho and banh mi, and people are excited to experience & understand it. They want to be there. They want to learn. The future of Vietnamese food isn't gonna be changed or influenced, it's gonna be celebrated as it is. I’ll be here for it & equally excited to taste other cultures :)

How does hosting this specific pop-up help you with your cultural identity as an Vietnamese American, especially during this time in American history?

VN: The words ‘cultural pride’ was running through my mind the entire time. And honestly I didn't realize how much the viet community would show up and support it. It reached the media, it reached people in Vietnam, and I just felt like I was making my people proud. That meant everything to me. But for me, being Vietnamese means you can't turn a blind eye to others being harmed. I studied political literacy, the model minority myth, the ways Asian Americans can get so deep in their own culture that they ignore what's happening outside of it. I refuse to be that. Tonight we're all Vietnamese. But there are other cultures and communities being targeted right now too. Real cultural pride isn't just celebrating your own, it's knowing when to show up for others. That's what this was about for me <3

What restaurant, café, or bar do you find yourself frequenting most after work?
VN: Can I say Chinatown as a whole? I have an ongoing list of trying every char siu bao in Chinatown and ranking each one to find my favorite. I find myself in Chinatown with $5 and a fluffy steamed bun very often.


How do you relax outside of work?

VN: I don’t really ‘relax’ outside of work, I play. Work hard play hard typa thing. There’s soooo many ways. Whatever makes me feel good honestly. Eating, traveling, flirting, dancing. But I especially love dancing. Actually, the night before the Pho pop up I was dancing at my friend’s Perreo party “Trakata” until 3am. I’m gonna throw a culinary dance party in the summer. Mark my words.

Last question, we hear you have a great playlist, drop the name and link.

VN: I did a lot of research on the cultural ties between Vietnamese and Latin culture for this pop up and one thing completely blew my mind. Did you know Vietnam literally has entire music genres called Bolero & Chachacha? The drums, the rhythms, the groove, it's so deeply connected to Latin music that when you listen to them side by side you can't even tell the difference. MI GENTE VIETNAM! A fluid mix of Vietnamese and Spanish songs where at some point you genuinely can't tell which language you're hearing anymore. Listen HERE: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0f9uifFqbim6p2SvZQ3K0P?si=6033d09cf7f242b8