Charles Phan Explained

Charles Phan
Birth Name:Toàn Phan
Birth Date:30 July 1962
Birth Place:Da Lat, Vietnam
Education:University of California, Berkeley
Restaurants:The Slanted Door, San Francisco

Charles Phan (né Toàn Phan; born July 30, 1962) is an American chef, cookbook author, and restaurateur. He is the executive chef and founder of "The Slanted Door" restaurant in San Francisco, California and The Slanted Door Group of restaurants. He has published two cookbooks on Vietnamese cuisine.

Early life and education

Phan grew up in Da Lat, Vietnam, after his parents fled China in the 1960s.[1] His surname is of Vietnamese origin and pronounced “fän”. His given name is Toàn but that later changed to Charles when he came to the U.S.[2] In Vietnam, his father, Quyen Phan, and uncle opened a small grocery store where Phan and his five siblings helped with the family business. This would eventually become the inspiration for his San Francisco restaurant, Wo Hing General Store (2011–2013).[3]

In April 1975, just before Saigon fell to the Vietcong, 13 year old Phan and his family of 8 fled with 400 other people aboard a cargo ship. The ship eventually arrived to Guam where they lived for 18 months.[4] There, Phan's family was sponsored by an American couple who supported them with housing. While helping his aunt to cook and watching Jacques Pepin's television show, Phan became interested in cooking.[5]

After living in Guam for 18 months, the family immigrated again and settled in San Francisco, California.[6] He was raised in the Chinatown neighborhood and attended Mission High School, graduating in 1979. He was admitted to the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Architecture but dropped out his third year to protest a steep tuition increase. After leaving college early, Phan worked in software sales and other various jobs as he was developing the concept for his first restaurant, The Slanted Door.

Career

As a young teenager, his curiosity for food began at home while watching his aunt cook and while exploring the food scene of San Francisco. Phan saw an opportunity to introduce American diners to the world of Vietnamese food. He started by hosting small dinners for friends, refining his style of cooking, and developing his restaurant idea.

In 1995, Phan opened his first restaurant, The Slanted Door, as a fine dining restaurant serving Vietnamese cuisine. Its goal was to elevate Vietnamese food with modern design, sustainable local ingredients, quality teas, and wine pairings.[7]

The Slanted Door’s first location was on Valencia Street in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco.[8] It later moved to the SOMA (South of Market) neighborhood in 2002 and finally to its famous location at the historic Ferry Building in 2005. Slanted Door was one of the first restaurants in San Francisco to feature craft cocktails.

In 2004, Phan was recognized as “Best Chef: California” from the James Beard Foundation.[9] In the years that followed, Phan continued to expand his restaurant group with more restaurants and bars.

Restaurants

Active restaurants

Closed restaurants

Publications

Awards

Personal life

In 1995, Phan married Angkana Kurutach in San Francisco, California where they still reside with their three children.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Phan . Charles . Vietnamese Home Cooking . 2012 . Ten Speed Press . 9781607740537 . 222 . 14 February 2022.
  2. News: Witchel . Alex . As a teenage refugee, he was the family cook. Now, he’s a lauded chef. . . 11 September 2017 . 14 February 2022 . 0190-8286.
  3. Web site: Manual Design and Brand Consultancy . Wo Hing General Store . Manual Creative . 14 February 2022.
  4. News: Bittman . Mark . THE CHEF/Charles Phan; The Flavors of Vietnam, Captured in a Pot . 14 February 2022 . 07 April 2004 . New York Times.
  5. Web site: Sung . Esther . A Conversation with Charles Phan . Epicurious . Epicurious . 14 February 2022.
  6. News: Nathan . Joan . 2013-01-15 . Holding Fast to a Vietnamese Heritage . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-13 . 0362-4331.
  7. Book: Phan . Charles . The Slanted Door Modern Vietnamese Food . 2014 . Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed . 9781607740544 . 261 .
  8. Web site: 2021-11-17 . Ferry Building’s Slanted Door restaurant is getting remodel and staying put . 2022-11-13 . Hoodline.com . en.
  9. Web site: James Beard Foundation Charles Phan Award Winner . James Beard Foundation . James Beard Foundation . 14 February 2022.
  10. Web site: Bauer . Michael . 2010-01-03 . Phan's OTD adds flair to upscale spot . 2022-11-13 . . en-US.
  11. Web site: Bitker . Janelle . 2019-01-07 . Slanted Door Opens Sleek New East Bay Location . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  12. Web site: Warerkar . Tanay . 2021-06-04 . Famed Vietnamese restaurant the Slanted Door is opening in Napa . 2022-11-13 . . en-US.
  13. Web site: Warerkar . Tanay . 2021-06-04 . Top San Francisco Chef Charles Phan Is Opening Another Slanted Door — in France . 2022-11-16 . . en-US.
  14. Web site: Ascarrunz . Maria C. . 2022-03-23 . Chuck’s Takeaway: Charles Phan is back! . 2022-11-13 . Mission Local . en-US.
  15. Web site: Wells . Madeline . 2022-02-04 . Famed SF chef's new sandwiches are 30 years in the making . 2022-11-13 . . en-US.
  16. Web site: Madrigal-Yankowski . Nico . 2022-04-18 . Charles Phan expands Bay Area food empire with Marin venture . 2022-11-13 . . en-US.
  17. Web site: Morgan . Miriam . 2008-10-01 . What's New: Academy Cafe and Moss Room at the Academy of Sciences open . 2022-11-13 . . en-US.
  18. Web site: Pape . Allie . 2014-10-14 . The Moss Room Shutters For Good; Phan Out, Foodservice Giant In . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  19. Web site: Pape . Allie . 2015-01-30 . After Just Ten Months, Charles Phan Is Shuttering The Coachman . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  20. Web site: 2022-03-14 . Charles Phan's former whiskey bar Hard Water sued over very large back-rent bill . 2022-11-13 . hoodline.com . en.
  21. Web site: Pape . Allie . 2014-02-26 . Charles Phan Turning Heaven's Dog Into British Spot . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  22. Web site: Lorell . Clair . 2021-05-26 . Out the Door Pac Heights Closes Permanently After 11 Years of Spring Rolls and Chicken Porridge . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  23. Web site: Saria . Lauren . 2022-08-11 . Star Chef Charles Phan Is Turning This Berkeley Restaurant Into an Ode to Rice . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  24. Web site: Fort . Ellen . 2017-10-20 . Charles Phan’s Fast-Casual Vietnamese Spot Is Now Open on Cal’s Campus . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  25. Web site: Garrett . Rose . 2014-06-25 . Charles Phan Turning South at SFJAZZ Into Mexican Spot . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  26. Web site: No Bandwiches Here: Charles Phan opens South Restaurant at SFJAZZ . 2022-11-13 . KQED . en-us.
  27. Web site: 2017-03-06 . South At SFJazz Shutters, New Concept In The Works . 2022-11-13 . hoodline.com . en.
  28. Web site: Pape . Allie . 2013-03-27 . Charles Phan Closing Wo Hing General Store . 2022-11-13 . Eater SF . en.
  29. Web site: Charles Phan James Beard Foundation. 2022-02-19. www.jamesbeard.org. en.
  30. Web site: 2013 Awards Winners . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220213232852/https://images.nymag.com/images/2/daily/2013/04/iacp-awards.pdf . 2022-02-13 . live.
  31. Web site: Sciacca. Annie. May 5, 2014. Bay Area Chefs Charles Phan and Daniel Patterson scoop up James Beard Awards. 2022-02-19. www.bizjournals.com.

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