Chef Thai Dang has had quite the year.
"My life is uh, pretty wild," he laughs.
In June, he was a James Beard Finalist walking the red carpet outside the Lyric Opera House and only months later, he opened another restaurant.
"Yeah, it's been quite the year. It all kind of happened at once. Now 2025 is almost over, wow."
The youngest of 6 from a Vietnamese family, he moved to the U.S when was 7 years old.
"We came here in 1990. We were sponsored by a Catholic organization in Champaign-Urbana. I remember my mom changing me into what they called a "Canadian tuxedo, an all jeans outfit", he laughed. "I remember the smell when we first landed. My first American dish was a Sloppy Joe. It was really mushy but I fell in love with it," he recalled.
Being a chef wasn't exactly a career goal as a young boy.
"I thought I'd be a scientist or an inventor. My dad was a carpenter so I was always able to fix things, or tinker with things but cooking? No, growing up, I never thought I'd go this route until I was in high school. I took a culinary course at a community college. I did that and it just clicked."
Years later he brings his culture and his family recipes to his restaurants. His first restaurant Embeya and then HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen in Pilsen. He was forced out of the Embeya in 2015 following a dispute with his business partner. HaiSous opened two years later.
"I always knew I'd bring Vietnamese dishes to the masses. My first restaurant Embeya, I slipped in these recipes on the menu. That's how my wings came about. My wings that I'm known for is because I grew up eating those flavors that my mom made, and it turned into these amazing wings."
His latest endeavor is "Crying Tiger", a Southeast Asian concept as Chef/Partner with Lettuce Entertain You in River North.
"I came to Chicago to work for one of Lettuce Entertain You's fine dining spaces, so I'd worked with them before. I heard about this project from a former colleague and knew it would be perfect for me. "
The former Hub 51 has been completely renovated and redesigned to reflect Asian traditions, cultures and tastes. Some would say it has a bit of a "White Lotus" feel.
"Here, it's predominantly Thai flavor, then we mix in with flavors from parts of Southeast Asia, South of China, East of India. These flavors and textures are embedded in our culture. This restaurant embodies that. We have sous chefs from the Philippines, one is half Laos, one is Vietnamese. These flavors are what I grew up eating so that's what we share." he smiled.
His genuine personality and social media presence has made him a rising star in the culinary world.
"When we opened HaiSous, we were semi finalists in the James Beard awards. I couldn't believe it. I had some dark days after Embeya so I was so grateful that I was actually mentioned for a national award. Social media has helped, definitely. All I have to do is post a goofy video and people know me, they connect and now follow me and tell people about my restaurants. I'm the same person online as I am in real life." he smiled.
"When I was on the red carpet last June at the Beards, I was just having the time of my life. Paul Stewart reach out to make me a custom tuxedo to match the color of "Crying Tiger", I couldn't believe it! Who has done that ? I don't know any Vietnamese chef who's had that opportunity. I was having the best time. It was the coolest thing." he shook his head.
For Dang, he's always wide eyed and smiling, and most of all grateful for the ups and downs both personally and professionally.
"Every day I come into this place, is like a brand new day. The excitement is still there because I know any moment, it could be gone, just like what happened with Embeya. I grew up having nothing from growing up not in a well off family, working my way up, becoming who I am, it could be ripped away. So every day is a blessing."
Dang talks about his family influences particularly his mother, who is still in his life and is his biggest fan and critic. He lost his father unexpectedly this summer which hit him hard.
"My relationship with my father is complicated," he chokes up. "My mother is an incredible human. I grew up eating her food. As I became a chef, we would exchange recipes. All I knew was what she fed me. Its been really cool having her try my food. When she sits down and eats my food, she says oh mi goodness, this is my son's cooking. I can't believe you created this. You're doing it better than me," he laughed. "Our relationship is about gratitude and she's my biggest fan."
As he sits in a booth, laptop on the table in the brand new dining room, Dang reflects on the last ten years of success and tragedy but he says the Chicago culinary community is a family who has lifted him up throughout his career.
"The loss of my father is traumatic. Deep, losing a business, when I loss Embeya, rebuilding it again, working our way up. This year, losing my father, and having something being built around my food, a whole community of people to surround me and support me has been amazing, being a James Beard finalist, and it's November already, " he shakes his head. "Starting my career in Chicago, I'm forever grateful. It's home for us. From the chef community, to the guests that frequent our restaurants, the loyalty, it's been my biggest joy to be in this amazing city and to cook for people here." said Dang.
For more information about Chef Thai Dang or to visit Crying Tiger you can click here.
