137 - Uyen Le - How can restaurants be a workplace where we can prioritize humanity?

Uyen Le is currently the chef owner of Bé Ù in Los Angeles. 

Bé Ù opened in February 2021 and is a reflection of Chef-Owner Uyen Le's Vietnamese heritage and Southern California upbringing. It stands as a safe place for people from diverse backgrounds to work and hone their craft. Bé Ù seeks to make fresh and flavorful food at affordable prices while creating a safe, supportive, and professionally-rewarding environment for its team members.

Before coming into the LA food scene, Uyen was the Research Director and Partnerships Director at the UCLA California Construction Academy (CCA) for 4 years. The CCA is a project of the UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education. Uyen led the Construction Sector Intermediary Program, which seeks to create quality construction career opportunities by building innovative and diverse partnerships in the construction industry. 

Uyen also served as a Dan Than fellow for the National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies (NAVASA), where she worked as a community organizer and economic development specialist in the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. In her volunteer time, Uyen is the co-founder and a planning committee member for the HBT School for Organizing. The HBT School for Organizing works with Vietnamese American youth to develop community organizing skills and to build their capacities to engage in progressive political action.

 

Uyen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds a Master in City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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