105 // Helene and Catherine An // House of An

Helene and Catherine An of the Vietnamese American restaurant empire House of An join Tiffany to share their stories of becoming Vietnamese American, lessons learned building House of An, and what message they want to share with America during these challenging times. Learn more about their restaurant group at www.HouseofAn.com

Helene An is one of the most celebrated chefs in America, regularly chosen by the James Beard Foundation to host events and by Hollywood elite to cater Oscar parties. She was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute in 2007 for her contribution to introducing Vietnamese cuisine to mainstream America. Helene grew up in French Colonial Vietnam, but fled with her family to Saigon in 1955 after the Communist invasion. Twenty years later, she had to flee Saigon and soon settled in San Francisco, where she established the city’s first Vietnamese restaurant, Thanh Long.

Helene oversees the House of An that includes five restaurants throughout California including Crustacean Beverly Hills, named Esquire‘s “Best New Restaurant” in 1997 and winner of the prestigious Five-Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences in 2015. Helene’s tantalizing food — featured on the Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate — has long been hailed by critics, celebrities, and an adoring public. (Source: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/helene-an/)

Catherine An is the Founder and CEO of An Catering and Tiato, two acclaimed divisions of the House of An Restaurant Group. In addition to running her own division, she remains an instrumental role in her family’s other restaurant concepts, which includes: Crustacean, DàLat Rose, Anqi Bistro, and Thanh Long.

In 2006, Catherine fused her love of art and fashion into the launch of An Catering, capturing her experiences working for top fashion house Richard Tyler & premiere ad agency Ogilvy & Mather (Botswana). Under her direction, An Catering was named, “Caterer to the Stars“ in 2008 by the Los Angeles Times. For the first time through An Catering, executive Chef Helene An’s Secret Kitchen™dishes such as, the famous Garlic Noodles and Dungeonous Roast Crab were being offered off-site. The company also received one of the catering industry’s highest honors, BizBash Magazine’s “Style Award“ in 2008 and “Readers Choice Award“ in 2011and 2013. She brings allure to the business by catering to the “who’s who“ of notable retail houses, entertainment industry executives, and business moguls.

In 2010 Catherine’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to spearhead the development of a new gourmet fast-casual restaurant in Santa Monica, Tiato. Aside from being the go-to eatery for Silicon Beach top corporations and surrounding community, Tiato also doubles as an impressive indoor-outdoor event space. Staying true to her admiration for eco-conscious business practices, Tiato was designed using sustainable materials. The menu features Vietnamese-Californian fresh healthy fare, using herbs from the restaurant’s on-site garden. As a result, Tiato & An Catering recently received the “Sustainable Quality Award-Grand Prize“ in 2013 from the City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, and Sustainable Works. As a trailblazer in the hospitality industry, Catherine led her family to receive the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year award in 2013.

When she’s not busy keeping her brands innovative, she enjoys staying active with charitable organizations (Rally for Kids with Cancer, Hollywood Hearts, West Coast Care, SPIN, Tree People, and the T.J. Martell Foundation) exploring nature, and hiking with her dog Drummer. (Source: https://goldhouse.org/people/catherine-an/)

Connect with Catherine!
LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-an-b93bb32b/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherinean/
Web: http://www.houseofan.com/

LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-helene-an-crustacean-chef-vietnamese-20190421-story.html
Eater: https://www.eater.com/2019/5/13/18535890/helene-an-crustacean-thanh-long-smithsonian-award-fusion-cuisine-vietnamese
Food & Wine: https://www.foodandwine.com/news/helene-chef-smithsonian-pioneer-award-crustacean

Thanks to Bonnie, Stella, and Henry of TDW+Co for your help and support.

// Meet Tiffany Hwang, our Guest Host during the month of March 2021 as we celebrate Women's History Month! Learn about Tiffany, her show TITT Talk, and the three amazing guests she'll be hosting during this month!

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