Michael "Bao" Huynh
Michael “Bao” Huynh snags the award for most prolific NYC chef of 2009, with an empire that includes three Baoguettes, plus BarBao and Bia Garden. And coming soon are several more Baoguettes; O Bao, a noodle bar; B Clinton, a prix fixe concept; Spot, a snack and dessert cafe with Pichet Ong; and a Southeast Asian seafooder in Williamsburg. A jack of several trades, chef Huynh is also a trained architect and savvy businessman. The Buzz was able to grab him for a few minutes between projects to discuss his plan for citywide domination.
Zagat Buzz: You are not only busy creating concepts and menus—you are designing your spaces. How is designing a space similar to designing a menu?
Michael “Bao” Huynh: I feel that architecture is art and cooking is an art. And they both make people happy. They are something beautiful and creative, so they reflect each other. I am a one-man operation in terms of design, so I can move a lot faster than other restaurateurs, and I also save a lot of money by designing the spaces myself. This helps me to give more money to the quality of the kitchen.
ZB: Your mother was also a chef and cookbook author. What are some of the most important lessons she taught you?
MH: She taught me how to cook when I was very young, so cooking is something that has always been a part of me. But I think mostly she taught me the real flavors of the Vietnamese, which is the most important thing that I have, and which has driven my career.
ZB: How is Vietnamese cuisine changing in New York?
MH: I think in New York, a lot of Asian cooking is on the rise – especially Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese – because of the recession. Because this is not expensive food, it is becoming more popular. I hope to be an influence to keep the quality consistent as the cuisine becomes more popular. And I feel that we are doing something that the market needs now – good food at a low price.
ZB: What's the secret to consistency at a chain like Baoguette?
MH: We have a formula for sauces, and a base. In a higher-end restaurant, it is harder to control quality, but in lower-end restaurants when you sell something for $5–$7, you must have a formula to work – just like McDonald’s. I’m not saying we’re like McDonald’s, but we create a consistency within the recipes.
ZB: Are you afraid of spreading yourself too thin?
MH: No, because now a lot of young American chefs love Vietnamese cuisine. I took 30 students and 15 chefs to Vietnam and everybody fell in love with the cuisine, and many of them came back to work for me – good people like Spike Mendelsohn of Top Chef. So with a good staff, I have to give up something to make them happy. Basically at every restaurant we give up a percentage of ownership to the people working there, and it motivates them to keep it good. It’s about not being afraid to pass the torch to someone else – it doesn’t mean that I stand away. But I’m not doing a three-star restaurant in the case of Baoguette, and it’s easier to train people for the lower end.
ZB: Are there any plans for you to expand beyond New York?
MH: We are staying in town for now, but we are looking into bringing concepts to Miami, Atlantic City and other cities.
– Kathleen Squires