Julie Mai Trần
Biography
Julie Mai Trần is a first-generation Vietnamese-American who loves to eat, cook, and travel. She is the author of Ăn chưa? Simple Vietnamese Recipes That Taste Like Home, a cookbook she wrote in honor of her parents, the Vietnamese Boat People, and the people of Vietnam. In 2019, she created Share My Roots, a blog focused on authentic and modern twists on Asian recipes with a focus on Vietnamese cooking. She shares her heritage through food, preserving stories representing the refugee and immigrant experience, in honor of her parents. Her aspiration is to encourage people to cook, connect people to their roots, and shine a light on Vietnamese food, people, and culture.
Her love for cooking is inspired by her mother, who shows love, compassion, and strength through food. As a foodie at heart, she loves to experiment in the kitchen – whether it’s making classic dishes or creating something new influenced by her favorite chefs.
Books
Ăn chưa? (Did you eat, yet?) is a common Vietnamese greeting that expresses affection through the everyday necessity, nourishment and comfort of food. In this special collection of time-honored recipes, Julie Mai Trần, a first-generation Vietnamese-Chinese American and the creator of Share My Roots, celebrates Vietnamese cuisine and culture inspired by her mother’s cooking.
Julie brings the authentic flavors of Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam’s most beloved dishes to your home kitchen. Find over 75 showstopping recipes from childhood classics like Bún Thịt Nướng (BBQ Pork Vermicelli bowl) and Thịt Kho Trứng (Braised Pork and Eggs), to restaurant favorites like Phở Bò (Beef Rice Noodle Soup) and Crispy Fried Noodles (Mì Xào Giòn/ Dòn), and must-try dishes including Bánh Xèo (Sizzling Crepes), and Chả Cá Thăng Long (Turmeric and Dill Fish).
Filled with lush full-page photography and poignant stories of family and Vietnam’s history, this love letter to Vietnamese cuisine and family roots paints a colorful landscape of the immigrant experience, serving as a cultural guidepost for generations to come.