Curated Cuisine: Nini Nguyen’s "Đặc Biệt" brings extra special flair to Vietnamese recipes

Curated Cuisine is a monthly series examining all things edible, from the chefs cooking the food to the writers reviewing the recipes. Meet the people shaping the food industry, both local and national and enjoy a post-show bite inspired by the conversation.

New Orleans-based chef Nini Nguyen has developed her own version of the Vietnamese cuisine her grandmother taught her. Growing up in the land of gumbo and po-boys, and then later working in Michelin-starred restaurants like Coquette and Eleven Madison Park in New York City, Nguyen has incorporated an inspiring menagerie of ingredients and flair into a new book, “Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook.” The “Top Chef: All-Stars” alum describes the term “đặc biệt” in Vietnamese culture as something special and luxurious or, more specifically in her cooking, adding something a little extra.

Join Darryl C. Murphy, host of The Common, for a conversation with Nguyen about “đặc biệt” and see a demonstration of her unique cooking skills live on stage. Copies of the book will be available for purchase from our bookstore partner Brookline Booksmith. Nguyen will sign copies and guests will enjoy a bite from the book following the conversation.

This event is produced in partnership with New England Culinary Arts Training.

CitySpace Tickets
Premiere: $30.00 (includes reserved seating in the front of the theater)
General: $20.00
BU Faculty/Staff: $15.00 (must present a valid BU ID upon arrival)
Student: $10.00 (must present a valid student ID upon arrival)

Ways To Save
WBUR’s Legacy Circle, Murrow Society and Members save $5.00 on premiere and general tickets to this event. To apply the discount to your ticket purchase online, you’ll need to enter a promo code. You can get your code by emailing membership@wbur.org.

Registrants may be contacted by CitySpace about this or future events.

About “Đặc Biệt”
A collection of contemporary, extra-special Vietnamese recipes, from beloved classics like Hanoi-Style Vermicelli with Grilled Pork and three variations of phở, to dishes with a New Orleans twist, like Southeast Asian Jambalaya and Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì — from “Top Chef” contestant and acclaimed chef Nini Nguyen.

In Vietnamese culture, to be “đặc biệt” is to be special and luxurious, or, as chef and cooking instructor Nini Nguyen puts it, it means adding something a little extra, like salty caviar on top of squid-stuffed pork, a surprise note of ginger and lime in a dipping sauce or sautéing shaking beef in farm-fresh butter for a creamy, delectable experience. Born and raised in New Orleans by Vietnamese immigrants, Nini gives us recipes that fuse the best of Vietnamese and New Orleans cooking and clear directions on how to prepare and arrange them, making for a flavorful, unforgettable experience that proves that being a little extra is easy and just right.

“Đặc Biệt” includes one hundred delicious and vibrant recipes that celebrate the essential flavors of Vietnam — salty, sour, bitter, spicy, and sweet — and the bright and perfectly balanced dishes they create.

Here are recipes for: charbroiled oysters in chili butter * Viet-Cajun seafood Boil * phở with everything * crispy fish sauce–caramel chicken wings * broken rice with pork chops and eggs * crispy noodles covered in a saucy stir-fry * BBQ pork ribs glazed with roasted nước mắm sauce * coconut crispy rice crepes * and many more.

This event is made possible with support from Newport Mansions.

The Preservation Society of Newport County ("Newport Mansions") is Rhode Island's largest cultural organization whose mission is to protect, preserve and present an exceptional collection of house museums in one of the most historically intact cities in America. Through our historic properties, educational programs and related activities we engage the public in the story of America’s vibrant cultural heritage.