From Vietnam to the East Village, husband‑wife duo Jimmy Ly and Yen Vo, chef and owners of critically acclaimed restaurant Madame Vo bring big, bold southern Vietnamese flavors to homestyle cooking in this cookbook
Madame Vo, which opened in New York City’s East Village in 2017, is a restaurant rooted in family recipes and Vietnamese history. Ly and Vo’s stories were shaped by their parents’ decision to gather their families and leave everything they knew for America—Vo was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and Ly was born in Queens after his parents fled their home during the Vietnam War. Once they risked everything to bring quality Vietnamese food to East Village patrons, it didn’t take long for great reviews and press to roll in. After Ly’s cooking received rave reviews from both Ligaya Mishan and Pete Wells for the New York Times, Madame Vo quickly became a New York staple, frequented by notable fans such as Calvin Klein, Sarah Jessica Parker, Simu Liu, Bowen Yang, Alan Cumming, and others.
This cookbook features the recipes that made Madame Vo a household name, including:
- Signatures dishes like Madame Wings (spicy chicken wings with fish sauce)
- Sườn Kho Pork Pibs
- The Perfect Phở
- Caramelized Pork Belly and Pineapples
- New innovations like Chè Bắp Sweet Corn Pudding
- Bánh Bò Nướng Honeycomb Cake
With the talents of award-winning writer Dan Q. Dao, this narrative-driven cookbook includes Ly and Vo’s stories, all the hits from the restaurant, and what you need to know to start cooking Vietnamese food at home. This book is a love letter from Madame Vo to the restaurant’s community and new readers alike, accessible and encouraging for any Vietnamese food enthusiast.
Praise
“I’m lucky enough to have Madame Vo as one of my neighborhood restaurants, but I am still going to cook from this book a lot—because it’s the most delicious craveable food, and here Jimmy Ly and Yen Vo make it accessible. I love this book."
—Gabrielle Hamilton, chef/owner of Prune and author of Blood, Bones & Butte
“There’s no better New York story than the one in these pages. Madame Vo’s food has a sense of place and history, but it’s also incredibly delicious. I leave the restaurant counting the days until I’ll go back."
—James Kent, Michelin-starred chef of Crown Shy and Saga
“A beautiful book about food, reclaiming heritage, and looking good while doing it."
—Ronny Chieng
“The restaurant Madame Vo is a must-go for me not only for the food but also for the vibes and the community. And now with their irresistible cookbook, anyone can experience a taste of this at home.”
—Edison Chen, founder of CLOT
