Appetites: St. Paul chef re-opens restaurant after fire — and adds surprises to the menu
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Minnesota chef Eric Pham was set to open his new restaurant last August, and then an electrical fire in the building set him back. He’s rebuilt Khue’s Kitchen, named for his mother Khue Pham.
“[Her] wealth of knowledge is paramount to the restaurant,” said Pham. “Which is why I named it after her. It wouldn’t exist without that level of guidance.”
Over the last eight months, Pham has picked up the pieces by creating and serving up dishes through various pop-up kitchens. Now, he’s set to re-open his restaurant with a cultivated menu that includes Spicy Chicken Sando, Grilled Sirloin, as well as vegetarian options such as Five Spice Tofu and Sticky Jicama Ribs.
“The menu is sort of the culmination of this tumultuous journey,” said Pham. “These dishes sort of came into their own, got added to the menu, and now you have this whole amalgamation of dishes that I never planned on having the menu.”
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These items will likely live on his menu for the foreseeable future, Pham said, because of the positive feed he’s received — even though some require days of preparation.
“The best food is usually the hardest to make. The best things in life are the things that almost seem impossible to do.”
Khue’s Kitchen will open inside MidCity Kitchen, a share-use commercial kitchen in St. Paul on March 6.
To hear the full conversation with Eric Pham, click play on the player above.