Vien Dobui

The Climb

Since 2017, Vien Dobui has held the role of chef and co-owner at Cong Tu Bot. That span has given the restaurant room to settle into its own terms, with Dobui steering it toward interpretation rather than fixed labels. The result is a kitchen defined by nuance, where the food resists easy categorization and asks for close attention from the diner.

Today

“I’ve yet to explain chè to non-Asians in a way that is satisfying to either party, but I find that gap in translation to be the territory that I’ve always wanted Công Tử Bột to be engaged in.” For Vien Dobui, the work is in that gap: the space where explanation stops and the dish still holds meaning. Chè can remain culturally specific without being reduced, and Cong Tu Bot is built to let that happen. The same holds for bún chả, which sits alongside chè as a defining part of the restaurant’s register. The point is not to make everything fully legible. It is to keep the cooking exact enough to stand on its own, even when some of it resists direct translation.

Career - Chef and co-owner — Cong Tu Bot, Portland, Maine (2017–present)

FAQ What is Vien Dobui's current role? As of 2026, Vien Dobui is Chef and Co-owner. What recognition has Vien Dobui received? James Beard Award semifinalist (2022).