i. Biography
In the East Village, regional Vietnamese cooking can be built from a few exacting moves: steam to set batter, tapioca to hold shape, shrimp and scallion for lift, mint and lime for brightness, cucumber for coolness. At Van Đa, Yen Ngo uses that grammar to organize the menu by region, bringing dishes tied to Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, and Hanoi into view in a New York dining room where they are not always centered. The work lands through texture as much as flavor. Translucent dumplings, crisp mochi, and steamed cakes make the case that tradition can be specific without being static.
Coming Up
Training at L'Academie de Cuisine gave Yen Ngo a formal base in technique and service, and that base shows in the way Van Đa is put together. The restaurant's menu structure and dining-room pacing reflect a working knowledge of kitchen discipline and front-of-house rhythm rather than a broad, generic approach. Since 2019, Ngo has held the role of owner and restaurateur at Van Đa, and the room reads as the result of that long view: regional, measured, and built with attention to detail.
Where They Are Now
As chef, owner, owner and restaurateur, Ngo leads a menu organized around Modern Vietnamese cooking with a regional frame. That structure matters. Instead of flattening Vietnamese food into a single category, Van Đa separates out distinct references and lets each dish stand on its own terms. The traditional dishes are direct in form and clear in intent. Banh beo comes as steamed rice cakes with shrimp and scallion, a preparation that makes the restaurant's interest in delicacy and texture easy to read. Banh bot loc brings pork and shrimp into tapioca dumplings, while banh it ram uses crispy mochi balls to create contrast. Each one works through touch and structure as much as through flavor. The menu also makes room for reinterpretation without breaking from its source material. Pho short rib grilled cheese is presented as creatively inspired by tradition, taking the memory of pho into another format while keeping the reference legible. Turtle Tonic sits alongside it on the drinks list, a cocktail with gin, tonic water, cucumber juice, lime, and mint that extends the same cool, precise register into the glass.
Signature
Yen's signature dishes include banh beo, banh bot loc, banh it ram, pho short rib grilled cheese, and Turtle Tonic.
Honors
The public shape of her work is instead defined by the East Village role, the restaurant's regional structure, and the specific Vietnamese dishes that have become its standouts.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Yen
What is Yen Ngo's current role?
As of 2026, Yen Ngo is Chef and Owner.
Where did Yen Ngo train or study?
Yen Ngo trained at L'Academie de Cuisine.
What is Yen Ngo known for?
Traditional Vietnamese dishes and regional Vietnamese cuisine, especially the food of Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, and Hanoi.
