who is bach choy boy?
I'm Kevin Bach. My cooking began in a college dorm during the pandemic when I craved a taste of home. I made my first pot of phở, guided by memories of my mother toasting spices. She never taught me formal recipes, but she trained my palate, and that has become the heart of my cooking.
From there, cooking for myself quickly grew into cooking for others. What started as a pot of phở for friends turned into pop-up dinners and catering events, helping me see food as a powerful way to connect with people. My first professional kitchen experience was under Chef Jan Parker, who brought me into her team and taught me the essential skills and techniques to become a chef. With her mentorship, I developed the confidence to run my pop-ups and cater to hundreds of guests.
In 2022, I took on a chef residency in Saigon at Que by Kaarem, rode my motorbike through wet markets, discovered new ingredients, and built relationships with local vendors who shaped each menu. When I returned in 2024, I felt more rooted and confident in my approach, crafting a dining experience that was both deeply personal and inspired by Vietnam’s local ingredients.
That same year, I studied abroad in Paris, hosting wine dinners that merged my Vietnamese-American roots with French culinary influences. Working with fresh, market-driven ingredients and developing my skills at Archipelago in Seattle grew my perspective on cooking seasonally.
Now, as a chef with Nourish Stanford, I lead projects promoting balanced eating and accessible recipes for the Asian-American community. I also continue my work with Jan Parker Cookery and run my pop-ups, each inspired by the flavors and people I’ve met.
Interested in allowing me to elevate your next party, wedding, or another event?
Complete the contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
PARIS 2024:
In early 2024, inspired by Chef Aaron at Archipelago, I arrived in Paris to make food and wine the heart of my study abroad. It felt like starting freshman year all over again, but this time, I had four years of cooking experience to guide me. I began humbly, cooking from my dorm and hosting dinners that grew from small gatherings into waitlisted events, all made possible by sourcing seasonal ingredients from local markets. I experimented with flavors, blending my Vietnamese-American roots with French cuisine, and each dinner was an opportunity to refine my skills and share my cooking with others.
These dinners became my primary income and a means to dive deeper into French gastronomy. My profits were reinvested into Michelin-starred dining experiences- inspiring me for future dinners. On weekends, I traveled to wine regions across France, returning with suitcases of bottles to pair with my dinners. One particularly memorable night was cooking for Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, crafting dishes that resonated with our Vietnamese-American experiences while immersed in French culinary culture.
Paris taught me the impact of thoughtful sourcing, wine pairing, and the art of dining as a collective experience. This chapter shaped how I cook. Also, is this the beginning of Kevin the Sommelier?
Chef Residency at Que by KAAREM, Summer 2022, Saigon, VN 📍
Que by KAAREM, KAAREM's first brick-and-mortar, is tucked down a hẻm in a refurbished home in Bình Thạnh, Sài Gòn. My residency there in the summer of 2022 was transformative—tasked with reviving Que’s warmth and sense of community post-Covid. We organized chess nights and bar collabs. I created a new menu every week, experimenting with local ingredients I’d never seen before.
Navigating Vietnam for the first time was both exciting and challenging. Riding a motorbike through Saigon’s bustling streets, sourcing ingredients in the wet markets, and building relationships with vendors became part of my daily rhythm. Kha, my clam vendor, turned into a friend, calling me every morning to confirm my daily order—a connection that made me feel at home.
The hot, humid climate brought unique challenges, from preserving delicate herbs to baking sourdough, but it also offered invaluable lessons. I had guidance from Mark, a BBQ pit master, who taught me the importance of pushing flavors to their peak and repurposing ingredients to minimize waste—principles that have stayed with me.
My time at Que by KAAREM gave me a deep sense of the power of food to cross cultural lines and create connections. It solidified my aspiration to use cooking to nurture communities and build a sense of belonging wherever I go.
