Popular Vietnamese dish draws weekly crowds
Caregiver from Vietnam shares native food with love and care in his adopted homeland
Khanh Tranh and his family have come a long way since his childhood in Vietnam. His father had spent five years in the "Hanoi Hilton" prison camp during the Vietnam war. In the 1990s, the United States gave them a chance to move to America.
In 1994, Khanh started as a dishwasher at the hospital cafeteria for PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington.
After working his way up to being a cook, he now offers pho--a special noodle soup from his native Vietnam--once a week.
It has a wildly popular following on campus. The cafe's chef, Brett Hazon, says the dish just "caught fire here." It drew so much attention, the kitchen had to buy additional equipment to keep up with the demand.
"Khanh's pho is popular because it's delicious. He does it with just the right steps, the right timing, the right ingredients, and he puts just the right amount of love in there," says Brett.
