In the newly released documentary "Food and Country," Phan says that when she tried to even the disparity between kitchen staff and servers by paying both equally, she couldn't find many servers willing to work for $20 to $25 an hour. This illustrates the broader industry challenge of equitable pay and the struggle to find skilled workers in a post-pandemic restaurant landscape.
Phan is also the first to admit that running a business and managing people are not skills that come naturally to her artist's persona. This highlights the often-overlooked talent gaps that can exist in the culinary field and the difficulties chefs face when transitioning into the roles of managers and leaders.
"I got a lot of criticism from people regarding why I shut down [the restaurants]," she says. "There were many reasons, but the work wasn't serving what I want to do anymore. Food is ephemeral." This quote reflects her thoughtful approach to culinary art and the pressures that led to her restaurant closures.
In a recent podcast episode of Kenneth Nguyen's "The Vietnamese," she spoke of the ways we as a society view food. "Why are we not looking at food like we look at museums?" This comparison elevates the status of food as an art form and suggests a shift in cultural perceptions.
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