THE MAN BEHIND THE SAUCE
Chef Trong
Nguyen
Founder of Crawfish & Noodles. Pioneer of Viet-Cajun cuisine in Houston. James Beard Award Finalist. A self-taught chef who traded a corporate career for a crawfish pot — and changed Houston's food scene forever.
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James Beard Award Finalist — 2020
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James Beard Award Semifinalist — 2018, 2019
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Houston's Top 100 Restaurants — Multiple Years
chef trong nguyen
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CHEF · CRAWFISH & NOODLES · HOUSTON, TX
🏆 JAMES BEARD AWARD FINALIST
AS SEEN ON
NETLFIX · FOOD NETWORK · TRAVEL CHANNEL · CBS · PBS · PEOPLE MAGAZINE · CONDE NAST · UNITED AIRLINES · SINGAPORE AIRLINES · AMERICAN EXPRESS
FROM VIETNAM
TO HOUSTON'S
KITCHEN.
Growing up in Vietnam with limited resources, Trong Nguyen was largely self-taught, learning the foundations of cooking from his grandmother at an early age. Those early influences shaped not only his palate, but his understanding of food as comfort, culture, and connection.
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After immigrating to the United States, Chef Trong spent over three decades building a successful career in the casino industry, eventually serving as Director of Marketing. While excelling professionally, his passion for cooking never faded. He studied techniques from high-end restaurants, learned from accomplished chefs, and refined his craft in every spare moment.
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Driven by purpose rather than security, Chef Trong left the corporate world to go all in and pursue his dream of opening a restaurant. A decade later, he is the Executive Chef and Owner of Crawfish & Noodles — one of Houston's most recognized destinations for Viet-Cajun cuisine.
"Time goes by too fast, and life is too short. I want people to look back at this restaurant with a positive memory and smile."
- CHEF TRONG NGUYEN · FOUNDER, CRAWFISH & NOODLES
THE JOURNEY
A LIFE BUILT ON
FOOD AND PURPOSE
EARLY
LEARNING FROM GRANDMOTHER IN VIETNAM
Growing up with limited resources, Trong learned to cook from his grandmother. Food became his language — a way to express care, connect generations, and preserve culture.
1990s
immigrates to the united states
After arriving in America, Chef Trong built a successful career in the casino industry, rising to Director of Marketing. All the while, cooking remained his true passion — refined in spare moments, studied with obsession.
Late 2000s
opens crawfish and noodles in houston
Trading corporate security for a restaurant dream, Chef Trong opens Crawfish & Noodles on Bellaire Blvd in Houston's Chinatown. His Viet-Cajun crawfish — imported French butter infused with garlic and combined with house seasonings — becomes an instant Houston obsession.
2018-20
james beard award recognition
Semifinalist in 2018 and 2019. Finalist in 2020. Chef Trong earns national recognition as one of America's most important chefs — putting Houston's Viet-Cajun cuisine on the national culinary map.
now
a global culinary voice - houston at the center
Featured on Netflix, Food Network, Travel Channel, CBS, PBS, People Magazine, Condé Nast, and recognized by United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and American Express. Chef Trong continues to lead Crawfish & Noodles — Houston's original Viet-Cajun destination.
HONORS AND RECOGNITIONS
AWARDS THAT
MATTER
Recognition from the industry. But for Chef Trong, the real measure of success is the memory left at every table.
JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION
JAMES BEARD AWARD FINALIST
2020 Finalist — one of the most prestigious honors in American culinary arts. Chef Trong was named a finalist for Best Chef: Texas, placing him among the country's most celebrated chefs.
JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION
JAMES BEARD SEMIFINALIST
Semifinalist in both 2018 and 2019, cementing consecutive years of national recognition and establishing Crawfish & Noodles as a fixture on the national fine dining radar.
HOUSTON PRESS | CHRONICLE
Houston's Top 100 Restaurants
Named to Houston's Top 100 Restaurants in multiple consecutive years. A consistent recognition from Houston's culinary community that Chef Trong counts among his most meaningful honors.
TELEVISION
Netflix, Food Network & Travel Channel
Featured across Netflix, Food Network, Travel Channel, CBS, and PBS — bringing Viet-Cajun cuisine and the Crawfish & Noodles story to audiences across America and beyond.
GLOBAL BRANDS
United, Singapore Airlines & Condé Nast
Recognized by United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, People Magazine, Condé Nast, and American Express as a leading voice in global culinary culture, helping introduce Viet-Cajun cuisine worldwide.
COMMUNITY
His Greatest Accomplishment
"Bringing people together through food — giving guests something meaningful to remember long after the meal is over." For Chef Trong, every full table is the real award.
WORK TOGETHER
LET'S WORK
TOGETHER.
For press inquiries, catering requests, collaboration opportunities, or media features — reach out directly. Chef Trong and the Crawfish & Noodles team will get back to you.
Address
Phone
11360 Bellaire Blvd, Suite 990
Houston, TX 77072
(281) 988-8098
@crawfishandnoodles
TikTok
@crawfishandnoodles