{"id":12097,"date":"2025-12-01T11:16:53","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T04:16:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/?p=12097"},"modified":"2025-12-01T11:26:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T04:26:52","slug":"from-one-restaurant-to-a-cultural-symbol-danh-tran-and-the-evolution-of-quan-bui-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/from-one-restaurant-to-a-cultural-symbol-danh-tran-and-the-evolution-of-quan-bui-group\/","title":{"rendered":"From One Restaurant to a Cultural Symbol: Danh Tr\u1ea7n and the Evolution of Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i Group"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the soft opening of Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i Group Complex on V\u00f5 Tr\u01b0\u1eddng To\u1ea3n Street, Th\u1ee7 \u0110\u1ee9c City, founder Danh Tr\u1ea7n sits down with\u00a0Saigoneer<\/em>\u00a0to reflect on his journey from a single Vietnamese eatery to a multi-concept restaurant group. With nine Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i restaurants, two Laang Saigon venues, two Sticky Rice Thai eateries, and five Caf\u00e9\u2019In coffee shops, he shares what it takes to stay authentic while evolving with Saigon\u2019s ever-changing culinary landscape.<\/p>\n

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The newly launched Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i Complex in V\u00f5 Tr\u01b0\u1eddng To\u1ea3n Street, Th\u1ee7 \u0110\u1ee9c City.<\/em><\/p>\n

Saigoneer: Over the years, Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i has grown into something larger than a restaurant, a reflection of Saigon\u2019s cultural soul. Did you envision it that way from the very beginning?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Danh Tr\u1ea7n: To be honest, I never set out to build just a restaurant. I wanted to create something that could carry and preserve a part of our culture. Through Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i, I wanted to express my own image of Saigon, or perhaps Vietnam, a place where tradition, nostalgia, and hospitality come together. A restaurant can serve food, but a cultural space tells stories. That\u2019s why from the very beginning, I tried to weave those stories into every detail, the d\u00e9cor, the food, and the people.<\/p>\n

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What kind of image of Vietnamese culture do you want to present to international diners who visit Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When foreigners dine with us, I want them to feel they\u2019re tasting more than just Vietnamese food. I want them to experience our sense of community, our warmth, and our way of sharing. That\u2019s why I tell my team, we may not be able to do everything, but what we can do, we must do well. Our strength is in food, and through food, we can tell stories about Vietnamese culture.<\/p>\n

We even created our own Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i Journal, an in-house magazine we produce entirely ourselves. It\u2019s like a cultural diary of Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i, full of stories about our dishes, our people, and Vietnamese dining traditions. We\u2019ve published eight issues so far, and the ninth is on the way. Guests often take it home with them, they flip through it later and remember that meal, that atmosphere. It\u2019s our way of extending the dining experience beyond the table.<\/p>\n

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Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i Restaurant at the latest complex in Th\u1ee7 \u0110\u1ee9c City<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve built an impressive portfolio: nine Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i restaurants, two Laang, two Sticky Rice, and five Caf\u00e9\u2019In. Managing multiple brands can be complex. What\u2019s your secret to maintaining consistency and quality across all of them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It always comes down to people. I\u2019ve been very lucky to have a loyal and dedicated core team; what I call my key people. Some have been with me since the very beginning. Even during the toughest times, like the pandemic, they stayed. That kind of loyalty doesn\u2019t come from strict rules, it comes from shared belief and respect.<\/p>\n

I lead with discipline, but also with empathy. I\u2019m straightforward, but I also try to create a comfortable working environment. The key is balance, \u201cl\u1ea1t m\u1ec1m bu\u1ed9c ch\u1eb7t,\u201d soft power binds strongly. You build trust by giving space, but also by setting clear expectations.<\/p>\n

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Sticky Rice restaurant.<\/p>\n

What about customer loyalty? How do you maintain such strong relationships with your guests?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The customer always comes first. Whenever an issue arises, big or small, I tell my team, resolve it immediately, resolve it properly. Whether a review is positive or negative, we always respond. When a guest takes the time to share feedback, that\u2019s already a gift. If you ignore it, that dissatisfaction can grow quietly until it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n

We also have very strict quality control. Cleanliness, for example, is non-negotiable. Every night, I personally check that our kitchens and bars are deep-cleaned. I still do that, hands-on, because I believe a clean kitchen reflects respect for both the craft and the customer. If the kitchen isn\u2019t right, the food can\u2019t be right.<\/p>\n

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Sticky rice dishes.<\/em><\/p>\n

Beyond the people and structure, what would you say is the soul of Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the emotion behind every dish. We don\u2019t aim to make \u201cwow\u201d food, we aim to make food that feels right.<\/p>\n

Take our crispy chicken with snakehead fish cake (g\u00e0 gi\u00f2n ch\u1ea3 c\u00e1 th\u00e1c l\u00e1c). It\u2019s been with us since the early days. We use smoked chicken skin, spread it with a layer of fish paste, then top it with a tangy-spicy sauce inspired by Thai flavors, mixed with shallots and coriander. It\u2019s comforting yet surprising, something you can enjoy with rice or over drinks.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not fancy, but it\u2019s ours. It captures exactly what Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i stands for: familiar flavors, elevated with care and creativity.<\/p>\n

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Caf\u00e9\u2019In.<\/em><\/p>\n

The restaurant scene in Vietnam is becoming increasingly competitive, with many international awards entering the market. How do you stay calm and focused amid this wave of recognition and competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s natural to feel the pressure when awards like Michelin arrive; everyone starts comparing and speculating. But I\u2019ve learned to stay grounded. There are thousands of restaurants in Saigon, and only a few can ever make it into those lists. Competing on that level is already a challenge in itself.<\/p>\n

That said, credible awards bring visibility and prestige, and that\u2019s good for the industry. They push us to improve. But I also understand the system, Michelin, for example, tends to focus on two extremes: fine dining or street food. Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i sits somewhere in between, casual yet refined, which doesn\u2019t easily fit into their framework.<\/p>\n

So instead of chasing for validation, I focus even more on delivering the best product possible. Maybe the dish isn\u2019t everyone\u2019s taste, but it will always be clean, honest, and worth what the guest pays for. That\u2019s our philosophy.
\nIf one day we make it into an award list, great. If not, we\u2019ll still keep doing what we do, serving good food that represents Vietnam with integrity, and always be ready to conquer any awards.<\/p>\n

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Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i aims to combine tradition, nostalgia, and hospitality.<\/em><\/p>\n

Have you ever thought about franchising Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i overseas?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, it\u2019s something we\u2019ve been exploring carefully. Many overseas Vietnamese communities, from Australia to the U.S., have reached out about bringing Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i abroad. But I\u2019m cautious. Vietnamese food deserves to be represented with authenticity and consistency, not just replicated.<\/p>\n

If we expand overseas, it must be done with the same heart and attention to detail we have here, from the ingredients and recipes to the atmosphere and hospitality. I don\u2019t want to open restaurants for the sake of expansion; I want to bring a true Saigon dining experience to the world.<\/p>\n

It will happen, but step by step, when we\u2019re ready to do it right.<\/p>\n

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Running a restaurant is never simple. What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who want to enter this field?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First, customers. You need to understand who you are serving before anything else: their habits, preferences, and what convenience means to them. Only when you know your customer can you design the right experience.<\/p>\n

Second, location. You may have great food, but if the address doesn\u2019t align with your target segment or their movement patterns, it will be an uphill battle. A strong concept needs to meet guests where they already are.<\/p>\n

Third, people. I\u2019m grateful to have a loyal core team, many of whom have stood by me through major challenges, including the pandemic. Managing people is the hardest part of this business. Skills can be trained, but loyalty must be earned through consistency, respect, and a shared vision.<\/p>\n

That, to me, is the foundation of everything.<\/p>\n

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With Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i Group Complex was launched earlier this month, how would you see this next chapter for the brand?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This project is special because it brings all our concepts together for the first time: Vietnamese cuisine with Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i, Thai food with Sticky Rice, and coffee culture through Caf\u00e9\u2019In. Each space tells a different story, but together they form one narrative, a modern Saigon experience rooted in tradition.<\/p>\n

For me, the Complex is not just about growth, but about identity. It\u2019s proof that a Vietnamese brand can evolve, diversify, and still stay true to its cultural roots.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, that\u2019s what I want Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i to be remembered for, not just as a restaurant, but as a piece of Saigon\u2019s living culture.<\/p>\n

Article from saigoneer newspaper: https:\/\/saigoneer.com\/sponsored-listings\/244-eat-drink\/28537-from-one-restaurant-to-a-cultural-symbol-danh-tr%E1%BA%A7n-and-the-evolution-of-qu%C3%A1n-b%E1%BB%A5i-group<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the soft opening of Qu\u00e1n B\u1ee5i Group Complex on V\u00f5 Tr\u01b0\u1eddng To\u1ea3n Street, Th\u1ee7 \u0110\u1ee9c City, founder Danh Tr\u1ea7n sits down with\u00a0Saigoneer\u00a0to reflect on his journey from a single Vietnamese eatery to a multi-concept restaurant group. With nine Qu\u00e1n […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":12101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"uix_meta_title":"","uix_meta_description":"","uix_canonical_url":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12097"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12104,"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12097\/revisions\/12104"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quan-bui.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}