Date: February 15, 2025
Venue: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Summary
Vietnam Society hosted an immersive afternoon celebrating Tết through creativity, food, and cultural storytelling. The program featured celebrated Vietnamese American artists including Thái Nguyễn, fashion designer, author, and co-host of Netflix’s Say I Do, novelist and essayist Monique Truong, and James Beard Award finalist Kevin Tien, executive chef of Moon Rabbit. Professor Anita Mannur of American University moderated the culinary panel.
The celebration began with a reading of the children’s book Mai’s Áo Dài by Thái Nguyễn and Monique Truong, followed by a hands-on activity for families. Guests then enjoyed Time with Thái, a live demonstration exploring regional áo dài styles from northern, central, and southern Vietnam. Nguyễn also guided attendees through the art of taking proper measurements for custom tailoring.
The afternoon concluded with The Evolution of Vietnamese Cuisine and Tết Traditions, where Monique Truong and Kevin Tien discussed how Vietnamese cuisine shapes community life and personal identity across the diaspora. The event wrapped with a book signing and tastings of traditional Tết foods.
The program honored Vietnamese heritage while inspiring guests to embrace their own stories and traditions.
