When it comes to taking vegetables to the next level, few chefs do it with as much creativity and heart as Chef Thai Dang. The acclaimed Vietnamese-American chef, owner of Chicago’s award-winning HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen, has earned multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand awards and James Beard nominations for his vibrant, modern approach to Vietnamese cuisine.
Born in Đồng Nai Province, Vietnam, and classically trained in French culinary technique, Chef Thai has built a reputation for blending heritage and innovation. After sharpening his skills in Michelin-starred kitchens, he launched Embeya and later HaiSous in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, a restaurant that quickly became a critical and culinary darling. Today, his culinary footprint includes HaiSous, Cà Phê Đá Vietnamese Café, and Dang Good Wings — with menus that balance soulful flavors and bold creativity.
And Chef Thai Dang’s latest venture—Crying Tiger—is one of Chicago’s most anticipated openings for 2025. Backed by the celebrated Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group, this Southeast Asian concept is slated to bring bold, elegant flavors to River North. With Thai Dang at the helm as Chef and Partner, diners can expect a menu inspired by Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and beyond—promising an elevated dining experience that’s truly worth the hype.
It’s this same spirit of innovation that makes Chef Thai such a perfect ambassador for Bimi® Baby Broccoli. He’s been a longtime fan of the vegetable’s versatility, premium quality, and naturally sweet, tender-crisp stems. In fact, you’ll even find Bimi® featured in a signature dish on the menu at HaiSous — and he’s developed two exclusive recipes just for us.
“I can’t wait to get more people to fall in love with this versatile vegetable. You can enjoy it raw or cooked with any technique. I made this first ever salad with Vietnamese flavor and it was a hit!”
–Chef Thai Dang
This year, Chef Thai has been shining the spotlight on Bimi® at some of the industry’s most celebrated stages. From representing the brand at the James Beard Foundation Awards in Chicago, to serving a signature dish at our tasting station, to upcoming appearances at the International Food and Produce Association show and EEEEEATSCON Chicago, Chef Thai continues to showcase why Bimi® is Broccoli, But Better.
What sets him apart as a brand partner is simple: he genuinely loves cooking with Bimi®. He loves how effortlessly Bimi® Baby Broccoli adapts across cuisines — from elevating traditional Vietnamese dishes to pairing seamlessly with global flavors — bringing its sweet, tender-crisp bite to everything from shareable sides to center-of-plate stars.
As Bimi® continues to win over chefs and food lovers across the U.S., we couldn’t ask for a better partner to help tell our story than Chef Thai Dang.
