It’s all about Phamily
Yen Pham is a Chinese/Belgian hybrid that came from a first generation family of immigrants. The expectations were high for all five Pham children, and Yen explains how he overcame failure after failure to end up rebooting his own family’s struggling restaurant.
Hi Yen, you are first generation Chinese from Vietnam. I hear your parents had a rough time as immigrants in Belgium. Tell us a bit about it.
Mum & Dad are both Chinese born in Vietnam after their parents fled China to Vietnam. Following the end of the Vietnam war, my parents fled the country with all they had to move to Europe and find a better life. I plan to write a book about their life and the diaspora one day. After many challenges and working their asses off like crazy in Brussels for three years, saving every last penny, 40 years ago my parents were able to invest in their first restaurant. It was called the Bamboo Flower. It was the first Asian restaurant on rue Jules Van Praet, a pretty seedy area at the time. The Vietnamese started to open a lot of restaurants in the area and it became not so much a “Chinatown”, but more like a China street, encompassing many Asian restaurants.
How many siblings do you have?
3 brothers and 1 sister, all born in Belgium. I am the second brother (the cadet).
You say you were considered the rebel in the family. Why is that?
All my siblings were college educated. Because of the sacrifices my parents made, there was tremendous pressure to excel in everything. My oldest brother is a VP of a seafood company operating globally and based in the US, my second brother is working in the consulting world, my youngest brother is soon to be a doctor, and my little sister is still in university, studying economics.
As a child, I was always the top of class, and won all the prizes in mathematics, science, gymnastics, I did most of my homework on a table in the back of our restaurant. As I got to secondary school, I started to rebel. I didn’t want to be the cliché smart Asian boy. I was born and raised in Belgium but I felt out of place. I was the only non-white in my class, and I started getting into fights, played around with drinking, drugs, girls, everything that would get me in trouble. Since the age of 15, I was helping in the restaurant as well.
In secondary school, I failed the second year 2 times, the 3rd year 2 times, and the 4th year 2 times, so my parents sent me to a private school and I decided I would work hard this time. But I failed there as well. My self-esteem had hit rock bottom. This last failure really upset me because I was actually trying this time, and I failed again. I came home and fell to my knees in front of my parents, apologized and started to cry. It was an intense moment of cleansing that seemed to change my path, finally. I was about 18 at the time.
At this point, my parents and older brother thought maybe if they sent me to the UK to improve my English it would give me some space to breathe. I was there for two years.
What was the turning point that made you decide to take over the family business?
My parents had since opened a number of different restaurants, and Bamboo Flower was in trouble. When I found out, I starting working on a business plan night and day—how could I recover the restaurant? The Bamboo Flower was, as we call it, “our bowl of rice”. It was the restaurant that sustained our family since the beginning. I wanted to take it over and make it into something new.
I wanted the concept to be simple, more modern and with a cocktail bar. I would call it Yi Chan, which means heritage, or legacy, dedicated to all the work my parents poured into it. It was my way to redeem myself with my parents after all I put them through.
Yi Chan.
What did you do when you took over the business?
I put a priority on good management. I am pretty good with numbers so I can show how I can maximise our earning by being more sustainable, and by creating the cocktail bar to open the place to a new clientele.
I think it’s better to be a leader instead of being a boss. Leading by example is always appreciated and respected by your employees. In the first years of the business, I was always the first one in and the last one out. As the business started to succeed, I gained trust in my team and I would take little trips to get away and have a breather. Later, as the team developed further, I was able to get away for longer periods of time. It’s all about trusting your team. When someone messes up, we talk about it-- and if anyone knows about messing up it’s me. As long as there is a sincere intention to do better, that is all I can ask.
You were always interested in cooking and you looked up to 2 star Michelin chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre, but you tried your hand as a mixologist when you entered the World Class Competition for the first time in 2017 and came in the top 10 for Be/Lux. How has your culinary experienced helped you in creating cocktails?
I love to say that we always need inspiration and mentors. It’s good to look up to some people who succeed in their career. Because I started young in the industry and started from the bottom, I gained knowledge and experience. Gradually over the years. I learned everything from scratch and worked harder to be a better version of myself. My inspiration comes from my culture, trends and especially from the kitchen.
What other bar competitions have you been in?
World Class 2017 Be/Lux Top 10
Mary White Vodka 2017 Belgium Top 3
Botanist Gin Belgium 2017 Best Cocktail
World Class 2018 Be/Lux Top 2
Bacardi Legacy 2018 Be/Lux Top 5
Bacardi Legacy 2019 South Belgium winner
Patron Perfectionist 2019 Top 10
Why the drive to enter so many bar competitions?
I found out about the Diageo World Class competition and thought it would be a good way to get recognition for my restaurant. I approached my head bartender Pascal Buyse to go for it, but he declined, so I decided to take up the challenge myself (with his help) I made it to top 10 on my first try in 2017. Winning really influenced positively on my business, we started getting a cool bar crowd coming in, and brands started to ask me to enter other competitions. I never said no.
Yen at the World Class Competition.
Do you now consider yourself a chef or a mixologist?
A chef. I started in the kitchen and it is there I developed my palate for different flavour combinations. This has really helped me in bar competitions because I like to take little known Asian fruits and cooking techniques and adapt them to a cocktail recipe. We also love to pair cocktails with our Asian specialties on the menu.
Xiaolongbao soup dumplings from Yi Chan.
You have a love for Japanese Whisky, what are your favorites?
Yeah, I love to collect. My favorites are Yoichi 12y and Yamazaki 18.
How did you adjust to the lockdown?
I get busy. Studying, reading and experimenting. I am always trying to think of something new. Yi Chan did take away, delivery and drive up. Like everyone else, we are all trying everything we can to save our business.
Assuming that the lockdown will be over soon, what are your immediate plans for Yi Chan?
I have several plans, but I won’t divulge them yet!
And plans of your own personally?
I did some experimental brewing with my friend Jean Benoit Castellain (beer specialist) during this lockdown and we managed to find our recipe. Our beer is fermenting at the moment and will be available in May.
You got married to your long-time girlfriend in Hawaii. Why there?
It’s my favorite place on Earth :) My auntie lives there and had the chance to travel few years ago and fell in love with the island, the mindset, and the connection with nature. The Aloha spirit.
You just became a father of a baby boy. How has that influenced your plans for the future?
I guess it’s part of my life and future. It will impact my nights for sure, but not my business plan. I have to keep going no matter what.
Is your wife involved in your business?
No, but she’s my rock and she’s pretty busy right now with our baby son!
You have an extensive collection of sneakers, how many pairs do you have, and why sneakers?
(Laughs) I won’t tell you how many, I stopped counting a while ago. Like most kids you identify with your elders and inspiration. Mine were basketball and Michael Jordan. It all started from there. Through the years, the shoes I bought and collected went up a lot in value and I started to sell them to grow my collection… but also to get some cash.
Five questions for Yen
Unlimited budget to open a cocktail bar. What style and where?
A modern trendy speakeasy.“Where” doesn’t really matter because I want the bar to transport you to the place I create for you. I guess if there was an unlimited budget I would go for Hawaii, a place where I will surely go to retire!
The Asian fruit you cannot live without?
A funny one, Durian.
What is your superpower?
Never giving up.
The thing about you that drives your wife crazy?
Not answering her.
When should bar closing time be?
When people feel ready to go home.
The bar personality you most look up to?
Signature cocktail:
La Fraise
Milk punch:
Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey - Dewar’s 12Y Blended Whisky
Milky Oolong
Graham 10Y Porto
Float with Belgian Wepion strawberry-infused natural Tête Rouge red wine from Titilus
Where you can find Yen
You can email Yen at yen.phamdat@gmail.com
Facebook: Yi Chan Brussels
Yi Chan Instagram: @yichanbrussels
Yen Instagram: @dragonyen