Mango and Peppercorns

A Memoir of Food, an Unlikely Family, and the American Dream

By: Tung Nguyen, Katherine Manning, Lyn Nguyen, Elisa Ung, Michelle Bernstein - introduction

Narrated by: Quyen Ngo, Cindy Kay, VyVy Nguyen

A powerful memoir of resilience, friendship, family, and food from the acclaimed chefs behind the award-winning Hy Vong Vietnamese restaurant in Miami.

Through powerful narrative, archival imagery, and 20 Vietnamese recipes that mirror their story, Mango & Peppercorns is a unique contribution to culinary literature.

In 1975, after narrowly escaping the fall of Saigon, pregnant refugee and gifted cook Tung Nguyen ended up in the Miami home of Kathy Manning, a graduate student and waitress who was taking in displaced Vietnamese refugees. This serendipitous meeting evolved into a decades-long partnership, one that eventually turned strangers into family and a tiny, no-frills eatery into one of the most lauded restaurants in the country.

Tung's fierce practicality often clashed with Kathy's free-spirited nature, but over time, they found a harmony in their contrasts—a harmony embodied in the restaurant's signature mango and peppercorns sauce.

• IMPORTANT, UNIVERSAL STORY: An inspiring memoir peppered with recipes, it is a riveting read that will appeal to fans of Roy Choi, Ed Lee, Ruth Reichl, and Kwame Onwuachi.
• TIMELY TOPIC: This real-life American dream is a welcome reminder of our country's longstanding tradition of welcoming refugees and immigrants. This book adds a touchpoint to that larger conversation, resonating beyond the bookshelf.
• INVENTIVE COOKBOOK: This book is taking genre-bending a step further, focusing on the story first and foremost with 20 complementary recipes.

Perfect for:

• Fans of culinary nonfiction
• Fans of Ruth Reichl, Roy Choi, Kwame Onwuachi, and Anya Von Bremzen
• Home cooks who are interested in Asian food and cooking

Fantastic read!

This is a story of hard work, compassion, strong wills, and love. It is inspiring and eye opening. It makes us realize how lucky we are to live in America, even with all its problems. Cheers to Tung, Kathy and Lyn!

So unique in its insight into the heart and mind of an immigrant.

Glad I listened as the voices perfectly captured the complicated story of this beautiful family.

Great story

Enjoyed learning about the Vietnamese refugees struggle to come to the US. Also Enjoyed the descriptions of the recipes and
Determination of the characters to have a successful restaurant business.

Fantastic memoir

What a great book. Written frankly and beautifully. Fascinating and beautiful, unexpected story. Could hardly stop listening and cried several times!