Cover Quang Dung: A restaurant’s success is not measured in the number of guests served, but in their impressions as they depart.
Quang Dung: A restaurant’s success is not measured in the number of guests served, but in their impressions as they depart.
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To Quang Dung, the success of a restaurant lies in the impressions guests carry with them as they depart—the experiences, emotions, memories and empathy stirred by a chef’s message.
Putting employee experience at the center
Hello Quang Dung! You once pursued a stable career in finance, yet chose a path in the kitchen, renowned for its rigidness and unpredictability. How did your experience in finance support your transition into the culinary world?
It’s not just financial skills, but also systemic thinking, leadership, and a strong grasp of corporate culture. In working with large companies, it’s essential to understand their structure and operations to coordinate effectively. The most valuable lesson I took with me was about benefits—that a robust system requires full transparency. I don’t compare salaries; they reflect each company’s unique circumstances. At Chapter and Tales, for example, we chose to close on Sundays rather than Mondays, to allow the team a full day with their families. The restaurant opens six days a week, offering a better balance between life and work. In my early years as a chef, I barely had a personal life—you needed sheer passion just to stay afloat. But I don’t want my team to make that same sacrifice. I hope they’ll stay with me for twenty, thirty years, or even longer.
What core principles have helped Chapter Dining and Tales by Chapter build a team with long-term sustainability?
I value candour. At Chapter and Tales, we avoid vague assessments like “good,” “okay” or “fair”. Performance must be evaluated based on specific facts. Rather than saying, “the service was okay today,” we might say, “we served 35 customers today, all of whom gave positive feedback.”
Sincerity and honesty are equally vital. Whenever I offer feedback, it’s with the aim of helping someone improve—never simply to criticise. Team spirit is also essential. Being good at one task is not enough—collaboration and trust-building are key. If someone is brilliant yet unable to work with others, they’ll struggle to lead effectively.
And I always encourage progress. Each day should bring some improvement, however small, from the day before. Of course, no one can sustain peak energy levels at all times, but what truly matters is consistency and a commitment to continuous growth.
Above Quang Dung: Being good at one task is not enough—collaboration and trust-building are key.
Quang Dung: Being good at one task is not enough—collaboration and trust-building are key.
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Do you believe that employee experience (ESM—Enterprise Service Management) is just as important as customer experience? In your view, how are the two connected, and how might an F&B business transform ESM into a competitive edge?
In the F&B industry, everyone talks about customer experience, but I believe that employee experience is equally important—even the deciding factor. Only a happy and engaged team can deliver truly memorable moments for guests. To achieve that, a business must first create an environment where its people feel heard, valued, and given room to grow. At Chapter and Tales, we’re meticulous about the details that contribute to a positive working environment—from a clean, thoughtfully organised kitchen equipped with everything a chef needs, to a calm and comfortable break area. At Tales, the staff canteen is not tucked away in a corner, but is the most beautiful space in the building—set on the top floor, with views of the vegetable garden. I want our team to feel appreciated in even the smallest ways, because when people enjoy coming to work, they have little reason to leave.
Many say this industry is prone to high turnover, but I don’t believe that’s always the case. When a business commits to employee experience, through a strong team culture, clear pathways for growth, and good working conditions, people stay. The success of Chapter isn’t the work of one person. It’s built on the efforts of everyone here—those who know their craft intimately and are always encouraged to contribute, challenge ideas, and bring something new to the table.
Leading with excellence
Fire was once the soul of Chapter Dining, but each new chapter invites the next. Tales by Chapter represents that evolution—a restaurant at the forefront of the fully plant-based, zero-waste fine dining movement, transforming sustainable cuisine into something close to art. Quang Dung, please tell us more about this shift.
Chapter and Tales share a commitment to excellence and sustainability, though each expresses it differently. Chapter celebrates local, seasonal ingredients, focusing exclusively on Northern Vietnam to ensure consistency in climate and ingredient quality. Tales, on the other hand, champions a plant-based ethos grounded in sustainable agriculture. The restaurant relies on self-sufficient sourcing and embraces biodiversity, deliberately steering away from monoculture and its harmful effects.
Originally, Chapter was defined by the element of fire. But after three years, feedback from our diners led us to a more refined format built around curated set menus. Tales by Chapter continues in that spirit—one of listening, exploring, and elevating the culinary experience.
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A great dining experience goes beyond meeting expectations—it lingers in the mind, long after the last course is served.
A complete dining experience is more than just a matter of the senses. What, in your view, defines an excellent customer experience at Chapter and Tales—especially when you so often emphasise the word “excellent”?
I used to think that a perfect meal only required great food, beautiful surroundings, and attentive service. Now, I see that those are simply the basics. A good restaurant may satisfy; an excellent one leads its guests on an emotional journey, where each moment reveals something unexpected and uplifting. Take, for instance, our water bug essential oil. When we bring it out, we place a drop onto a guest’s hand and invite them to warm it between their palms. As the scent drifts up, it surprises and delights. It sparks curiosity—people photograph it, talk about it, share the moment. It’s more than just an ingredient. It becomes a point of connection, a little spark that transforms a meal into a lasting memory.
A great customer experience is not simply about meeting expectations. It’s about crafting moments that linger long after the final plate is cleared. When someone spends three or four hours at a restaurant, they’re paying not only in currency, but with their time—their most precious asset. For a fine-dining establishment, the responsibility is clear: to deliver a culinary journey that feels truly worthwhile. At the end of it, guests should leave in thoughtful silence, distilling an experience that is not just memorable, but quietly moving—something that stirs, inspires, and leaves a lasting impression.
The creative boundary lies with the diner.
According to the Quang Dung approach, between tradition and innovation, where is the finest line a chef must navigate to preserve their identity?
That line, I believe, is drawn by the guest. However daring one’s creativity may be, it must be grounded in context—does it feel authentic, does it reflect the spirit of the place? Understanding who your diners are is essential. Creativity should nudge them gently out of the familiar, not push them so far that they feel disoriented.
Innovation is a fragile thing. When guests are taken too far beyond their comfort zone, the experience can become overwhelming, or even unsettling. But if the journey is rewarding, they’ll welcome the challenge, and with it, a deeper appreciation for what is new.
Above Quang Dung: A good restaurant may satisfy; an excellent one leads its guests on an emotional journey.
Quang Dung: A good restaurant may satisfy; an excellent one leads its guests on an emotional journey.
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How do you view the new generation of chefs? Are they carrying forward the old standards or rewriting them entirely?
They will go further. If the generation before mine laid the groundwork, the next will strengthen it—and take it to places we haven’t yet imagined. The experienced chefs bring stability. The new wave brings momentum. I believe that from the foundation already in place, they’ll create something even bolder—and unmistakably their own.
Aside from passion, what has carried you forward with such persistence, Mr Quang Dung?
Possibly sheer stubbornness. But more than that, an unshakable belief that each day is a chance to learn, to transform knowledge into something meaningful for others. My family has often asked, “Why do you keep going?” They’ve felt this path doesn’t suit me. But I’ve always wanted to prove that the F&B industry has room for strong business minds, capable leaders, and new benchmarks. My hope is that cuisine will be seen as a noble profession—deserving of the same respect as any other.
I want to prove that the F&B industry still holds space for sharp business minds, strong leadership, and the creation of new standards.
Your wife is not only your life partner, but your creative partner as well. How has her presence influenced your outlook in the F&B world?
We are, in many ways, opposites—and that’s precisely what makes it work. I’m naturally outgoing, drawn to the spotlight, driven by curiosity and the desire to try what hasn’t yet been done. Tales, our plant-based restaurant, is a reflection of that spirit. When no one thought it would work, I went ahead anyway. But my wife, quiet and introspective, with her background in nutrition, completely reshaped how I think about food. She taught me that cuisine is not only about taste. It’s also about understanding—the body, the soul, and how food connects the two.
At work, we’re a perfect pairing. She researches with care; I act with conviction. Once I’ve gathered enough insight from my “advisor”, there’s no hesitation. Each decision is made with confidence and ease. Ours is not just a partnership in life, but a strong collaboration at work. She serves as the marketing director for both Chapter and Tales, and her influence is woven through everything we do.
Turning 30 marked a shift. My body began to respond differently—heavy, fried or starchy dishes left me feeling sluggish. I found myself drawn more to meals centred around vegetables: satisfying, yet light and clean. That’s the experience I now want to offer our guests, a culinary moment that not only tastes exquisite but encourages them to tune into their own wellbeing. Because, for me, dining is not just pleasure. It’s self-care—a quiet act of nourishment from the inside out.
Above Quang Dung: Cuisine is not only about taste. It’s also about understanding.
Quang Dung: Cuisine is not only about taste. It’s also about understanding.
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Where do you feel contemporary Vietnamese cuisine stands on the global culinary map? And what makes it distinct—something the world should learn from?
Vietnamese cuisine is rooted in adaptability. We’re quick to learn, swift to adjust, and always curious. That sharpness, in thought, in skill, allows us to thrive in any environment. It’s this ability to evolve, without losing our essence, that keeps Vietnamese cuisine dynamic and increasingly recognised around the world.
Thanks for sharing.
This article is part of the series Cover Story: Thuc vi tri tam, adapted from the original feature in the Tatler Vietnam February 2025 print issue.
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