Vân Vân is an immigrant-owned and woman-led business, specializing in premium, terroir-driven Vietnamese ingredients sourced from small farmers. At the heart of their business is a commitment to invest in local growers and support their livelihoods by paying a fair price for their products. Too often, domestic and foreign buyers dictate the pricing for small farmers and producers. By partnering with these growers, they aim to bring premium Vietnamese products to the world, showcase the country’s diverse flavors, and represent Việt Nam as more than just a war. In a sense, Vân Vân embodies the journey of our story as immigrants, finding their place in America through many twists, turns, and pivots.

This workshop was dedicated to an essential yet often overlooked aspect of Vietnamese food: dipping sauces.

During Chấm Chấm, we sampled a selection of dipping sauces, delved into the history of the ingredients and learned how to make the sauces from scratch using Vân Vân’s Northern Mountain Garlic and Heaven Facing Chili.