Coming Soon: Vietnamese Chef and Restaurateur Kieu Phan Is Bringing Her Culinary Empire to Australia

Vietnamese chef and restaurateur Kieu Phan has big plans for Australia. She already has eight restaurants scattered about Vietnam but plans to open three new sites in Melbourne and Sydney in the coming years.

The first new venture Hoiana is set to open on Melbourne's Little Bourke Street on Friday, December 8, bringing refined Vietnamese eats and live music to the Victorian capital's CBD.

During the launch, Kieu Phan will step into the kitchen as Executive Chef, working alongside Head Chef Dylan McCormack (ex-Red Spice Road). The duo has created a menu that plays with classic Vietnamese dishes and French cooking techniques, culminating in something altogether contemporary and fun.

Design-wise, the 80-seater restaurant will feature art deco stylings, paying homage to the surrounding buildings on Little Bourke Street and Hardware Lane. There'll also be room for regular live music performances at Hoiana, breathing even more life into the space.

But Hoiana isn't all that Phan is working on. She already has plans to set up a second Melbourne restaurant in 2024. Francis Thuan, winner of this year's Chef of the Year award at the Vietnam Restaurant & Bar Awards, is already on board to run the kitchen at the new site. His restaurant Esta in Vietnam received a Michelin star in Vietnam's first-ever Michelin Guide this year, so big things are expected for this spot.

On top of this, Phan is also working on a new Sydney restaurant. But we are yet to get any extra details on this one.

In the meantime, Hoiana is the first piece to slot into place in Phan's Aussie restaurant puzzle.

Find Hoiana at 400 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne from  Friday, December 8. It will be open from 11am–1am, seven days a week. Head to the venue's website for more info.