Peter Cuong Franklin
Vietnamese-American chef who earned HCMC's first Michelin star — Anan Saigon at Cho Cu Market
Who is Peter Cuong Franklin?
Peter Cuong Franklin is a Vietnamese-American chef who founded Anan Saigon in 2017 at Cho Cu Market (District 1, HCMC) — the first restaurant in HCMC to earn a Michelin star (2023). He trained at world-renowned restaurants including Alinea (Chicago), Nahm (Bangkok) and Caprice (Hong Kong) before returning to Vietnam. Anan is famous for its "high-low Vietnamese cuisine" concept — combining traditional market dishes with fine-dining technique, with signatures like pho tacos and a $100 lobster banh mi.
Notable Quotes
“We want to honor Vietnamese street food using fine-dining technique — high-low cuisine.”
Advice
Blend tradition and modernity
High-low cuisine — traditional market dishes plus fine-dining technique creates a unique concept.
Choose a location that tells a story
Fine dining inside a 100+ year-old market — the space itself is marketing.
Invest in craft before you open
Training at Alinea, Nahm and Caprice before returning to Vietnam — technical foundation is the key to Michelin.
Key Highlights
- ✓Founded Anan Saigon (2017) — first restaurant in HCMC to earn a Michelin star (2023)
- ✓Trained at Alinea (Chicago), Nahm (Bangkok), Caprice (Hong Kong)
- ✓Signatures: pho tacos, $100 lobster banh mi — "high-low Vietnamese cuisine"
- ✓Placed a fine-dining restaurant inside Cho Cu Market — a 100+ year-old traditional market
Biography
Peter Cuong Franklin was born in Da Lat, Vietnam. He emigrated to the US as a child and studied business before switching to gastronomy. He trained at world-renowned restaurants: Alinea (Chicago), Nahm (Bangkok — former Michelin star) and Caprice (Hong Kong). In 2017 he returned to Vietnam and opened Anan Saigon at Cho Cu Market — a 100+ year-old traditional market in District 1, HCMC. The unique concept: fine dining set inside a traditional market space, combining Vietnamese street food with high-end international technique. Anan's signature dishes include pho tacos, a $100 lobster banh mi and fine-dining bun bo Hue. In 2023, Anan Saigon received HCMC's first Michelin star when the Michelin Guide officially arrived in Vietnam.
Apply this to your shop right now
Enter your specific numbers (capital, expected revenue, costs) → know if your shop is viable in 5 minutes. Free, no signup.
Articles & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
›Who is Peter Cuong Franklin?
Peter Cuong Franklin is a Vietnamese-American chef who founded Anan Saigon in 2017 — the first restaurant in HCMC to earn a Michelin star (2023). He trained at Alinea (Chicago), Nahm (Bangkok) and Caprice (Hong Kong) before returning to Vietnam.
›What is Anan Saigon and who founded it?
Anan Saigon is a fine-dining Vietnamese restaurant founded by chef Peter Cuong Franklin in 2017, located inside Cho Cu Market (District 1, HCMC). Anan was the first HCMC restaurant to earn a Michelin star when the Michelin Guide officially arrived in Vietnam in 2023.
›What are Anan Saigon's signature dishes?
Anan's signature dishes include pho tacos (pho in a rice-paper wrap format), a $100 lobster banh mi and fine-dining bun bo Hue. The "high-low Vietnamese cuisine" concept blends traditional market dishes with international fine-dining technique.
›Why is Anan Saigon located in Cho Cu Market?
Cho Cu is a 100+ year-old traditional market in District 1, HCMC. Peter Cuong Franklin chose to place fine dining inside the market to create a unique experience — guests soak in the traditional market atmosphere while enjoying Michelin-level cuisine.
›What year did Anan Saigon earn its Michelin star?
Anan Saigon received its first Michelin star in 2023 — the same wave the Michelin Guide officially arrived in Vietnam. This was HCMC's first Michelin-star restaurant, putting Vietnamese fine dining on the international map.
Other Experts
Sam Tran
First Vietnamese female chef with a Michelin star — co-founder of Gia Hanoi
Summer Lê
Chef behind Vietnam's first and only Michelin Green Star, pioneering sustainable dining with 99% local ingredients
Bobby Chinn
"Pharaoh of Fine Dining in the Far East" — the chef who pioneered fine dining in Vietnam, Top Chef Middle East judge
Đào Thế Vinh
Chairman & CEO of Golden Gate — Vietnam's largest restaurant group with 40+ brands and 500+ locations
Found this useful? Share with friends!
Help more F&B owners discover this free tool.
After reading Peter Cuong Franklin
Peter Cuong Franklin's insight is a starting point — your shop needs concrete numbers.
Don't just read and forget. Apply vietnamese-american chef who earned hcmc's first michelin star — anan saigon at cho cu market's thinking to your own model: check feasibility, benchmark costs, or ask AI a specific question.