Radhika's Bio: Cooking as Storytelling and Cultural Experience

Radhika enjoying a tasty treat.

Radhika Vu Thanh Vy is a contributing writer for Amanda’s Menu and is a storyteller at heart. Rad believes food is a powerful vehicle for storytelling. She has been lucky enough to experience a wide variety of cuisines from around the world. She is half-Indian and half-Vietnamese, and she grew up in Hanoi (Vietnam) until receiving a scholarship to attend high school in Singapore. Her background and experiences exposed her to a variety of flavors only found when traveling across Southeast Asia, which are reflected in some of her favorite dishes today.

Radhika rocking her professional look.

Academic & Professional Background

Growing up, Rad diverged from the more traditional STEM-focused academic path that was encouraged in her high school to pursue Economics and English at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. In doing so she hoped to achieve a balance between her left and right brain skills while achieving professional success. These are skills she is now utilizing as a member of a customer success team at a software company. In her current team, she enjoys being able to work directly with clients to understand how the software product can meet their needs.

Outside of her professional goals, Rad chose to study English because she also aspires to publish more of her creative writing pieces. As a life-long fan of fiction, it would be a dream come true for Rad to publish a full-length novel. In her free time on the weekends, Rad can often be found with pen in hand working on a story.

Memorable Meals

When asked about one of her favorite meals, Rad described a family tradition when she visits Vietnam:

“On Saturday night, we will go eat dim sum at our favorite Cantonese restaurant (called Fu Rong Hua). I love spending time with my family. Dim sum is perfect for us because it is the kind of dish that everyone shares and tries what others ordered. Afterwards, we get bingsu, which is a popular Korean shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings, and we always order a large mango bingsu to share.”

Radhika in her formal best.

Food tells a story about culture, and Rad is thrilled to be sharing some of the stories behind the dishes from diverse backgrounds that are featured on Amanda’s Menu!

Radhika's Culinary Favorites

• Chef: Samin Nosrat

• Cuisine: Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai

• Drink: Coffee (specifically either hazelnut coffee or cappuccino)

• Food: Sushi, duck pad si-ew, tofu and noodles in shrimp paste

• Restaurant: Any street food vendors that can be found across southeast Asia