Acerca de
THE P.O.P.
Issue 002: Jon Nguyen
The P.O.P. (Portraits of POPLIFE)
documents inspiring individuals who
push artistic boundaries and strive for excellence in order to advance the communities around them. Uniting a
wide range of talented creatives from diverse backgrounds, this editorial
series invites them to share their
passions and the impact they've had
on the realms of hospitality, music,
fashion, art, and design.
For our second issue, we had the
pleasure of sitting with Jon
Nguyen, Chef/Owner of Tran An,
our go-to spot for authentic
Vietnamese food in Miami.
Read below to learn more about his
journey and his dreams for the future.
Photography by Ian O'Connor
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
I am the owner of Tran An & Dyl’s Marketplace, a fast-casual
Vietnamese restaurant and a hyper-local gift/art shop.
What got you into
your current profession?
Well, I was well on my way to law school after college but I realized about a month before starting that I would probably be a terrible lawyer and a miserable human if I stayed on that path. So I sat in my room one night and thought to myself, “owning a restaurant would be the coolest thing ever!”
15 years later, here I am.
What is your passion outside
of your career/current role?
I just love hanging out with my son. We don’t live together at the moment,
so every chance I get to see him, it’s like the best time ever with him.
Tell us about what you’re currently working on.
The goal is to create a brand that people can recognize nationally and beyond and shift the way people view fast casual dining. I hope that one day Tran An can be a bridge that connects Vietnamese food to every corner of every community, eventually breaking down all current pretenses of what “Vietnamese restaurants” are supposed to look like.
What inspires you?
My family inspires me. My team inspires me. All my mentors inspire me.
Talented individuals making cool shit all around inspire me the most and keep me pushing harder.
What's next?
We are currently working with REEF to scale our brand nationally and hopefully find a home for
our second location and eventual flagship restaurant.
What would you tell your younger self?
Don’t put time limits on the things you want. As long as you do the right things and be a good person, the right opportunity will present itself to you. Be patient.
What do you hope people
notice most about you?
I hope people will see that I’m a good human.
Is there any specific life experience that
has changed your outlook on life?
Having my son really took my productivity to a whole new level.
It put my focus into such an acute sharpness that really transformed how I make my decisions and how I spend my time. Very little time is wasted and everything is done with purpose.
What is your favorite part about your industry?
I think the hospitality industry is made up of some of the most resilient and resourceful people in any industry.
Our challenges are unlike any others, yet we always find ways to survive and thrive. As dysfunctional as it is
most of the time, the humans that make up this industry are the ones who really inspire me the most.