Saigon Noon

Part I — The Roots of Saigon

Paris, then Arizona, then a restaurant in the desert

In 2001, Erik left Saigon on what would become a twenty-year culinary journey across three continents. His first stop was Paris, where the legendary kitchens of Europe gave him precision, discipline, and a deep respect for technique. Yet no matter how refined the cooking, his heart stayed anchored to the street food of his childhood.

He crossed the Atlantic to the United States, earning a degree in Hospitality Management from Northern Arizona University and a Culinary Arts degree in Tucson, Arizona. Then he took the leap every chef eventually faces — he opened his own place.

Snow Peas Modern Asian Kitchen in Tucson became a beloved neighbourhood anchor, proof that bold, honest Asian flavours could find a home in the American Southwest. He even brought his recipes to local television, sharing the food he loved with a community hungry for something real.

Part II — Landing in the Waikato

Hamilton, and the mission

After nearly two decades abroad, life brought Erik to the Waikato. He founded Saigon Noon in Hamilton's CBD in April 2018 with a clear, uncompromising mission: serve authentic Vietnamese street food exactly as it deserves to be served. No adaptations. No shortcuts. Custom baguettes for the crunch of a proper bánh mì. Broth slow-simmered for hours. Meat prepared fresh every single morning.

Authentic Vietnamese flavours get lost in the Western world. At Saigon Noon, that doesn't happen. Today, with two branches serving Hamilton, the mission hasn't shifted a millimetre.

Part III — Culture, Community & the Kitchen Grind

The tradition, the team, the table

Every Lunar New Year, Erik cooks bitter melon soup and caramelised pork belly — a tradition rooted in the belief that you eat the bitterness of the past year to welcome a sweeter future. It is a ritual he proudly passes down through his family.

And when the doors lock at the end of a long, chaotic service? The music goes up, the stress melts away, and the team shares a laugh over a hard day's hustle well done.

When you eat at Saigon Noon, you're tasting all of it — twenty years of adventure, cooked with grit, love, and absolute authenticity.