"Top Chef" remains a fan favorite for a host of reasons: top-notch hosting, meticulous judging, abundant expertise, and food that both looks and sounds delicious. Yet, as a television show, it relies on more than just appetizing dishes; memorable personalities are key to drawing in new viewers and keeping audiences engaged.

In recent seasons, one standout personality has been Chef Nini Nguyen. She made an impact during her debut on "Top Chef: Kentucky" and later returned for "Top Chef: All-Stars L.A." With her charisma, humor, and entertaining confessionals, Nguyen brought a levity to the show that not all cheftestants manage to achieve. She quickly became a fan favorite — not just for her lively personality, but also for her impressive dishes, which consistently looked and sounded outstanding.

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As noted by her "Top Chef" bio on the Bravo website, Nguyen "started as a pastry cook at restaurants like Coquette and Eleven Madison Park" before working with Dinner Lab and Cook Space, where she taught classes, hosted pop-up dinners and private events before going all-in on online cooking classes in 2020 and beyond.

Now, Nguyen is releasing her first cookbook, the amazingly colorful and bright "Dac Biet: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook," which she has dedicated to her late younger brother, Bobby. Nguyen captures that same joie de vive from the show throughout the pages of the book, writing openly and candidly while sharing incredible-sounding food (and complete with truly stunning photography). It's one of my favorite new cookbooks released this year.

In the introduction of the book, Nguyen writes that Vietnamese food “is very herbaceous, very textural, and very much in balance, in that it only takes a few components to get the result that you want. Whether it's a bunch of family-style dishes served separately, or all grouped together in a bowl, every element — salty, sour, bitter, spicy, or sweet —plays a key role in your meal."

You see this come through in every recipe, including her ginger-braised chicken, which I made recently. It was absolutely tantalizing, came together in under a half hour and called for only a handful of ingredients. I can't recommend it enough.

Salon recently had the opportunity to speak with Nguyen about the cookbook, her time on "Top Chef," how the pandemic influenced her career and what's to come next.

The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Chef Nini Nguyen (William Hereford)

For those unaware of your journey since Top Chef, can you break it down for them?

I competed in two seasons of Top Chef and honestly, the pandemic is what really shaped who I am today. The second season, which was the All-Stars season, aired during the pandemic and........

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