SAIGON KISS, XIN MỜI, AND NHỎGIRL CELEBRATE THE ESSENCE OF A VIETNAMESE SUMMER
On August 3rd, three Vietnamese female-led organizations from Amsterdam and New York hosted an intimate dinner in Amsterdam celebrating the essence of a Vietnamese summer.
Guests arrived at Nhỏgirl’s transformed space, where long tables featured guest names tied to chopsticks and menus labeled "Hè," the Vietnamese word for summer. The handwritten “Hè” paid homage to childhood memories of neatly written letters in school with fountain pens. But all those intense lessons vanished as summer started— a season marked by tropical heat, late mornings, laughter with friends, and big hearty family feasts.
“Both my parents are from Huế, so every summer, we’d visit my grandma’s house in the countryside. There, I discovered a slower pace and a different way of life. For me, ‘Hè’ means reconnecting with that time and place through the food of my ancestors.”
Saigon Kiss — with the mission to put contemporary Vietnamese culture in the spotlight, Saigon Kiss celebrates Vietnamese creativity and community through their events, pop-ups, and dinners in Asia and Europe (Amsterdam, Paris)
Xin Mời — a Vietnamese supper club based in New York, is celebrated for its exclusive dinners and events in New York and Paris. The club recently hosted the launch of A Magazine by Peter Do in both cities.
Nhỏgirl — born out of necessity, Amy Pham Thi founded Nhỏgirl to cater to girls with the same problem as her – finding good quality vintage clothing in smaller sizes. Now recognized for its distinguished style, Nhỏgirl is Amsterdam's leading go-to vintage showroom.
For this unique collaboration, the Saigon Kiss, Xin Mời, and Nhỏgirl dinner met at the intersection of food, community, and fashion. It took inspiration from “The Vertical Ray of the Sun,” a stunning Vietnamese art-house movie directed by Trần Anh Hùng. The plot centers around three sisters we follow during the Vietnamese summer season, and its cinematic frames were projected on the walls of the space.
Chefs for the night were the teams of Xin Mời and Saigon Kiss, led by Trisha Đỗ and Tessa Yến-Nguyễn. They crafted a 4-course menu that enveloped the essence of a Vietnamese summer with fresh banana blossom salad and sizzling grilled pork, fizzy natural wine, and lively karaoke. The wine pairing was curated in collaboration with Amsterdam-based distributor Sebonsa.
