# Nite Yun > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Nite_Yun > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Nite_Yun.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nite_Yun > Source revision: 1355620753 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Cambodian American chef and restaurateur}} {{Infobox chef | name = Nite Yun | image = | caption = | birth_date = 1982 | birth_place = [Khao-I-Dang](/source/Khao-I-Dang) Holding Center, [Thailand](/source/Thailand) | death_date = | death_place = | style = [Cambodian cuisine](/source/Cambodian_cuisine) | education = | ratings = | restaurants = Lunette | prevrests = Nyum Bai (2018–2022) | television = | awards = [Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise](/source/Vilcek_Foundation) (2019)
[Great Immigrants Award](/source/Great_Immigrants_Award) (2019) | website = }} '''Nite Yun''' ({{langx|km|ណែត យុន}}; born 1982) is a [Cambodian American](/source/Cambodian_Americans) [chef](/source/chef) and [restaurateur](/source/restaurateur). She is the owner of the Cambodian restaurant [https://www.lunettecambodia.com/ Lunette] in the [Ferry Building](/source/San_Francisco_Ferry_Building) in [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco)[, California](/source/Oakland%2C_California). == Biography == Yun was born in September 1982 at the [Khao-I-Dang](/source/Khao-I-Dang) Holding Center in [Thailand](/source/Thailand).{{cite news |last=Sen |first=Mayukh |date=21 September 2018 |title=A Cambodian Refugee Cooks From Memory at Nyum Bai |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/dining/nyum-bai-cambodian-oakland.html |newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |access-date=16 August 2021}} When she was two years old Yun's family was sponsored to go to [Texas](/source/Texas), but they decided to settle in [Stockton, California](/source/Stockton%2C_California) instead, which was already home to a large Cambodian community. As a child Yun spent a lot of time in the kitchen helping her mother prepare food.{{cite web |last=Khong |first=Ranchel |date=19 July 2018 |title=Nite Yun's Cambodian Restaurant Is the Talk of California |url=https://www.eater.com/2018/7/19/17566090/nite-yun-eater-young-guns-nyum-bai |website=[Eater](/source/Eater_(website)) |access-date=16 August 2021}} After graduating high school she moved to [San Francisco Bay Area](/source/San_Francisco_Bay_Area) at the age of 19 to study [nursing](/source/nursing) at the [San Francisco State University](/source/San_Francisco_State_University) but dropped out during her senior year after realizing it wasn't her passion.{{cite magazine |last=Yun |first=Nite |date=11 April 2018 |title=Chef Nite Yun's Journey from Refugee Camp to Oakland Restaurateur |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/nite-yun |magazine=[Bon Appétit](/source/Bon_App%C3%A9tit) |access-date=16 August 2021}} Yun had been captivated by San Francisco's diverse food scene but she had also noticed how there were no good Cambodian restaurants. Being away from her family, Yun began learning Cambodian recipes from her mother over the phone and exploring her Cambodian roots. While eating ''[kuyteav](/source/kuyteav)'' at a noodle staff in [Phnom Penh](/source/Phnom_Penh) during Yun's fourth trip to Cambodia she had the idea of opening her own Cambodian food business.{{cite web |last=Dalton |first=Andrew |date=21 February 2018 |title=How Nite Yun Brought the Cambodian Immigrant Experience to Oakland |url=https://sf.eater.com/2018/2/21/17016842/nite-yun-nyum-bai-interview-photos-fruitvale-oakland |website=[Eater](/source/Eater_(website)) |access-date=16 August 2021}} In May 2014, Yun joined La Cocina's food entrepreneur incubator program.{{cite book |last1=Zigas |first1=Caleb |last2=Landa |first2=Leticia |year=2019 |title=We Are La Cocina: Recipes in Pursuit of the American Dream |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qPKPDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA185 |publisher=[Chronicle Books](/source/Chronicle_Books) |pages=185–195 |isbn=978-1452-1678-6-2}} She earned her place in the program by serving the La Cocina's board of directors ''kuyteav'', which later also became her restaurant's signature dish. Initially, Yun ran a [pop-up restaurant](/source/pop-up_restaurant) in the [Mission District](/source/Mission_District%2C_San_Francisco){{cite magazine |last=Battilana |first=Jessica |date=30 July 2015 |title=Celebrating Cambodian Cooking in California |url=https://www.saveur.com/la-cocina-profile-nite-yun/ |magazine=[Saveur](/source/Saveur) |access-date=16 August 2021}} and catered for private events, before moving to a food stall in the [Emeryville Public Market](/source/Emeryville_Public_Market) in February 2017.{{cite magazine |last=Williams |first=Kate |date=6 February 2016 |title=Nyum Bai, a Cambodian pop-up, has joined Emeryville's Public Market |url=https://www.berkeleyside.org/2017/02/06/nyum-bai-cambodian-pop-joined-emeryvilles-public-market |magazine=[Berkeleyside](/source/Berkeleyside) |access-date=16 August 2021}} === ''Nyum Bai'' and breakthrough (2018–2022) === On 18 February 2018, after a successful [Kickstarter](/source/Kickstarter) campaign ''Nyum Bai'' opened in its first [brick and mortar](/source/brick_and_mortar) location at the former site of The Half Orange near [Fruitvale station](/source/Fruitvale_station) with an expanded menu.{{cite magazine |last=Citrawireja |first=Melati |date=15 February 2018 |title=Nyum Bai pays homage to Cambodia's golden era and street food in Fruitvale |url=https://www.berkeleyside.org/2018/02/15/nyum-bai-pays-cambodian-street-food-in-fruitvale |magazine=[Berkeleyside](/source/Berkeleyside) |access-date=16 August 2021}} The same year Yun was named one of [Eater](/source/Eater_(website))'s Young Guns and won the Eater Award as the Breakout Star of the Year,{{cite web |last=Button |first=Monica |date=5 December 2018 |title=Nite Yun Is 2018's Breakout Star of the Year |url=https://www.eater.com/2018/12/5/18118084/nite-yun-nyum-bai-eater-awards-breakout-star-2018 |website=[Eater](/source/Eater_(website)) |access-date=16 August 2021}} while her restaurant ''Nyum Bai'' was included in [Food & Wine](/source/Food_%26_Wine) magazine's Biggest Restaurant Openings of 2018 list,{{cite magazine |title=The Biggest Restaurant Openings of 2018 |date=30 November 2018 |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/restaurants/biggest-restaurant-openings-america-2018 |magazine=[Food & Wine](/source/Food_%26_Wine) |access-date=16 August 2021}} [Bon Appétit](/source/Bon_App%C3%A9tit)'s America's Hot Ten: Best New Restaurants list,{{cite magazine |last=Daigan |first=Hilary |date=11 April 2018 |title=America's Best New Restaurants 2018|url=http://projects.bonappetit.com/hot10/p/6 |magazine=[Bon Appétit](/source/Bon_App%C3%A9tit) |access-date=16 August 2021}} Eater's 18 Best New Restaurants in America list,{{cite web |last=Addison |first=Bill |date=25 July 2018 |title=The 18 Best New Restaurants in America |url=https://www.eater.com/best-american-restaurants-review/2018/7/25/17591230/best-new-restaurants-2018 |website=[Eater](/source/Eater_(website)) |access-date=16 August 2021}} [Thrillist](/source/Thrillist)'s Best New Restaurants of 2018{{cite web |title=Best New Restaurants of 2018: The Hottest New Restaurants on the Scene |url=https://www.thrillist.com/best-new-restaurants-2018?article=prime-13-restaurants |website=[Thrillist](/source/Thrillist) |access-date=16 August 2021}} and [San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle)'s favorite new restaurants of the year list.{{cite news |title=Our favorite new restaurants of the year |date=28 December 2018 |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/Our-favorite-new-restaurants-of-the-year-13495694.php#photo-16687972 |newspaper=[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle) |access-date=16 August 2021}} In 2019, Yun was named one of F&W Best New Chefs,{{cite magazine |title=F&W Best New Chefs 2019: Nite Yun of Nyum Bai in Oakland, California |date=9 April 2019 |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/best-new-chefs-2019-nite-yun |magazine=[Food & Wine](/source/Food_%26_Wine) |access-date=16 August 2021}} included in the [Time magazine's](/source/Time_(magazine)) 100 Next List,{{cite magazine |last=Nosrat |first=Samin |title=Nite Yun Is on the 2019 TIME 100 Next List |url=https://time.com/collection/time-100-next-2019/5718875/nite-yun/ |magazine=[Time](/source/Time_(magazine)) |access-date=16 August 2021}} and awarded the [Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise](/source/Vilcek_Foundation) in Culinary Arts,{{cite web |title=Nite Yun |url=https://vilcek.org/prizes/prize-recipients/nite-yun/ |publisher=[Vilcek Foundation](/source/Vilcek_Foundation) |access-date=16 August 2021}} while ''Nyum Bai'' was included in [Michelin Guide](/source/Michelin_Guide)'s [Bib Gourmand](/source/Bib_Gourmand) Selection for San Francisco.{{cite web |last=Dalton |first=Andrew |date=19 November 2018 |title=MICHELIN Guide San Francisco 2019 Bib Gourmands |url=https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/news-and-views/michelin-guide-san-francisco-2019-bib-gourmands |publisher=[Michelin Guide](/source/Michelin_Guide) |access-date=16 August 2021}} [The Carnegie Corporation of New York](/source/The_Carnegie_Corporation_of_New_York) honored Yun with 2019 [Great Immigrant Award](/source/Great_Immigrants_Award).{{Cite web |title=Nite Yun |url=https://www.carnegie.org/awards/honoree/nite-yun/ |access-date=June 27, 2024 |publisher=[Carnegie Corporation of New York](/source/Carnegie_Corporation_of_New_York)}} In May 2022, ''Nyum Bai'' was closed as its five-year lease near [Fruitvale station](/source/Fruitvale_station) came to an end.{{cite news |title=Acclaimed Cambodian restaurant Nyum Bai closes in Oakland |last=Bitker |first=Janelle |date=13 May 2022 |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Acclaimed-Cambodian-restaurant-Nyum-Bai-closes-in-17172117.php |newspaper=[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle) |access-date=June 27, 2024}} In August, ''Nyum Bai'' participated at the 2022 [Outside Lands festival](/source/Outside_Lands_(festival)) serving Cambodian stir-fried noodles and Khmer fried chicken.{{cite web |last=de Guzman |first=Dianne |date=7 June 2023 |title=Here’s the Food and Drink Lineup for Outside Lands 2022 |url=https://sf.eater.com/2022/6/7/23158191/outside-lands-2022-food-drink-lineup |website=[Eater](/source/Eater_(website)) |access-date=June 27, 2024}} === Cookbook and new restaurant === In 2023, Yun revealed on her [Instagram](/source/Instagram) profile that together with writer Tien Nguyen she is working on a cookbook containing her Khmer recipes and the story of the [Khmer Americans](/source/Khmer_Americans) set to be released by the local imprint [4 Color Books](/source/4_Color_Books).{{cite web |last=de Guzman |first=Dianne |date=6 July 2023 |title=This Cambodian Chef Is Writing a Cookbook With Recipes From Her Hit Oakland Restaurant |url=https://sf.eater.com/2023/7/6/23785841/nyum-bai-cookbook-chef-nite-yun-oakland |website=[Eater](/source/Eater_(website)) |access-date=June 27, 2024}} In 2024, Nite was featured on Netflix's [https://www.netflix.com/title/81711982#episodes Chef's Table] in an episode about noodles. ==Books== * Nite Yun, Tien Nguyen (2025). My Cambodia: A Khmer Cookbook. [4 Color Books](/source/4_Color_Books). {{ISBN|978-1-984-86337-9}} == References == {{reflist|2}} == External links == * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXs56jI1U3k Lindsay Gardner & Nite Yun | Why We Cook | Talks at Google]. via [YouTube](/source/YouTube). 29 March 2021. * [https://www.netflix.com/title/81711982 Nite Yun] – episode 4 of ''Chef's Table: Noodles'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Nite, Yun}} Category:1982 births Category:Cambodian chefs Category:Living people Category:Cambodian businesspeople Category:Cambodian emigrants to the United States Category:21st-century chefs --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nite Yun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nite_Yun) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nite_Yun?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.