Leftovers: bankable assets for pho and a banh mi

Andrea Nguyen is a chef and award-winning food writer living in the Bay Area who has hosted Vietnamese Thanksgivings in the past. Her menu this year will include Imperial rolls and a roasted chicken. Nguyen plans for using the leftovers when she sets the agenda for her holiday feast. She says that her mom prized chickens growing up because it could lay eggs, and it was typically the meal centerpiece. Nguyen and David Chang share their feelings about turkey and feeling compelled to cook it despite their misgivings.

Fried onions are one of Andrea Nguyen’s pro-tips for the holidays and taste close to Asian fried shallots, seen here with her banh mi made from leftovers. Photo by Andrea Nguyen.