The Fairfield University campus is abuzz as world-renowned Thai and Vietnamese chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Mai Pham will visit campus this Thursday, April 24th for a special celebration of Thai and Vietnamese culture and cuisine.

Culinary events, including VIP cooking demonstrations, tastings, and cookbook signings, are scheduled throughout the day in the Barone Campus Center, on the Fairfield campus.

Sodexo, leader in Quality of Life Services and dining services partner to Fairfield University, has partnered with Mai Pham to bring Southeast Asian flavors to campus living across the country.

Mai Pham is the chef and owner of the nationally acclaimed Lemon Grass Restaurant and Lemon Grass Asian Grill & Noodle Bar in Sacramento, California. She is also the creator and founder of Lemon Grass Kitchen, a line of Asian gourmet cooking sauces and marinades for foodservice and retail.

Her newest restaurant, Star Ginger Asian Grill & Noodle Bar, blends the bold simplicity of Asian street food with exotic flavors drawn from the cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

Mai is the author of "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table," which received a James Beard Award nomination and was named as among the best cookbook titles in 2001 by The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times . Her book "The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking" was featured on NPR's Fresh Air and Martha Stewart Living magazine and television show. Her book, "Flavors of Asia," was a collaborative effort with the Culinary Institute of America and released in April 2009.

Winner of an IACP Bert Greene Award for Distinguished Journalism, Mai also hosted the TV Food Network special 'My Country, My Kitchen: Vietnam.'

Outside of her restaurants, Mai is a frequent guest chef instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, where she holds an honorary master's degree. She also teaches and consults at numerous colleges and universities across the United States.

"Nearly 5 out of 10 millennials refer to themselves as foodies and they have had exposure to a wide variety of ethnic foods and cooking styles. The excitement surrounding food has been evident in the success of our recent campus-based cooking competitions," said Rebecca Shaw, area marketing coordinator for Sodexo.  "Chef Mai's visit offers an opportunity to meet a true culinary celebrity and to experience the tastes and culture of Thailand and Vietnam."

For more information, contact Rebecca Shaw, area marketing coordinator at (203) 721-5239 or Rebecca.shaw@sodexo.com.

Editorial Contact: Jennifer Toone Corrigan, In Toone Communication (401) 861 5052, jtoone@intoone.com

Posted On: 04-22-2014 03:04 PM

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