In Vietnamese, ”AN” means ”TO EAT, ” a happy coincidence, since the An family has built an award-winning restaurant empire-- including the renowned celebrity favorite Crustacean Beverly Hills--that has been toasted by leading food press, including Bon Appetit, Gourmet, In Style & the Food Network. Helene An, executive chef & matriarch of the House of An, is hailed as the ”mother of fusion” & was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute for her signature style that brings together Vietnamese, French, & California- fresh influences. Now her daughter Jacqueline tells the family story & shares her mother`s delicious & previously ”secret” recipes, including ” Mama`s” Beef Pho, Drunken Crab, & Oven-Roasted Lemongrass Chicken. Helene`s transformation from pampered ”princess” in French Colonial Vietnam, to refugee then restaurateur, & her journey from Indochina`s lush fields to family kitchen gardens in California are beautifully chronicled throughout the book. The result is a fascinating peek at a lost world, & the evolution of an extraordinary cuisine. The 100 recipes in An: To Eat feature clean flavors, simple techniques, & unique twists that could only have come from Helene`s personal story.