Nguyễn Thị Thanh, the beloved Vietnamese street food chef who was affectionately known as “The Lunch Lady” after being given the nickname by celebrity chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain, has died in Toronto at the age of 58.
Thanh rose to international fame after her popular street food stall in Saigon was featured on Bourdain’s Emmy Award-winning series No Reservations in 2008 where her dishes and warm presence captured the hearts of food lovers around the world.
Local media reported that Thanh suffered a cardiac arrest at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, just hours after arriving in the city. She had been preparing to open a new location in Toronto, where she was meant to cook throughout the month of June.
Despite efforts by emergency responders to resuscitate her for over an hour, she could not be revived, according to The Star.
Her death was confirmed by a statement from The Lunch Lady team on the official Instagram account on Tuesday.
“With broken hearts, we share that Cô Thanh, the original Lunch Lady of Saigon, has suddenly passed away upon arriving in Toronto on May 19th,” the post read, with cô referring to the Vietnamese word for aunt.
“She was on her way to celebrate the grand opening of The Lunch Lady Toronto, to be part of this next chapter and share the story she began decades ago in a small alley in Vietnam.”
“Cô Thanh wasn’t just the heart and soul of The Lunch Lady. She was a mother figure, a mentor, a quiet master of her craft. Her food told stories. Her presence made people feel seen. Her legacy lives in every bowl, every herb, every careful moment in the kitchen.”
Thanh, who was born in Ho Chi Minh City, started her popular food stall in 1995. Operating from a shaded corner, her stall featured a daily rotation of Vietnamese noodle soups, each made with fresh ingredients she sourced from local markets.
Bourdain described her food as “discovering new neighbourhoods every few mouthfuls,” and the deliciousness of her soups garnered her a loyal following locally. After his visit, her stall became a must-visit food spot for international travellers to Vietnam.
In 2020, Thanh expanded her influence by opening The Lunch Lady restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. The idea was sparked by Michael Tran, a Vancouver native with Vietnamese heritage, who fell in love with Thanh’s food while travelling in Vietnam.
Inspired by her flavours, he partnered with Thanh to bring her food to Canada, opening the restaurant in the space that once housed his mother’s eatery, according to the Michelin Guide.
The Lunch Lady in Toronto, which was originally set to open on 3 June, has postponed their opening till “the time feels right”.
“To our community: thank you for your understanding, your love, and your compassion during this time” the team wrote on Instagram.
“To cô Thanh: thank you for everything. We will carry your spirit in every dish, every memory, every act of care.
“‘Một nhà, một gia đình.’ One house. One family.”
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