The Princess of Asian Fusion

This is a really interesting Los Angeles Times profile on high-end Asian fusion restauranteur Elizabeth An, who says her experience living in a refugee camp as a child was a lesson in resourcefulness: How I Made It: Elizabeth An.

The gig: As a child in Vietnam, Elizabeth An had her own personal servant. Despite those aristocratic roots, the princess of Asian fusion knows the value of hard work. The restaurateur juggles 16-hour days at her family's Euro Asian eateries: Crustacean Beverly Hills, Crustacean San Francisco, Thanh Long in San Francisco, the recently debuted Costa Mesa venture AnQi and a yet-to-launch garden cafe in Santa Monica. Since the An family introduced their fusion recipes in the 1970s (before fusion was hot), the dishes -- particularly their signature garlic noodles -- have been a favorite among upscale foodies.

Mmm. Garlic noodles. "The princess of Asian fusion"? Indeed. Elizabeth An's family has been doing Asian fusion since before fusion was hot.