Meet David Morgan | Chef / Owner of Ho Chi Momma

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Morgan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The spark for Ho Chi Momma was lit during a trip to Vietnam in 2017. Walking through the streets, I was blown away by the street food vendors—mostly women—serving some of the best food I’d ever tasted, all with the most minimal setups. Their kitchens weren’t behind closed doors; they were right there on the street..

The ingenuity was incredible—no fancy equipment, no excess—just pure skill. Some sold food off the backs of bicycles, others had old armoires converted into makeshift noodle stations, and beach vendors carried planks of wood balanced over their shoulders, loaded with steaming pots of lobster.

What stuck with me the most was their pride and connection to their food. They watched their customers eat, waiting for that moment of satisfaction, knowing their craft spoke for itself. That experience stayed with me, and five years later, it evolved into Ho Chi Momma—my way of bringing that same direct, passionate, and no-frills approach to food to my own town.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
For the last 20 years, I’ve dedicated myself to learning from some of the best chefs in the country—mentors like Josiah Citrin of Mélisse, John Besh of Restaurant August, Douglas Keane of Cyrus 1.0, and David Kinch of Manresa. They filled my head with world-class recipes and techniques, but just as importantly, they taught me that hospitality should be both comfortable and sincere.

I’ve taken those lessons and distilled them into Ho Chi Momma, my food pop-up. While it’s a much more casual concept than the fine dining world I came from, it allows me to have a direct connection with every person I cook for and serve. There’s no separation—just great food, shared experiences, and an honest love for what I do.

At Ho Chi Momma, I’m not just serving food—I’m sharing a piece of my culinary journey and the flavors that excite me the most. It’s Vietnamese street food, but with the craft and care I’ve learned over two decades in some of the best kitchens in the country.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Breakfast at Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe – Start with their Hawaiian Royale or Loco Moco—but maybe get it to-go so we don’t crash too early.

Museum of Jurassic Technology – Wander through this bizarre, fascinating collection of oddities, like the history of aerodynamics on mobile homes in tornadoes—you won’t find anything else like it.

Lunch at Versailles Cuban Food (Venice) – The Lemon Garlic Chicken here is legendary, hands down the best outside of Abuela’s house.

The Hammer Museum (Westwood) – Not for the art—just for the ping pong table with an amazing view. A little movement before we eat again.

Attari Sandwich Shop – Time for a Persian delicacy: the tongue sandwich. If you’re feeling less adventurous, the kotlet is also a great choice.

Dessert at Saffron & Rose Ice Cream – Unique Middle Eastern flavors like saffron pistachio or white rose make for a perfect cool-down.

Last stop would be at El Chato taco truck on Olympic and La Brea where their al pastor is second to none.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Of all the people who have helped me get to where I am today, I have to give a huge shoutout to Chef David Kinch. He gave me the reins and complete freedom to explore my culinary curiosities while I was the head chef of his second restaurant, The Bywater.

During my time there, I dove headfirst into Viet-Cajun and Vietnamese cooking, blending flavors and techniques in ways that excited me. What made that experience so special was the trust and support I received—there was never any pushback on the direction I was taking the restaurant, just Chef Kinch’s full confidence and enthusiasm for the cuisine we were creating.

That kind of mentorship is rare, and it shaped the way I cook, lead, and approach food today. The lessons I learned in those seven-plus years continue to influence Ho Chi Momma and everything I do in the kitchen.

Instagram: @hochi_momma