From fish sauce to fine wine: Red Boat's new venture

If you met Cuong Pham twenty years ago, you would think you had found a man who achieved the American Dream. A refugee from Vietnam, Pham came to the United States in the 1980s and became an engineer at one of Silicon Valley's most valued companies, Apple. But at a time when one would be considering retirement, Pham surprised his family with a sudden career pivot: his own fish sauce company.

"We all thought he was having a midlife crisis," says his daughter Tracy, the eldest of three kids.

Pham's epiphany came to him on a trip back home to Vietnam. He traveled to Phu Quoc Island, found the fish sauce his mother used to cook with, and brought it back to the United States as a gift for her. "She opened it. She tasted it, and she cried with joy," he recalls. "At that time I realized the fish sauce is not just an ingredient, it's our identity."

Red Boat Fish Sauce, launched in 2011, has become one of the most celebrated artisan condiments in the country, beloved by home cooks and Michelin-starred chefs alike. Under founder Pham's direction, the fish sauce is made from only the best ingredients: black anchovies caught in the pristine waters off the coast of Phu Quoc, preserved in premium salt. The fish is then fermented for at least 12 months in Vietnam, and the sauce is bottled from first press, ensuring no dilution from water or added extracts.

Today, the business is a full-on family affair, with Cuong, his wife Ann, and their three children Tracy, Kevin, and Tiffany all working together. "Officially, my role is marketing and finance," Tracy said. "Unofficially, my role is keeping my dad happy."

In 2021, Pham surprised his family with a new pivot: Napa Valley wine. He had purchased a home on a nine-acre hillside parcel and partnered with acclaimed winemaker Nova Cadamatre to create a food-friendly cabernet sauvignon. His brief to her was characteristically unconventional: make a wine that pairs well with fish sauce. "She was like, I've never been asked that before," Tracy says.

The resulting product is named Doi Da, which means "rocky hill" in Vietnamese, a nod to Pham's Napa homestead. "You can eat it with even chicken or white meat or seafood. Any food, really, especially Asian food," Tracy said.

For Pham, both ventures circle back to the same philosophy. "I like to make things that are worth waiting for," he says. "The fish sauce: fermentation. Wine: fermentation. The time is a critical piece, and if you're willing to wait for it, it's worth it at the end." Like his own life, time has been on Pham's side.

"I used to build systems for 30 years and now I'm building flavors," he says with a laugh. "How interesting is that?"

For more information, visit https://doidawine.com/