April 27, 2026
When Phuc Trinh's father died suddenly in 2023, he left behind more than a restaurant. It was 28 years of sacrifice, a loyal customer base, and a wife who had been beside him all those years and wasn't ready to watch it all disappear. And neither was her son.
Today, onions, garlic and ginger sizzle in the wok while the whir of the dishwasher buzzes in the background as Phuc Trinh takes phone orders, hands meals out the drive-through window, and peeks into the dining room to make sure water glasses are full and diners are chewing happily. This hectic moment is par for the course at China Chef Chinese Restaurant on Des Moines’ southside.
Phuc, 39, has been putting his own touches on the restaurant, pleasing the regulars and gaining new diners with business techniques he learned from helping his family as they built it from nothing in 1998.
“I peeled onions and deveined shrimp until my hands were soggy and wet,” recalls Phuc of his after-school activities throughout his middle school years. As an improving English-speaker, he often translated documents, scheduled appointments and explained complex regulations and health codes to his parents. He never imagined he was training to one day take over.
Despite learning how to run a restaurant, he dreamed of being a marine biologist, or a mechanic. Soon after starting his training at DMACC, he realized that working with engine oil and olive oil are very different and he was happiest in hospitality. When his mother asked him to manage China Chef after the loss of his father, he knew it was a chance to give back.
“My parents built this place, and I wanted to support them. My mom was ready to retire, and it would be a shame to lose everything they worked for,” said Phuc. Customers agreed. For the short while the restaurant was on the market as Phuc considered his options, they reached out to him in a panic, not wanting to lose their favorite Chinese restaurant.
Even before taking the reins, Phuc was proud of how he helped them survive the pandemic and how opening the dining room again increased sales by over 100% in his first year as owner.
“I’m happy that I brought it back, but I am most proud of my family for all they put into it, becoming successful business owners without knowing much English or having any support,” he said.
China Chef has become a standout restaurant in an area that has seen a change in population over the years, and his mother remains his inspiration. “The first day that China Chef opened, we had one customer. My mom went home and cried,” he recalls. “But her family kept her going.” That same resilience fuels Phuc as he looks to the future, adding Vietnamese recipes to the menu.
Phuc is excited to introduce his mother’s pho noodle soup, a comfort food throughout his life. “For us Vietnamese, pho is like chili for Americans,” he jokes, “Everyone’s mom makes the best and my mom’s pho is the best in the world.” And Des Moines is ready for it.
Taste the love, persistence, and pride infused in every dish when China Chef partners with CultureALL!
Join Phuc during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month!
CultureALL’s Dine & Dance at China Chef is Monday, May 18, beginning at 6 pm.
This event is supported in part by the Iowa Arts Council which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
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