Houston, Texas – Chef Trong Nguyen, was born in Vietnam, is largely self-taught, and draws inspiration from his grandmother’s cooking. After spending nearly three decades in casino marketing, Chef Trong followed his culinary passion full-time and launched Crawfish and Noodles. It began as a humble mom-and-pop operation but it’s now a nationally recognized name.
While crawfish is the headliner, Crawfish & Noodles also serves crowd favorites like salt & pepper blue crab, fish sauce wings, and their highly addictive crispy salt and pepper shrimp.
Trong’s garlic-butter-spiced Viet-Cajun crawfish helped shape Houston’s culinary identity, earning him widespread acclaim and features on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Netflix, the Food Network, and more. He’s also a James Beard Award finalist (2020) and a fixture in “Best of Houston” lists.t
Crawfish & Noodles is more than a restaurant — it’s a community player. Chef Trong actively supports organizations like the Southern Smoke Foundation and partners with chefs like Chris Shepherd through Eat Like a Local. You’ll find them again at the upcoming Southern Smoke Festival on October 5, serving up dishes that highlight their signature flavors.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or just discovering them, Crawfish & Noodles is a celebration of family, culture, and flavor — all served up with a Houston twist.