NICHE. MAGAZINE
For The Food You Can't Find Elsewhere
MAKING BEEF PHO WITH MICHAEL LAUBER
By Benjamin Baram
How Long Have You Been Professionally Cooking?
I have been cooking for around 10 years now. Longer if you count time that I cooked only casually. Currently I cater for private events around the Sarasota area.
How have you been able to incorporate Vietnamese and other Asian elements into your cooking?
So one of the dishes I’ve made before was Matzo Ball Pho. This combined the Jewish styles of Matzo Balls from Eastern Europe combined with Southern Vietnamese style of Pho. Besides that I tend to use East Asian spices and flavors.
What would be your favorite Vietnamese food to make?
That would have to be Ca Hoi Kho. Its made out of a caramelized lemon grass, lime leaves and chilie peppers dripped over salmon and rice.
Outside of Vietnamese food what would be your favorite food to make?
That would have to be Malawach. Malawach is a Yemenite flatbread dish that was brought over into Israel by Yemenite Jews. It is normally filled with either shredded beef or chicken and pickled vegetables all wrapped together.