--Vic & Co Cuisine Viet opens in Deschênes

A local high school student, with the help of her family, has opened her own Vietnamese restaurant in Deschênes. Launching its grand opening on a sunny April 10, the new restaurant – named Vic & Co Cuisine Viet - saw a sea of customers making its first weekend of operations a success, according to owner Victoria Vu Duc. Receiving countless comments from customers, Vu Duc said she will do everything she can to maximize the restaurant’s quality of service and to provide something that appeases everyone’s dietary demands.

Offering a variety of Vietnamese delicacies on the menu, as well as a number of bubble tea options, all the food is made of fresh local ingredients with no GMOs. Noting that her parents originate from Vietnam, Vu Duc said it was natural that the restaurant’s menu would include dishes her family is familiar with and greatly enjoys.

Still in high school, now one of her biggest challenges will be balancing the rigours of academics and entrepreneurship. Just 14 years old, the Collège Saint-Alexandre student explained that her main incentive to launch the business was to break the boredom of the pandemic. Since she’s under 18, Vu Duc said she needed to co-sign the restaurant’s business permit with her mother Coco Tran. But Vu Duc is ultimately the one in charge.

Passionate about the culinary arts, she spent the last several months cooking from home every day with her mother - preparing and sharing meals with people in the community before actually starting to sell them for take-out. Also making videos of different recipe tutorials and posting them on social media, Vu Duc has developed quite a following of supporters. Contemplating the idea of opening her own business for around a month before deciding to go ahead with the venture, Vu Duc said it took around five months to complete the process of acquiring, renovating and opening the new location. Extremely grateful for the opportunity after working very hard to make it happen, she thanked her parents for helping her accomplish the milestone and continuously supporting her. Vu Duc said, “When I look at photos of how it started and now, it’s a big change and that’s awesome. I’m excited, and my family is happy that I’ll be getting out of their kitchen.” An entrepreneur at heart, it’s also the first official job she’s ever had – besides when she operated a lemonade stand called Thé Éxotique.

To give back to the community, Vu Duc plans to dedicate a portion of her profit to a different non-profit-organization every week, such as Moisson Outaouais, and la Maison Mathieu-Froment Savoie. “I’m supporting charity because my parents are immigrants and this community has really helped my parents to be able to have a life here,” Vu Duc said. “It’s just about people raising awareness.” With all COVID-19 safety regulations in effect, the restaurant only offers take-out service for the time being.

Encouraging people to order, they can either contact the restaurant via its Facebook page or by calling (819) 557-0818. Located at 50 chemin Vanier, the restaurant will operate Tuesdays through Sundays, from 11 am to 7 pm.