Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Tam To

Tam To shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Tam, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I wake up and briefly check the news, emails, and my social platforms then respond to any urgent inquiries. Sometimes I will make sure to post a video to TikTok and YouTube. Then I get up from bed, wash my face, and get ready for morning meetings or filming. I will also always make a matcha latte for myself while I’m doing morning work.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Tam and I am a current food content creator. I am a former scientist who studied molecular biology with an emphasis in immunology and skin health. I’ve always been interested in health science, but I enjoy food and storytelling a lot too! Now I tie in scientific findings with my recipes and explain the nutrition and interesting studies behind certain ingredients. I have a Vietnamese background and also love putting a nutritious or creative spin on my recipes. I partner with a homecooking magazine called Taste of Home and I also do recipe development for Asian brands such as Red Boat Fish Sauce.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mom is always my #1 supporter and she knows me best. She sometimes reads me better than I can read myself and she always wants what’s best for me. Even though I didn’t follow the typically career path I expected to, she still believes and understands that I am a hardworker and set high goals for myself.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I fear unpredictable situations. I’m a very “J” type person who needs to plan, organize, and optimize for efficiency. This is what really helped me be a great scientist and homecook. I also love to travel so it helps when making itineraries. But this mindset was the hardest to deal with when I transitioned careers from science to marketing. It felt like completely different industries, starting from zero, and never what I thought my life trajectory would be like. But getting past this mindset has made me become stronger as a person and I have no regret doing it. I’m happy where I am right now and it never would’ve happened if I didn’t get past my fear!

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
The importance of family. Doing family gatherings, cooking with one another, being able to support and communicate with each other are all values I hold very highly. Family will have ups and downs but ultimately they will always be there for you and only want what’s best for you.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I am honestly not a great cook. I’m a scientist who cares about health and nutrition. I’m also a person who just loves food and creating. I am intentional with my work and recipes to make it taste good but also still have health benefits! But I still have terrible cutting skills and I do not know many cooking methods.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tamonde.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thaotamto/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thaotamto
• Other: TikTok: tiktok.com/@thaotamto

Image Credits
Images all owned by me.