KIM Nguyen fled Vietnam to make a new life for her family in Australia. Now she is bringing a taste of her country of birth to her adoptive home.
Along with her daughter Nha-Ca Margaret "Maggie" Nguyen and son Leighton Van Rossi, 63-year-old Kim helped bring Vietnamese cuisine to Brisbane through their restaurant Cafe O'Mai.
Kim and Maggie share their story in Mother's Table - a mini documentary series which will stream online from February 1-20 as part of this year's BrisAsia Festival.
In 1982 Kim, her father Van Kim Nguyen, husband Nha Nguyen, sister Phung Nguyen and brothers Long and Dien Nguyen, boarded a small boat that had been built by her uncles and set sail for Malaysia.
North Vietnam had taken over the south and Van Kim, a former member of the south's government, had spent seven years in prison. Upon his release, he decided the family had to escape. Kim was two months pregnant at the time.
"My boat (was) only 7 metres long and 1.5 metres wide. Can't imagine how we could do this (from) Vietnam to Malaysia," she said.
After five days and nights at sea, the boat arrived in Malaysia. The family spent three months in a refugee camp, before the Australian Government agreed to resettle them.
Upon arrival in Sydney, the family had a short stay in the Endeavour Hotel, before moving to a home in Marrickville.
Kim was able to attend English classes at the hotel, but after moving to the family's new home, she had to continue her lessons via a cassette tape.
"Australians welcomed us, but our (Vietnamese) community (was) very small. In 85 or 86, (our) community started to grow."
Despite language barriers, the Australian community was supportive. St Vincent de Paul provided the family with blankets, clothing and essentials as soon as they arrived in Australia - during the dead of winter.
After settling into their Marrickville home, a local shop loaned the family a sewing machine, allowing them to pay it off in monthly installments. This allowed the family to launch its own sewing business.
When companies started to move manufacturing operations offshore to take advantage of cheaper labour and sewing work dried up, Kim enrolled in a floristry course at TAFE. Three years later, she opened her own business. In 2012, Maggie and Leighton asked her to relocate to Brisbane to help run the cafe.
"I enjoy cooking. Have many customers, they love our food. Always make me happy, (when) they thank you."
Mother's Table can be viewed on the BrisAsia festival website from February 1-20. For more information click HERE
