Kim Pham loves her mom’s Vietnamese meals made from scratch. She’s less keen on trying to get the family recipe from her, as exact amounts prove elusive.
“Usually recipe measurements are, ‘Pour until it tastes good,’” Pham said.
Pham and her sister Vanessa grew up on the South Shore, looking forward to their Me’s Vietnamese cuisine every day. Their parents were refugees from Vietnam, who admonished their daughters for being too “om sòm,” or loud. Omsom became their company name for unapologetically bold Asian flavors. Launched in April, Omsom’s initial three meal starters sold out in 72 hours, with another three products added since and a seventh starter coming early next year.
“One of our Omsom starters lets you rip the package open and it tastes like a dish from home, but with the convenience of a jarred tomato sauce,” Kim Pham said. “It’s taken the place of a difficult call with parents or grandparents.”
With the pandemic forcing people to cook more at home, the starters have earned rave reviews.
“Me Pham was skeptical at first (classic!), but has actually come to love them as much as we do,” Kim said. “When she’s busy, Omsom makes a great weeknight dinner cheat for her and my dad.”
Kim and Vanessa spent 18 months developing products with professional chefs, who partner as tastemakers. Jimmy Ly of New York’s Madame Vo worked on Omsom’s Vietnamese lemongrass BBQ starter, based on a dish served out of his East Village eatery.
“It was an amazing experience. I had full control; they let me do my thing,” Ly said. “I saw how much they love the culture and what they believe in.”
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