I came to the United States from Vietnam in 1979. I went to school in Houston, then attended the University of Texas, where I earned a degree in business administration with a focus on marketing and finance. When I graduated, I interviewed with both Wyatt's Cafeteria and Luby's. I chose Wyatt's. It turns out I was going to find my way to Luby's eventually.

Food service became my career almost immediately after college. I spent several years with Wyatt's, then moved to California and worked for Fresh Choice, a soup-and-salad concept. Eventually, my family and I came back to Texas, and I joined Golden Corral as a General Manager.

That chapter taught me a lot. The restaurant I managed was struggling, and eventually I was given the opportunity to buy it and become a franchisee. I owned and operated that restaurant for six years. It wasn't easy, and ultimately I couldn't make the numbers work. But every experience teaches you something.

Eventually, I joined Luby's. I left for a period to work in senior living as a dining director, but I found my way back again. And this is where I want to stay.

One of the things I've always liked about this kind of food service is that the food itself is the menu. Guests can see what we've prepared, choose what looks good and talk to the people serving them. There's something very direct and personal about that.

I've been at my current Luby's for more than eight years now, and over time our guests have really gotten to know me. These days, people recognize me from the photograph on the front door and sometimes even stop me when I'm out getting groceries. I get a kick out of that.

Outside of work, the biggest part of my life is my family. My wife and I have three grown children, two daughters who became nurses and a son who became a dentist. We're also grandparents now, and fortunately everyone lives close enough that we get together often. I look at my children, their careers and the families they're building, and I feel like my wife and I did what we were supposed to do. That feels like success to me.

At this point in my career, my goal is pretty simple. Keep taking care of my guests. Keep doing good work. Enjoy my family. And hopefully, when the time comes, retire from Luby's.