OUR JOURNEY
CO-FOUNDER, CHEF TU DO
"WE CAME ON A REFUGEE BOAT WHERE FOOD MEANT EVERYTHING. WHEN YOU TASTE OUR DISHES, YOU EXPERIENCE A PART OF OUR HISTORY. HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND HOW FAR WE WILL GO TO GIVE GUESTS A MEMORABLE CULINARY EXPERIENCE THAT KEEPS THEM COMING BACK TIME AND TIME AGAIN"
EXPERIENCE IN CHINESE & VIETNAMESE
At a young age, Chef Tu would run into the kitchen where his mother managed a Chinese restaurant and watched the chefs cook. Seeing the chefs toss ingredients with spices of star anise, cumin and ginger enthralled him. When the chefs splashed white wine onto the edge and skillfully tipped the wok to catch fire, it sparked his first love with the culinary arts. Wok cooking has become his specialty. In 1996 he opened his first Chinese restaurant in San Diego,CA. In 1998 he started a successful Chinese restaurant in Sonoma County and has since opened 8 other locations around the Bay Area consisting of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Now, with over 20 years of restaurant experience under his belt, Chef Tu brings his passion for the arts to Palace Station Casino Las Vegas.
SISTER, CO-FOUNDER CAT
"FOOD IS AN EXPRESSION OF LIFE, IT'S AN EXPRESSION OF ALL THE SENSES. HAVING LIVED IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS ALLOWED MY BROTHER, TU AND I, TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE IN THE FREEDOMS WE HAVE TO CREATE DISHES THAT CROSS MANY CULTURAL BOUNDARIES.
THE JAPANESE INSPIRATION
Owner Catherine Do, similar to her brother Tu Do, is a first generation Vietnamese immigrant. She was first introduced to the restaurant scene at the age of 4, where her mother worked at a Chinese restaurant shortly after arriving in San Diego, CA in 1984. Having spent two years in the refugee camps, prior to coming to America, she came to learn at a very young age that food was a way to experience life through all the senses. Her fascination with fresh exotic food came when she saw her father catch fresh water eel from a nearby river. This would supplement their nutritional needs when food rations became scarce at times. The concept of fresh fish served with soy sauce and wasabi reminded her of how a simple food could taste so delicious, just like the eel her dad had brought home from the river. in 2004 she opened her first Boathouse Sushi restaurant with brother Tu Do and business partner, Hans Mogensen. Since then, she has opened 8 Asian food concepts and continues to share her passion with Sonoma and Las Vegas locals.
Co-Founder, Hans Mogensen
Owner Hans Mogensen grew upon a small farm in Denmark. His parents raised animals and grew fresh vegetables in their backyard. His dad loved to cook and treated it as a serious matter. On the farm, he would help his dad with fresh catch from a small lake running through their back yard. They would bring fish directly to his mother's kitchen. Everything was made fresh from scratch. On a farm where everything was made out of ingredients grown or raised, Hans learned early on the importance of quality in a delicious home cooked meal and this has translated to each and every one of his restaurants. Hans has a Master Degree in Electrical Engineering, and has since left the trade after 30 years of working as a tech consultant to focus on what he loves most, expressing his unique interest in Asian food through the restaurant business. In 2004 he joined forces with Tu Do and Cat Do to open the first Boathouse restaurant together and has been a partner in a unique culinary journey ever since.
