Alex Le

2011 was a rough year for Alex Le and his ʻohana. The family business of 28 years was failing, his mother and matriarch of the family had a catastrophic stroke, and his younger brother felt increasingly restless and uninspired after five years working as a sous-chef at a popular fine dining restaurant in Mōʻiliʻili.

Feeling as if his world was crumbling, Alex knew it was up to him to figure out how to get his family back on track. His solution: reinvent himself, start from the bottom, and work his way back up.

With their mom’s recovery as their number one priority, Andrew and Alex looked towards their mother’s love for cooking as a way of healing. Overtime, this family passion would help Alex and his ʻohana in ways they never thought possible.

The Pig & the Lady began as a pop-up stand at farmers markets, showcasing the Le family’s twist on classic Vietnamese dishes. In 2013, it evolved into a brick and mortar restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown, earning awards like Best O’ahu Restaurant at the Hale Aina awards and Restaurateur of the Year in 2017. Notable figures like actor Ben Affleck and former President Barack Obama have dined at The Pig & the Lady over the years.