Chef Mimi Lan believes that true success lies in giving back. Through her local, national, and global volunteer and outreach programs, she uses her cooking talents and resources to create meaningful change. From supporting healthcare initiatives abroad to hosting pop-up dinners that raise funds for worthy causes, chef Mimi tries to infuse her culinary projects with passion and purpose.
Local Community Involvement
Inspiring Chefs with SkillsUSA
Chef Mimi Lan is a regular judge for the Florida State Leadership and Skills Conference by SkillsUSA in their annual culinary competitions, whose mission is to empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members.
She enjoys connecting with culinary students and playing a small part in their journey, while helping SkillsUSA close the skilled labor gap in Florida and beyond.
National Community Involvement
MAPP Impact
Chef Mimi proudly serves as an ambassador for MAPPimpact.org, a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering and supporting women in hospitality through advocacy and mentorship.
Founded by Joanna James, the organization was inspired by her award-winning 2019 documentary A Fine Line, which ignited national conversations about gender bias in restaurant culture and the food system.
Through its innovative app, @MAPPimpact connects members and allows them to share contacts, resources, and support to drive meaningful change toward equity and empowerment.
Cooks Who Care
Chef Mimi Lan is proud to contribute her “Vietnamese baked shrimp toast” recipe in this Community Cookbook created by chef Maria Campbell of cookswhocare.org. All of the proceeds from the book Support Mental Health Advocacy in the Food & Beverage industry nation wide.
Inside this exceptional cookbook, you'll find a treasure trove of 37 filmed recipes and home-entertaining ideas suitable for cooks of all skill levels and learning styles.
From no-fuss classics to expert-level creations, these seasonally inspired recipes are crafted to bring people together. Whether you're hosting a gathering or enjoying a cozy night in, these dishes and drinks are sure to delight your loved ones.
What’s so unique about this book is that each recipe has a filmed demonstration to walk you through the recipe, in addition to the printed book.
Order your copy and embark on a journey of culinary creativity while supporting mental health advocacy: https://chescocf.org/fund/cooks-who-care/.
Global Community Involvement
World Of Mouth Contributor
Chef Mimi’s extensive global travels influence her cooking and recognize her as a contributor of the World of Mouth app, an independent restaurant guide powered by a global community of experts.
Arts & Crafts Program in Vietnam
Chef Mimi has a deep passion for helping children, inspired by her many years on the advisory board of Child Advocates, Inc. in Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to providing court-appointed advocates for abused and neglected children.
When her husband founded a nonprofit to improve healthcare in Da Nang, Vietnam (his hometown), Chef Mimi and her daughter, Kellie, expanded the initiative by creating an arts and crafts program for the sick children at Bệnh Viện Sản Phụ Đà Nẵng (Đà Nẵng Women and Children’s Hospital).
The program provides donated toys, craft materials, and volunteer time to help children and their families enjoy creative activities and a brief escape from their challenges.
This annual project has become a cherished event, particularly for children battling cancer.
Over more than 20 years of volunteering at this Đà Nẵng Women and Children’s Hospital, chef Mimi added another life-changing element: raising funds to donate electric motorbikes—the primary mode of transportation in Vietnam—to the hospital’s young patients’ families in desperate need. Many of these families, too poor to afford their own transportation, rely on buses or even walk for hours to bring their sick children to treatment.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these children and their families." —chef Mimi Lan