Pop-Up Dinner

A green flower with yellow spots on it.

In recent years, Jacksonville’s not-so-hidden gem VIGLO (Vietnamese with global influences) pop-up dinner series has been creating a buzz as the most unique cultural and culinary experience, combined Vietnamese and global cuisines with high-quality, local ingredients, creating such a unique twist that quickly gave chef Mimi Lan’s repeatedly sold-out pop-up dinners a cult following.

A restaurant with tables and chairs set up for dinner.

She works with local farmers (vegetables, mushrooms, beekeepers, purveyors, etc) to source organic, seasonal, premium ingredients, and use cooking techniques (both traditional and innovative), highlighting cultures and focusing on reducing waste.

Held at various, respectable dining venues in Jacksonville, each location was as carefully chosen as the rest of the details that went into the planning, preparation, and execution of each of chef Mimi’s pop-up dinners.

Chef Mimi is constantly on the quest for new venues and for aligned chefs with whom to collaborate locally or in other cities on creating unique, memorable culinary projects together.

If you know of a venue or chef who is the right fit, email chef Mimi at [email protected].

A green flower with yellow spots on it.

Previous Pop-Up Dinners

Vietnamese with Global Influences

A plate of food with noodles and mushrooms.
A plate of food with meat and noodles on it.
A bunch of plates that are on top of some food.

Lunar New Year - Valentine

A table with plates of food on it
A table with fire place in the middle of it
A plate of food on top of a table.
A table full of plates with food on them.

Asian with Global Influences

A plate of food on a leaf with rice and vegetables.
A glass of wine on top of a menu.
A plate of food with an egg and some other things.

Regional Vietnamese

A person is putting food on the table
A group of people sitting at tables in a restaurant.
A person holding a plate with food on it.
A cone filled with food on top of a white plate.
A table set with glasses and silverware on it.

Vietnamese with French Influences

A table with two glasses of pink liquid and some fruit.
A group of people standing around plates with food on them.
A table with chairs and tables in the background.
A table filled with many different types of food.
A group of people sitting at a long table eating.

Testimonials From Diners

“It was fantastic from start to finish. Having just returned from dining at @restaurantmirazur the #1 restaurant in the world, I can attest that Chef Mimi’s skills in the kitchen are world class. The VOGLO dinner was amazing and something Jacksonville needs more of.”

 

Jared L.

“The food was DELICIOUS and CREATIVE, and we had such a nice time catching up with all friends and meeting some new friends!”

 

Stephanie Y.

“We really enjoyed the dinner. The salad and the ramen were particularly DELICIOUS! It was a very nice group of people. Thank you very much for doing this – we had a great meal of AUTHENTIC VIETNAMESE VIGLO food, and it is a real addition to the JACKSONVILLE DINING SCENE!”

Michael M.

“Thank you for the wonderful dinner. We LOVED THE FOOD and the AMBIANCE.”

 

Dr. Si P.

“Thank you for the WONDERFUL dinner with all TRIP characters (Taste/ Rarity/ Ingredient/ Presentation). We both enjoyed it thoroughly.”

 

Dr. Justin N.

“What a WONDERFUL evening. We LOVED THE CULINARY CREATIONS and the company of new friends.”

Alexandra N.

“We had such a nice time at your VIGLO event, and the food was OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD FANTASTIC.”

Shana L.

“Your VIGLO dinner last night was OUTSTANDING! Every dish was DELICIOUS and they looked INCREDIBLE too. My friends all said the same. I definitely want to go to your next one.” 

 

Danielle F.

“A BEAUTIFUL COMPREHENSIVE EXPERIENCE with the consistency of the theme throughout many details. The food was DELICIOUS, let alone the uniqueness of each and appeal of the presentation.”

Sasha N.

“WORTH EVERY DOLLAR.”

Hannah

“Love the ambiance, quality ingredients, art of plating, and a touch of MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY.”

Christine B.

“Loved meeting new people & such DELICIOUS food.”

 

Tracy

“Thank you for sharing your CULINARY GIFT with us. You did a great job as a chef, hostess, and artist.”

Chung-Hae C.

“Thank you for such an AMAZING dining experience. My family LOVED it. Next time, we will likely bring more members of our family!”

Mae B.

Testimonials From Industry

“I truly appreciate the amount of thought & effort that goes into Chef Mimi’s Viglo dinners, not just from a FOOD perspective, but also from a prep, plating and PRESENTATION, and SERVICE perspective. I also loved the fact that she took the time to explain to her guests the background, inspiration and flavors in each dish. Jacksonville is lucky to have someone as talented as Chef Mimi based here. And the fact that she is willing to share her unique experience and vision with us is great not just for those who can attend her dinners, but also for the city’s larger CULINARY SCENE.

Heather Schatz
WJCT

“We recently had the pleasure of hosting our first VIGLO dinner with @TheTasteCurator, a French popup collaboration. Chef Mimi Lan did a WONDERFUL job planning, preparing and executing this event. Our guests from the evening can agree it was worth the hours she spent behind the scenes. Her level of commitment and ATTENTION TO DETAILS are unmatched, and we thoroughly enjoyed watching the night unfold filled with all of the SPECIAL TOUCHES she prepared.”

Matthew Medure
Executive Chef/Proprietor of Matthew’s Restaurant

“Chef Mimi Lan is truly passionate about good food, and good experiences. Her METICULOUS attention to detail and photographable plates are inspiring and heartwarming to anyone who sees them. There is nothing ordinary about Chef Lan’s food, often described as simply SPECTACULAR. Her dedication to serving only the best is a true gift to our food community. She’s a CHEF WITH A BIG HEART, and her love for food is second only to her love for people. I admire her charitable work through food and am grateful to be able to work with her often.”

 

Dennis Chan
DenCookbook Author, Culinary Instructor, Executive Chef/Proprietor of Blue Bamboo Restaurant

“I was so pleased that I had the opportunity to attend Chef Mimi Lan’s Viglo #2, a MASTERFUL TRIP through some of the most SUMPTUOUS FOOD I have ever experienced. The food was absolutely INCREDIBLE, from preparation to presentation, very pleasing. Each dish placed before me was FRESH and simply exquisite. Intricate, BEAUTIFUL FLAVORS, PERFECT PRESENTATION.”

Anna Heise
Food Blogger Annaeatzjax.com, @annaeatzjax

“The evening was ENCHANTING and DELICIOUS. The meal was carefully planned out to be both flavorful and informative. Each course was BEAUTIFULLY PLATED, and I heard comments from other diners about how the plates were so pretty they hated to eat the food. But they did, and everyone talked about trying new flavor combinations. I learned some new information about Vietnamese cuisine, about the noodles especially, and it was IMPRESSIVE how the CULTURAL ASPECT of the meal were included in each course.”

 

Lauren Titus
Food Editor of Edible magazine

“Chef Mimi Lan’s dedication, passion, attention to details, and high quality cooking contributed to the HUGE SUCCESS of our VIGLO dinner. Anyone who attends one of her dinners will have a very MEMORABLE UNIQUE evening and will be introduced new tasty cuisine that they will crave in the future

Cary Hart
Proprietor - Aqua Grill

“You NAILED IT every time Mimi.”

Nate Mayo
Food Blogger @NateDoesFood, #NomnomJax, Proprietor - Aqua Grill

“Chef Mimi Lan has truly brought a UNIQUE experience to Northeast Florida, and a CULTURAL SERIES to Jacksonville that is unforgettable. After 20 years at bb’s, I get a kick out of something new and different to keep my staff stimulated. Chef Mimi was the perfect fit for that equation. We loved having her at bb’s and enjoyed the cultural exchange. Her food is AUTHENTIC and her energy is contagious. It was truly a MEMORABLE experience.”

 

Barbara Bredehoeft
Proprietor - bb’s Restaurant