The Founder’s Story
Founder, Author, Chef, Restauranteur, Business Consultant, and Daughter of Vietnam
Why I Built Đà Nẵng Rising W.F.C.
A letter from Jenny Lê
I never got the field.
I got an empty bowl. Rice later. Rules after. And an unspeakable silence.
There were no stadium lights for girls like me.
No cleats on birthday lists.
No cheers from the sidelines.
Just expectation — quiet, heavy, and inherited.
Đà Nẵng Rising W.F.C. is the team I wish I had growing up —
and now, I’m building it for the next generation.
My name is Jenny Lê. I’m a writer, a business strategist, and the founder of this club.
But above all, I’m a daughter of Việt Nam.
Every chapter of my life has led me to this moment —
not because I planned it,
but because I refused to keep waiting for permission to dream.
My memoir was my answer to my mother’s question.
This club is my answer to my father’s:
“Con có yêu mẹ không?”
“Con có yêu ba không?”
The answer is yes.
Yes, you raised me well.
Jenny Lê
🎥 Media Highlights Reel
From empty bowls to empire — and back to what matters most.
📰 Early Recognition: An Asian-American Restauranteur Who Redefined the Suburbs
The Boston Globe, Thrillist
Tornado Restaurant in Malden was hailed as “fresh and surprising,” with Lê’s Tornado bold flavors and detail-rich ambiance setting a new standard for suburban dining.
📰 The Boston Globe (June 28, 2014)
👉 Fresh and surprising food at Tornado Restaurant in Malden
Tornado was praised for its innovative approach, bold flavors, and unexpected elegance. The article noted that Tornado “delivers far beyond expectations” and highlighted the care Jenny Lê brought to every detail—from the menu design to the ambiance.
🍽 Thrillist (2014)
👉 Tornado Restaurant Lounge – Malden, MA
Thrillist featured Tornado as a standout venue in Malden, celebrating its vibrant atmosphere, inventive dishes, and role in elevating suburban dining around Boston.
📺 Resilience in Crisis: Launching Pho Laveen Amid a Pandemic
ABC15 Arizona, AZ Central, The Arizona Republic
Opening just before COVID hit, Pho Laveen became a story of grace under fire — honoring Jenny’s mother’s recipes while serving warmth to a shaken city.
📺 ABC15 Arizona (April 2020)
👉 We’re Open Arizona: Pho Laveen pushes forward after opening weeks before COVID-19 pandemic
A televised spotlight on Lê’s resilience. Opening Pho Laveen just before the pandemic, she honors her mother’s legacy and Vietnamese cuisine through perseverance and heart.
📷 AZ Central / The Arizona Republic (Nov. 12, 2020)
👉 Pho Laveen serves up pho and family tradition in South Phoenix
A heartfelt visual profile that highlights the warmth and generational love behind Pho Laveen. This piece captures how Jenny Lê serves heritage in every bowl.
🍷 Gastromé: A Love Letter to Food, Queerness & Community
Phoenix Business Journal, Arizona Foothills, Scottsdale Progress,
Fabulous Arizona, Frontdoors Media, Pulling Corks and Forks,
The Forking Truth, A Taste of AZ Podcast, The Arizona Republic
Gastromé wasn’t just a gourmet market — it was a gathering place, a philosophy, and a love letter to flavor. Lê’s vision for a food-forward, curiosity-filled space earned praise for its elegance, accessibility, and emotional architecture.
every bowl.
📣 Arizona Foothills Magazine (May 23, 2022)
👉 Trendsetters to Know: Tiffany Chavez & Jenny Lê of Gastromé Market
A profile on Lê and her wife/business partner Tiffany Chavez as the powerhouse duo behind Gastromé. It celebrates their leadership, creativity, and community impact.
📰 Phoenix Business Journal (June 10, 2022)
👉 Upscale market and restaurant coming to Scottsdale
A preview of Gastromé’s launch as a high-concept food, wine, and hospitality hybrid. The article details Jenny Lê’s vision of elevating both flavor and space.
🍷 Fabulous Arizona (June 23, 2022)
👉 Gastromé Market To Open at Gainey Ranch
Spotlighting Gastromé’s launch, this article highlights the wine wall, charcuterie program, and invitation to linger—a reflection of Lê’s signature hospitality.
📰 InBusiness PHX (Summer 2022)
👉 Gastromé Market Bringing Boutique Wines, Specialty Food & Cheeses to North Scottsdale
Celebrates Gastromé’s fusion of luxury, learning, and heart. The article underscores the educational aspect of Lê’s concept and its accessibility to the community.
📰 Scottsdale Progress (Sept. 2022)
👉 Gastromé Market aims for education, indulgence
Highlights Gastromé’s dual focus on indulgence and education, quoting Lê on her desire to create a space where food and conversation coexist.
🗞 The Arizona Republic (Sept. 9, 2022)
👉 What to expect at Gastromé, a highly anticipated new luxury grocery store in Scottsdale
AZ Central details Gastromé’s debut and Jenny Lê’s creative leadership. A portrait of what happens when cultural memory meets fine dining.
📰 My Hyperlocal News (Sept. 2022)
👉 Gastromé Market Opens in Gainey Ranch
Covers Gastromé’s grand opening, emphasizing its vision as a neighborhood hub that blends bistro, wine bar, and specialty grocery.
🍇 Pulling Corks and Forks (Sept. 2022)
👉 Gastromé Market bringing specialty wine & cheese to Gainey Ranch
Details Gastromé’s curated selections and inclusive design. Quotes Lê on building an inviting, exploratory experience without pretense.
🧀 Frontdoors Media (Oct. 2022)
👉 A Curated Experience at Gastromé
A lifestyle feature that captures the intimacy, creativity, and care poured into every element of Gastromé. It calls the market “a love letter to flavor.”
🍴 The Forking Truth (Oct. 2022)
👉 Gastromé Market – A Tasty First Look
An enthusiastic first-look review with vivid photos and praise for Gastromé’s menu, ambiance, and intentional design. The piece declares Gastromé “a delicious new gem” and applauds Jenny Lê’s hospitality and vision.
🎙 A Taste of AZ Podcast (Nov. 18, 2022)
👉 Gastromé Market on A Taste of AZ – Episode #109
In this in-depth interview, Lê speaks on creating Gastromé, balancing boldness with vulnerability, and being a queer Vietnamese-American entrepreneur reshaping culinary spaces.
🛑 Gastromé’s Closure: Choosing Wellness Over Burnout
Phoenix New Times, Jan 2023
After a whirlwind year, Jenny chose to close Gastromé — not in failure, but as an act of radical self-honesty. This choice re-centered her creativity and paved the way for something more enduring: a legacy rooted in care, not chaos.
“Empire-building includes rest.”
📉 Phoenix New Times (Jan. 31, 2023)
👉 Gastromé Market in Scottsdale Is Closing. Customers Have 2 Weeks Left to Visit
A transparent look at Gastromé’s closure. While brief, the restaurant’s legacy is honored for its beauty, intention, and innovation.
📍 Where She’s Been Featured
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The Boston Globe
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Thrillist
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AZ Central / The Arizona Republic
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ABC15 Arizona
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Phoenix Business Journal
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Arizona Foothills Magazine
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Frontdoors Media
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A Taste of AZ Podcast
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Fabulous Arizona, and more.
🎙️ Digital Presence
📸 Instagram: @gastromemarket
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/gastromemarket
🎧 Podcast: A Taste of AZ – Episode #109