Di An, her debut cookbook, extends this goal past the confines of social media, taking an approach that targets less experienced cooks and those who aren’t very familiar with Vietnamese cuisine.

She, of course, provides recipes, too. "Dac Biet: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook" (Aug. 27) Chef and cooking instructor Nini Nguyen is a child of both Vietnamese immigrants and of New Orleans.

Food writer and supper club host Uyen Luu shares three easier-than-they-look recipes from her beautiful new cookbook, Vietnamese. It’s a curious fact of life that while you have to be in the ...