QT Kitchen Marks Nine Years of Hospitality

Nine Years, Six Lockdowns, One Unwavering Commitment: QT Kitchen Celebrates a Major Milestone

We love sharing good news from our members, and this story is a genuine standout. QT Kitchen, a modern Vietnamese restaurant in Glen Iris, Victoria, has reached nine years in business, having first opened its doors on 19 July 2017.

For any operator in this industry, nine years is a real achievement. For QT Kitchen, it means nine years of trading through six COVID lockdowns, rising interest rates, inflation and fuel price increases, on top of the everyday pressures every restaurant owner knows well.

From Kitchen Hand to Co-Founder
QT Kitchen was founded by Kevin Pham and Kenny Truong, with a shared vision to create a modern Vietnamese dining experience built on premium ingredients, refined technique and genuine hospitality.

Kevin's path into hospitality started in 2003, when he took on a job as a kitchen hand. Over the following 23 years, he built a career through hands-on experience and continuous learning, eventually reaching the level where he now serves as an ACF Victoria Committee Member. It's a career trajectory worth highlighting for anyone starting out in the industry today: two decades of consistent effort, and a genuine pathway from entry level roles through to industry leadership.

As Kevin and Kenny put it: "Our mission has always been simple: create memorable experiences through food and heartfelt hospitality."

A Destination Built Around the Table
Since opening, QT Kitchen has grown into more than a restaurant. The venue hosts family celebrations, business events, private dining, engagement celebrations, small wedding receptions and Chef's Table experiences, catering to intimate gatherings and medium-scale events up to 90 guests.

Over nine years, the team has watched families grow and generations return, again and again, to celebrate milestones around the table. That kind of loyalty doesn't happen by accident. It comes from consistency in food quality, service and hospitality, sustained through some of the most difficult trading conditions the sector has faced in decades.

Marking the Milestone the Right Way
Rather than running a straightforward discount campaign, QT Kitchen has chosen to mark its ninth anniversary with a Signature Lunch Indulgence series, launching on 3 July 2026. The campaign features a curated selection of the restaurant's most popular lunch dishes, priced at $15 each.

As the team describes it: not a promotion, not a discount, but a celebration. It's an approach other operators might find worth considering when planning their own milestone campaigns: give guests a genuine reason to celebrate with you, rather than simply cutting prices.

Why This Story Matters
Restaurant and catering operators across Australia have spent the past several years navigating a genuinely difficult trading environment. Rising costs, ongoing labour pressures and shifting consumer spending have tested every part of the sector. Stories like QT Kitchen's are a reminder of what's possible when strong food, consistent hospitality and community connection are treated as the foundation of a business, not an afterthought.

Congratulations to Kevin, Kenny and the entire team at QT Kitchen on nine remarkable years. We look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings.

Visit QT Kitchen:
12 High Street, Glen Iris VIC 3147
Phone: (03) 9885 2009
Website: HERE