people
GENESIS
STEAKHOUSE & WINE BAR
J ohnny D ang
a “FOOD REVIEW” by Sonia Guimbellot
M
eeting Johnny Dang was a lot of fun and an
honor. A designer and entrepreneur extraor-
dinaire, he welcomed us into his VIP room
which was set up in opulent style. His new
building on Richmond is a true representa-
tion of his brand. He is sharply dressed with
a gleam in his eye as he shows me his watch
which sparkles with black diamonds and
beautiful gray tones, he winks and says, “Part of my new
collection”. We sit at his desk which is a large beautiful
marble top with ornate gilded gold legs. The more I see,
the more curious I get.
Q: How long have you been in Houston?
A: I came to Houston in 1996, 21years ago, so I came
here when I was 22. So not that long ago; but still, a long
time.
Q: Where were you born?
48 iF Magazine | March 2018
A:
In Vietnam, Buon Ma Thuot, a small city on the
south side of Vietnam, a very small village. You barely see
it on the map.
Q: What was your parents’ business, and what was your
life like there?
A: When I was in Vietnam, of course, I went to school
and college. My mom sold clothes in the market.
Q: What got you started in the custom jewelry business?
A: Actually, my grandparents had done it before 1975, so
in my mind, I had some idea from knowing them. When I
came here in 1996 my cousin had a jewelry booth at the
flea market. After being bored a few days, he asked me to
go and work with him. I earned $500 in 6 months, my
first ever American money. I was so happy. So that is how
we started. He had a booth with two jewelry repair sta-
tions. We did repairs, custom jewelry, nameplates.