My Name is Bao. I’m a proud 80’s baby. I live in the beautiful Bay Area, CA with my amazing and supportive wife, two amazing pre-teen daughters, and fluffy and loyal Cockapoo, Kobe. Besides cooking and barbecuing, I love to spend quality time with my family, hangout with friends, hike, read, try new restaurants, taste new food, and basically do whatever makes me feel happy. At the end of the day, FOOD IS ALWAYS ON MY MIND!
What inspired you to create No Limit Cooking?
After my wife and I moved into our own house in 2010, I finally had my own kitchen to experiment and cook whatever I want in MY kitchen. I created No Limit Cooking to:
- Track my recipes so I can remember how to consistently make it each time.
- Share my cooking experiences and inspire friends and family to learn how to cook.
- Provide tips and techniques to help make other people’s cooking experience not so stressful.
- Show people that cooking is fun and there ain’t no limit to what they can do in their own kitchen.
- Make ’em say yummm!
Where did you get the name No Limit Cooking?
In high school, I was a huge fan of Master P’s No Limit Records. My last name is Ngo, so during high school and college, everything was Ngo Limit to me. Ngo Limit..No Limit.. get it? Since then, the name No Limit just stuck with me. I strongly believe that there is no limit to what I can do or accomplish in life if I just keep grinding and working hard. This is very true when it comes to cooking.
Who are your cooking influences?
Mom, Dad, Martin Yan, Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, Luke Nguyen, Rick Bayless, and Marcela Valladolid. Each person influenced me in some way and helped shaped me to be the home cook I am today.
What are your favorite types of food to cook?
Vietnamese, Mexican, Hawaiian, and BBQ. However, I’m always willing to try new recipes from my favorite restaurants or awesome things I taste from my travels. No Limit, Baby!
What do you like to do while you are cooking?
Listen to music (depending on what kind of mood I’m in), sing, and dance with my girls while cooking. When they’re not in the mood, probably check social media.
What is your favorite cooking equipment?
My Lodge 12-inch cast-iron skillet, Oxo Non-stick wok, 6-quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Mountain, Traeger Ironwood 885, 12-quart Stock Pot, Kitchenaid rubber spatulas, and Victorinox Chef’s knife.
What is your favorite food to eat?
Man, this is hard. I’d have to say Vietnamese comfort food, tacos, hamburgers, chicken wings, and BBQ ribs.
What would your last meal be on earth?
Mom’s Caramelized Braised Pork and Egg
What advice would you give someone that wants to learn how to cook, but is super intimidated?
It’s not going to always be easy, but it will get easier as long as you keep practicing, learning, and working on it. Focus on skills and techniques and do what works best for you. ALWAYS season to taste!!!
No Limit Cooking 