Tam Pham
Tâm Tâm | Miami, FL
May 2025
Thanks to an early interest in history and culture, Tam Pham thought he would grow up to be a tour guide, or at least that’s what his parents thought. While fostering his intellectual curiosities, Pham started to spend more time with his mom in the kitchen, developing a love for cooking and an interest in hospitality. So, after moving from Vietnam to the United States at 16, he enrolled at Florida International University’s hospitality school. While working in coffee shops, hotels, and restaurants over the next few years, Pham was struck by the general absence of Vietnamese food in the Miami area. His desire to discuss and share his history, culture, and heritage with others was reignited.
Pham, along with his husband Harrison Ramhofer, launched an at-home supper club called Phamily Kitchen, serving traditional Vietnamese dishes to friends and guests. Although it started small, the series grew into 24-seat, ticketed events hosted by the couple at restaurants and art galleries across Miami. When the pandemic hit, Pham and Ramhofer were both laid off from their jobs and had to put the supper club on hold. Pham used the opportunity to read cookbooks and test recipes before reviving the pop-up for a short-term, three month residency at the 1-800-Lucky food hall once lockdown restrictions eased.
Eager for more kitchen experience, Pham joined the team at Over Under. Over the next year and a half, he prepped and worked the line, developed an appreciation for local produce, and learned new techniques from Chef James McNeal. After hosting a few more pop-ups and securing a space, Pham and Ramhofer opened Tâm Tâm in 2023. Pham brings his culture and creativity to the forefront of the casual and vibrant downtown restaurant. As a chef and cultural tour guide, he leans on Vietnamese flavors and traditions while embracing Florida’s seafood and produce, using local connections to share stories of home.
