Occupation: Chef, Mai Ly Asian Cuisine (14410 60th St. N., Stillwater; 651-351-5055; facebook.com/mailyasiancuisine)

Age: 47

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was very tiny, I wanted to be a nurse. But when I came to the United States, I wanted to be an aerospace engineer.

What was your first job in food? A waitress at a Chinese restaurant in Stillwater that's now closed.

How did you wind up in the restaurant business? I had a job at Andersen Windows; I worked there for 14 years. I always said I had to open a restaurant. Recently, they laid me off permanently, and I said now is the time to take my chance. It's my dream. Even though I had my full-time job before, I would cook for my friends, bring it in for them to eat.

I made eggrolls for the United Way every year, a couple of hundred eggrolls, and people go crazy. After I got laid off, people said, "Why don't you go for it?"

What's your favorite dish on the menu? Vietnamese beef noodle soup, pho. It's really flavorful soup. We cook it hours and hours. When I grew up in Vietnam, I ate it.

Where did your recipes come from? My family. From my mom and my sister and my uncle -- they taught me. My uncle had a restaurant in Vietnam.

How did you tweak family recipes for the restaurant? Pretty much exactly the same. My eggroll is exactly the same. Everyone said don't change a thing. They're perfect the way they are.

How are you different from other Vietnamese restaurants? I don't know how different, but the way I see it, better. When you open your restaurant, you have to try everyone to see if yours is as good. After trying everyone, I'm very positive. I think I'm good.

What's your secret ingredient? My personality. People love me.

What's something few people know about you? I'm an animal lover. I have a dog -- a rat terrier. I love him like my own baby. If I go to a store, and they say, 'Can you give a dollar for the dogs?' I say yes.

What's your favorite restaurant? First Wok in Bloomington near the airport. It's 45 minutes away from here, but I like it a lot. The taste is very authentic.

If someone were to play you in a movie, who should it be? Angelina Jolie. I like her a lot. I think she's strong, she's tough, she's determined. And she loves babies, and I love babies, too. I adore her. I think she's my role model.

What's next? I will work hard, make sure everything is good, fresh and make sure customer service is good. And I'll hope for the best, and I'll try my best to make it happen.

-- Jess Fleming