Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Aregoni.
Mary, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am the Founder, CEO, and Chef of Saigon Sisters, a modern and intimate Vietnamese restaurant and catering brand that has proudly served Chicago for 16 years. My path to the kitchen wasn’t traditional; I spent the first 20 years of my career as an IT manager at Procter & Gamble. That corporate foundation gave me the structural and operational skills to transition seamlessly into entrepreneurship when I decided to follow my true calling in food. Over nearly two decades of operational continuity, I have guided Saigon Sisters from its infancy into a highly-rated culinary staple, overseeing our daily menu, major vendor relationships, and catering logistics. My journey is proof that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and build a lasting legacy around what you love
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our challenges started immediately. The first hit just six months in, when I had to fire my Executive Chef and PR team for exploiting our brand and recipes for their own gain. Lacking formal culinary training, taking over the kitchen was intimidating, but it was the best decision I ever made. Stepping into the Chef/Owner role, backed by family support, completely transformed the business—boosting efficiency, profitability, and team loyalty. The second test was COVID-19, which struck while we were managing four locations. We had to act fast to protect the business. We closed our new Thai concept—merging its most popular dishes into the Saigon Sisters menu—ended our hospital leases, and consolidated into two locations. We survived by aggressively eliminating expenses, combining resources, and driving revenue through a major pivot into corporate catering.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Saigon Sisters, we specialize in modern, intimate Vietnamese dining and large-scale corporate catering. Over the past 16 years, we have become a Chicago staple known for our exceptional Pho, artisan Banh Mi, Bao, and traditional spring rolls.
What sets us apart is the unique structure behind our food. After a 20-year corporate career, I took over as the sole chef and owner, blending corporate operational discipline with a deeply personal, family-backed passion for Vietnamese cuisine.
I am most proud of our brand’s resilience. We’ve survived industry upheavals and the pandemic by remaining agile—streamlining our menus to feature our absolute best dishes and building a highly reliable catering operation. When people choose Saigon Sisters, they are getting more than just a meal; they are supporting a battle-tested, independent, woman-owned business that never compromises on quality or flavor.
What’s next?
We have some incredibly exciting milestones on the horizon. Currently, we are in the RFP stage competing for a space in the new O’Hare Airport renovation, which would be a massive step for our brand. Locally, our immediate focus is a major physical expansion right here on West Lake Street. We are taking over the adjacent space—a former 7-Eleven—to more than double our seating capacity from 35 to 80 guests. This creative build-out will allow us to design a beautiful, expanded interior and a larger kitchen to seamlessly support our growing corporate catering, private events, and the influx of dine-in guests as the West Loop and Fulton Market neighborhoods continue to boom. This expansion secures our long-term home so we can serve our loyal and new community without moving. Looking even further ahead, I am combining my love for travel and food to launch curated culinary tours to Vietnam starting in 2028.
Pricing:
- Lunch $12-$18
- Dinner $20-$56
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.saigonsisters.com
- Instagram: @saigonsisters
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saigonsisters/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-aregoni-6431b24
