Vietnamese Kitchen – brand + marketing

When Hieu Bui, widely regarded as the godfather of London’s Vietnamese restaurant scene, got in touch, marketing across his three brands had been largely dormant for over a year. Aside from a small amount of PR coverage and occasional events, the brands had been quiet.

His restaurants, Cây Tre, Viet Grill and Kêu, had strong reputations and loyal followings built over many years. The foundations were solid, but without consistent marketing the visibility and energy around the brands had faded.

Reigniting a Vietnamese Restaurant Group

A rebrand had already been commissioned with a design agency, yet progress had stalled. There was vision but no momentum. I was brought in to restore that momentum, create structure and ensure the brands were supported by a clear and coordinated marketing strategy.

The first priority was to re establish a consistent presence. The business already had a strong bank of photography and brand assets, but no one was using them. Rather than starting from scratch, I hired a social media agency on a short term contract to work with the existing content and re engage dormant Instagram audiences.

The focus was on consistency and reconnection. By showing up regularly again and reintroducing the personality of each brand, we rebuilt excitement and reminded customers why they had loved these restaurants in the first place. Social media shifted from silence to steady, confident communication.

Alongside this, I recruited a freelance marketing manager to deliver the ongoing marketing plan. This created clear accountability within the business and ensured activity across social media, email marketing, PR and design was properly coordinated rather than reactive.

Delivering the Rebrand Across Every Touchpoint

With infrastructure in place, we turned our attention to completing and launching the rebrand. I worked closely with the design agency to bring three new websites to life and to embed the refreshed identities across key brand touchpoints.

This was not simply a visual exercise. It required alignment across tone of voice, messaging and user journey. Each website needed to reflect its own personality while still sitting comfortably within the wider group. The end result was a cohesive set of digital platforms that felt modern, confident and strategically aligned.

Paid advertising was also brought back into the mix, with external support carefully managed to ensure messaging aligned with the broader brand calendar and campaign priorities. Rather than running in isolation, paid activity became part of a joined up system.

Unlocking Additional Revenue Streams

An important part of the work was shifting focus towards higher value bookings. Group dining, private hire and catering had previously been under promoted, despite representing significant revenue opportunities.

We integrated these offers clearly across the new websites and ensured they were supported through social content and email marketing. By making these services more visible and easier to enquire about, they became an intentional part of the growth strategy rather than an afterthought.

Launching Kêu London Bridge

The opening of a new Kêu site in London Bridge provided an opportunity to build momentum externally as well as internally. I developed a structured launch marketing plan designed to generate anticipation, drive local awareness and reconnect with the wider audience.

The launch was treated as a moment for the brand, supported by coordinated messaging across channels. This approach ensured the new site did not simply open its doors quietly but entered the market with clarity and energy.

The Result

Across Cây Tre, Viet Grill and Kêu, marketing was reactivated and professionalised. The brands moved from fragmented and largely dormant activity to a clear, strategic and coordinated approach. The rebrand was completed and embedded, revenue opportunities were more effectively promoted and internal ownership of marketing was strengthened.

Most importantly, the restaurants once again had marketing that matched the quality and reputation they had built over years in London’s dining scene.