Caroline Nguyen grew up in a household in which a few pinches of monosodium glutamate (MSG) factored into practically everything her mom cooked.
"I've always enjoyed watching her cook and learning from her," said the Vietnamese-American chef/owner of Revolution Taco in Philadelphia. "Growing up, she'd show me, 'add a little pinch of this and that, and don't forget the MSG!' She pretty much added it to everything from stewed dishes to pho, which she made every Sunday."
