Dining On A Dime

Loc Pham, the Philly Cookie Company, and the First-Annual Philly Cookie FestLoc Pham, a Vietnamese immigrant who arrived in America in 1991, shared his journey from initially studying to be an Engineer to learning Food Science, and eventually becoming a Pastry Chef and Founder of the Philly Cookie Company. He described how his career evolved through French bakeries, food processing, and corporate R&D roles before returning to his passion for baking, where he developed a unique shortbread cookie recipe inspired by Scottish shortbreads but with his own twist using molasses and brown sugar. The cookies, which are sold wholesale to over 20 retailers in Philadelphia and across 11 states, are noted for their buttery taste and subtle sweetness.Philly Cookie Festival PlanningThe discussion then switched focus to the upcoming Philly Cookie Festival happening on December 7th at Bok. The indulgently-sweet festival will feature 32 vendors, including 27 cookie vendors and 2 savory vendors, all required to offer a Phi