How the Donut King lost his crown
Ted Ngoy was a penniless Cambodian refugee who built a multimillion dollar donut dynasty across California. He was called the Donut King, but he struggled to hang on to his crown.
Ted Ngoy was among the first Cambodians to find refuge in America from the Khmer Rouge. He was scratching a living at a petrol station when he got a whiff of a donut and something clicked in him. He learned to bake, then trained and supported other refugees like himself, and was soon presiding over a multimillion dollar business. He was known as the Donut King, and had the deep respect of his family and his community. But he struggled to hang on to his crown. Ted’s story is featured in the documentary, The Donut King. A longer version of this interview was first broadcast in April 2020.
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Maryam Maruf
(Photo: Ted Ngoy in a donut shop. Credit: Getty Images)
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