The Donut King

In 1975, Ted Ngoy escaped the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, arriving in America via Camp Pendleton, California. Starting as a gas station janitor, he parlayed diligence and luck into the purchase of his first donut shop, launching an unlikely multi-million dollar fried pastry empire. Starting in Orange County, California, his Christy’s Doughnuts consortium continued to expand, providing a unique opportunity for Ngoy to lend a helping hand to his former countrymen and women. He sponsored hundreds of visas for incoming Cambodian refugees and offered them steady employment in his donut shops. By the mid-1980s, Ngoy was living his version of the American Dream: owner of multiple homes, driving fancy cars, taking lavish vacations, and officially becoming an American citizen. But a great rise often comes with a great fall. The Donut King explores immigration, assimilation, prejudice, and who gets access to The American Dream—and what happens when you achieve it.