Binh is a young Vietnamese cook living in 1920s Paris after fleeing Saigon in the wake of an illicit romance. He works in the household of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, preparing meals for their famous expatriate guests. Harboring a deep longing for connection, Binh struggles with his limited fluency in French and English, choosing to cope with his isolation through heavy drinking and self-harm. He frequently argues with the imagined voice of his abusive father while reflecting on the stories his mother told him.

Binh's father is a well-known Catholic holy man in Saigon who converted after being abandoned at a church as a child. He married strictly to have sons and treats his family with sharp cruelty, openly favoring only his eldest son. In Paris, his presence lingers as a disembodied, mocking voice that Binh cannot escape.

Binh's mother entered an arranged, loveless marriage to The Old Man at a very young age to save her own mother from poverty. Finding refuge in a separate kitchen built away from her husband, she maintains her Buddhist faith and teaches her youngest son silent strength. She shares folktales of a "scholar-prince" with Binh, shaping his lifelong romantic ideals.

Gertrude Stein is a famous American expatriate writer who hosts a vibrant literary salon in her Paris home. She commands the center of attention in her household and relishes her celebrity status. Relying entirely on her partner to manage her daily life, she treats her staff with a mix of curiosity and condescension, viewing their lives as potential material for her writing.

Alice B. Toklas is Gertrude Stein's devoted partner and the operational manager of their shared household. She types manuscripts, tends to the garden, and acts as a gatekeeper to keep potential rivals away from Stein. She runs a strict but observant kitchen and pays careful attention to her staff's well-being.

Marcus Lattimore is a mixed-race American from New Orleans who passes for white in Paris. He acts as an unlicensed doctor, diagnosing patients by examining their irises. Charming and persuasive, he strikes up a Sunday romance with Binh, relying on shared words and body language to bridge their communication gap while demonstrating a deep curiosity about Gertrude Stein's unpublished writing.

Anh Minh is Binh's eldest brother and the only child to earn The Old Man's respect. He works as a sous-chef in the Governor-General's residence in Saigon. Highly efficient and ambitious, he fails to realize that the colonial hierarchy will prevent him from ever becoming head chef despite his culinary talent.

The Man on the Bridge is an enigmatic Vietnamese expatriate whom Binh meets by chance. Their brief evening together, filled with deep conversation in their native language, leaves a lasting impression on Binh. The man embodies Binh's romanticized ideal of a "scholar-prince" and becomes a primary reason Binh decides to stay in Paris, hoping to cross paths with him again.

Bao is a galley boy and sailor who shares a ship with Binh after Binh flees Saigon. He possesses a vast repertoire of stories and parables, which he uses to pass the time at sea. Sharing a native language with Binh, Bao provides the young cook with his first sense of camaraderie after leaving home.

Chef Bleriot is a French national hired as the head chef at the Governor-General's residence over more experienced Vietnamese staff. He insists on being addressed as "Chef" even in private. His poor command of Vietnamese leads him to rely on Binh at the markets, sparking a cross-class romance that eventually causes Binh's dismissal.

Madame is the French employer at the Governor-General's residence. She holds deeply prejudiced views toward the Indochinese staff, demanding everything function exactly as it would in France. She dismisses Binh because his affair with a French chef violates colonial racial and class boundaries.

Leo is Gertrude Stein's brother, an art collector and painter who originally hosted the Paris salon with his sister. Believing himself to be the sole artistic genius of the family, he eventually moved out after Alice B. Toklas arrived and recognized Gertrude's talent instead.