Bobby Chinn first got involved with socially responsible initiatives in Hanoi, Vietnam, where he supported and helped develop vocational training programs for the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation.
This charitably funded NGO helps children escape slavery, abuse and extreme financial disadvantage, providing education and skills development programs to support their future employment prospects. Over the years, many such young adults have been given the opportunity to train in Bobby’s kitchens and have been able to establish successful careers of their own.
While Blue Dragon remains closest to Bobby’s heart, he is also associated with St. Anthony’s in San Francisco and Crisis UK providing food, clothing and shelter to the homeless. Bobby is an active supporter of Room to Read, a non-profit organization focused on the advancement of girls’ education and child literacy throughout Asia and Africa, and he contributes regularly to the Kids with Cancer Foundation of Vietnam.
Bobby Chinn was recognized in Singapore’s “Our Tourism Universe, Our Brightest Stars” Tourism Awards 2008, where he was presented in person with the award for Best Travel Story (Broadcast) by His Excellency S.R. Nathan, President of Singapore.
In 2012, Bobby was appointed the WWF Ambassador for Sustainable Seafood and Coral Triangle Awareness, promoting responsible seafood production, helping to alleviate pressure on coastal and marine environments and raising much needed awareness of the dwindling fish resources in the Coral Triangle. In this role, Bobby used his influence and extensive peer network to actively promote the best management practices of the MSC and ASC, and he remains today a vocal and vehement advocate of this vital cause.
From 2014 through 2017, Bobby served as the Tourism Ambassador of Vietnam for Europe, as appointed by Mr. Ho Anh Tuan, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism. This honour was bestowed upon him at a ceremony in the Vietnamese Embassy in London, recognizing the significant and continuing contribution Bobby has made in popularising Vietnam as a safe and hospitable destination for international visitors.