Ted Ngoy became known as the “Donut King” after building a major doughnut-shop business in California.
Ngoy was a Cambodian refugee who arrived in the United States after the Khmer Rouge period. He entered the doughnut business in Southern California and helped other Cambodian refugees learn how to operate doughnut shops.
His influence contributed to the strong presence of Cambodian American families in California’s doughnut industry. Many operators trained through personal connections and then opened or acquired shops of their own.
Ngoy’s life and business career were later explored in the documentary film The Donut King. The nickname refers to his business influence, not to ownership of every Cambodian-run doughnut shop in the state.