Photos: Restaurant workers in Little Saigon

Roberto Torres, an employee of 25 years, serves desserts at hotspot Song Long Restaurant, which serves French and Vietnamese fusion cuisine in Westminster.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

May 23, 2016 10:26 PM PT

Lan Vo, owner of hotspot Song Long Restaurant, trains her Latino employees in customer service and the intricacies of French-Vietnamese cuisine.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Roberto Torres, right, picks up meals prepared by chef Juan Ramirez, left, and Omar Reynoso, middle.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

For Roberto Torres, becoming the headwaiter meant a crash course in Vietnamese language and culture. Every so often, a customer will test how much he actually understands.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Chef Juan Ramirez, left, and Omar Reynoso, right, prepare meals at hotspot Song Long. Despite their political differences — the Vietnamese tend to be Republican, and the Latinos Democratic — experts say they come together to solve a labor shortage facing the area.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Waitress Suong Truong, left, and owner Lan Vo, middle, pick up food orders at Song Long.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)