In the heart of the 11th arrondissement, Abang Brian found home the moment he opened the door to The Hood Paris. A buzzing café and restaurant that has become a soul-restoring haven for modern Asians and a vibrant cultural bridge for Parisians. In this episode, Pearl and Crystal, the co-founders of The Hood, share their incredible journey. They detail how they went from careers in finance and accounting to pioneering Southeast Asian cuisine in one of the world’s most demanding food capitals. Their mission was never just about food; it was about creating a community-driven kopitiam where everyone feels at home, breaking down stereotypes that label Asian food as merely "cheap takeaway." This episode explores the delicate dance of cultural identity in how they adapt the heavy, rich flavours of rendang and Curry Laksa for the French palate, their thoughtful use of MSG, and the audacious idea of pairing Nasi Lemak with natural wine. It’s a story of passion, pride, and the kind of food that is so comforting, it becomes a universal language.

0:00 - Intro

01:05 - Finding Home: From Finance toKopitiam

05:25 - The Pandan & Kaya Revolution

11:15 - Breaking Bread, We Break Rice

16:05 - How Chicken Soup Won Over theFrench

21:45 - Produce, Terroir, and the MSGDebate

27:35 - "Cheap Asian Food"

32:00 - The Oeuf Mayo Sambal Fusion:Adapting Flavours

41:15 - The Soul of The Hood

43:55 - The Mother Ship Concept: Nonette& Future Plans

47:10 - The Sambal Survey

Timestamps:

This week, The Hungry Immigrant travels to rainy Seattle to sit with one of the most important voices in Chinese-American cuisine today.

Hsiao-Ching Chou grew up in her family's Chinese restaurant in Columbia, Missouri — a restaurant that started as takeout from a converted Hardee's and grew into a full buffet. As she puts it herself, cashew chicken and crab rangoon paid for her college education. She went on to become an award-winning food journalist, the author of three cookbooks on Chinese home cooking, and the former chair of the James Beard Foundation's Book Awards Committee.

This conversation goes well beyond recipes. It is about what immigrant hustle really looks like from the inside, why the pursuit of authenticity in food might be the wrong question altogether, and what it means to pass down a culinary identity to the next generation — including co-writing a cookbook with her teenage daughter during the pandemic.

This episode covers:

• From a converted Hardee's in Missouri to a 40-seat dining room: the real immigrant restaurant story
• Why buffets changed how America eats — and why that is complicated
• The one stir-fry mistake everyone makes, and the real secret behind wok hei
• Behind the James Beard Foundation: how books are judged, who gets heard, and what equity in food media looks like
• "I want to be an influencer and get free food" — what social media gets dangerously wrong about expertise
• Feasts of Good Fortune: writing an intergenerational cookbook with her daughter Meilee
• The Sambal Survey, Seattle edition
• The Hungry Journal closing question: "The story is not over"

Guest: Hsiao-Ching Chou — author of Chinese Soul Food, Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food, and Feasts of Good Fortune (with Meilee Chou Riddle). Former chair of the James Beard Foundation Book Awards Committee.

The Hungry Immigrant is a podcast about Asian food culture, identity, and the stories that connect us across borders. New episodes from Seattle, Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Michigan, New York, and Virginia.

Keep your plates adventurous and your hearts open.

Malaysia doesn't just celebrate Hari Raya. It lives it, across religions, cultures, and kitchen tables.In this special live episode, The Hungry Immigrant records in front of a live audience in Kuala Lumpur during Ramadan 2026, just before breaking fast. Host Abang Brian is joined by Terry Ong and Leya, hosts of The LITE Breakfast on Lite FM, Malaysia's leading English radio station.What starts as a conversation about food becomes something much bigger: what fasting truly demands of a person, what Hari Raya means to Malaysians of every background, and why the food memories we carry stay with us long after everyone at the table is gone.This episode covers:- Terry's story: how his mother apologised through food, never words- The Great Laksa Debate: Penang vs Kedah vs Johor vs Sarawak- What Ramadan fasting really means beyond food and drink- Cooking rendang in France as a student and crying before the first bite- Growing up non-Muslim in Malaysia and why Hari Raya belongs to everyone- The Sambal Survey- A deeply moving moment about a late grandmother, forgiveness, and love- "What do you know for sure?" — Terry and Leya's answers will stay with youRecorded live at Kelab Golf Negara Subang, Kuala Lumpur.

The Hungry Immigrant is a podcast that celebrates Asian food culture, identity, and the stories that connect us across borders. Live episodes coming to Michigan, New York, Virginia and beyond.Keep your plates adventurous and your hearts open.