My sister Caryl and I had a blast chatting with Chef Ming Tsai last week. Besides being an incredibly talented chef with a great personality, for me, Chef Ming was the first American-born Asian chef I had seen on TV. Representation matters. We talk about what that was like starting his Food Network show, East Meets West, as well as some of the many other projects he's done over the years like Simply Ming, Ming's Quest, and Iron Chef. His current business and passion came about as a result of his...
Dec 07, 2022•53 min•Ep. 92
Hey Y'All! It's been a while since we've updated you a bit on the podcast so we start today's recording with a quick update. Then we hope on the line with Sara Qiu, the Spanish cyclo-tourist who we talked with in episode 38. She's crossed over onto the continent of Asia and is riding through Turkey at the moment. It was fun to hear how she's grown as a cyclo-tourist and as a person! You can hear and see much more of Sara's story on her YouTube channel - Journey From the Road. She posts back and ...
Nov 30, 2022•29 min•Ep. 91
Need something to listen to while you peel 50 potatoes? Why not have our chat with Chef Shirley Chung on in the background to inspire you! Lots of great chef stories from Shirley and Caryl. I can't help but feel thankful for all the people who have helped me with this podcast as a guest or co-host, and especially YOU the listeners! I'm glad you've come along for the ride too. Feeling grateful! Hope you're all happy and healthy out there! Talk to you soon! - Curtis
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 90
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I'm taking the week off... also... I got Covid. Ugh. So in honor of the American holiday that celebrates sustenance and gratitude, I'm reposting 2 of our earlier episodes about FOOD! Tuesday, I'll be posting the first half of Episode 7 (from Aug 2021) where my friends Mandy and Kelly talk about our favorite YouTube Food channels! Wednesday, I'll be posting our episode with my sister Caryl and Chef Shirley Chung who was heaps of fun! (From Feb 2022) Hope you enjoy the...
Nov 22, 2022•50 min•Ep. 89
Where are all my plant people at? Having a collection of plants in the house gives me joy and peace, but keeping them green isn't always easy. Today we are talking with two women who live and breathe houseplants. They own and operate Bay Area plant shops. They give tips and advice all day long at work, so I thought we could tap into their knowledge and love of plants for our show. Visit Natalie and her rare and unique plants at The Plant Sitter at 1989 Quimby Road, San Jose, CA and follow her In...
Nov 16, 2022•54 min•Ep. 88
*Warning: Possible Spoilers* We are back at it again with our annual K-Drama Draft! This time we are partnering with the hosts of the Pocha Playlist! Jennifer, Nadira, and I had so much fun recording with Jenny, Andy, and Brandon! We picked dramas from the following categories; school dramas, supernatural dramas, and workplace dramas as well as an anything-goes round. If you like K-Dramas, especially current shows, you HAVE to listen to the Pocha Playlist! It’s a super fun show with really great...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 87
Vegas Baby! Ever wonder what it's like living in Sin City? This week we talk with Allen who moved to Vegas to play poker and ended up becoming a dealer at the Aria Casino. He gives us a glimpse into what it's like playing cards for a living as well as his favorite things about living in Las Vegas. Thanks to Allen for chatting with us! Did you learn something? That's one of our goals for this podcast. Drop us a line at infatusasianpodcast@gmail.com to let us know your thoughts. You can follow us ...
Nov 02, 2022•34 min•Ep. 86
Korean culture has taken America by storm these past few years. Squid Game and BTS are now household names around the world. But before any of us had heard of Crash Landing On You or Black Pink, Korean food was making its way into our hearts and stomachs. For today’s episode, I invited some friends to pick their favorite Korean foods and rank them on tiers. Lisa, who lived in Korea for almost 2 years, Keri who was born and raised in Seoul, and Korean American NYC native Ben came along to help me...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 85
Friend of the podcast Rikki Lee (Episode 32) has a new single out! It's called "Why Can't I?" And it's super fun and has a great message! You can hear part of it Here on Spotify as well as Madison's and my reactions to it. You can hear the full version here on Spotify Here! or most any streaming platforms or YouTube. Give it a listen the next time you need to get pumped up or inspired! It's a bop for sure!...
Oct 24, 2022•4 min•Ep. 84
Dave Lu is many things. He's a son, husband, and dad. He’s an entrepreneur/investor. He’s an advocate for social justice and change. He’s also a Hollywood producer, having helped secure funding for the new HBO Max Documentary, 38 At the Garden. This short documentary, streaming on HBO Max, follows the cultural impact of NBA trailblazer Jeremy Lin during his 2011-12 season with the New York Knicks and the cultural phenomenon known as "Linsanity". Dave was kind enough to share his personal connect...
Oct 19, 2022•53 min•Ep. 83
Kimberly Szeto is a constant community advocate who has worked with organizations like Save Cantonese and the Chinese Historical Society of America. She was recently crowned Miss Asian Global - Community Service. We had a great time talking about our SF Chinatown community and her work on the "We Are Bruce Lee" exhibit at the CHSA museum. If you're local, I hope you get a chance to visit the museum which highlights the life of perhaps the most recognized Asian American of all time, our guy Bruce...
Oct 12, 2022•43 min•Ep. 82
I think all of us know someone applying to college, or maybe you are applying. It’s a daunting process, but there are definitely tips and tricks to it. If you or someone you know could use a little advice on the application process, then this is the episode for you! Today we’re speaking with someone who has been thinking about how to get into college for over a dozen years. Elton is an educational consultant and the founder and CEO of one of the top educational consultant firms in the US. He’ll ...
Oct 05, 2022•57 min•Ep. 81
It must be pretty empowering to be at the turntables with thousands of people vibing to the songs you are playing. Well, that’s what DJ Mish does for a living. Mish was building a name for herself in 2019, but then the pandemic hit. She survived by DJing live on Twitch where she built up a loyal group of followers called Squishies. Now that live sets are back, Mish is playing all over the US, including a set at Coachella this year. Haley and I had a great time talking with Mish, and we really ho...
Sep 28, 2022•58 min•Ep. 80
You know we get excited about Asian representation in media here at the InfatuAsian Podcast. Anytime we see Asian Americans in Movies, books, or on television we get a little hyped. But, perhaps one of the best examples of Asian representation in media isn’t from America but comes from New Zealand. Four Kiwi Chinese Women of the production company called Flat3 have been uploading short web series episodes to YouTube for almost 10 years. , They’re mostly silly, outrageously funny skits depicting ...
Sep 21, 2022•56 min•Ep. 79
What’d you do at work today? Did you talk to any A-List celebrities or get paid to watch television? Well, then you’re not as cool as Kylie Mar. On this episode of the InfatuAsian Podcast, we will be talking with someone who has been interviewing and reporting on Television and Movies for literally her entire adult life. She interviews all the top stars on behalf of the Made in Hollywood show, and reports daily on the best of last night’s television programs for Yahoo Entertainment. Today we’re ...
Sep 14, 2022•57 min•Ep. 78
There have been many positives to starting up this little podcast, but by far the best thing about it has been meeting new people and telling their stories. Back in April Madi and I had a great time chatting with Cat over Zoom, and it was obvious back then that she is one of the nicest most gracious people. Well, fast forward to June 2022, when Catherine was headed to Fresno to represent San Francisco County in the Miss California competition… and well, you can probably guess by now, Catherine w...
Sep 07, 2022•47 min•Ep. 77
New York and San Francisco have two of the largest populations of Asian Americans in the US, but which is better? In New York, as the song goes, if you can make it anywhere, but for many, San Francisco is where they left their heart. So where would you rather live? On today’s episode, Emily and Lingjie who were raised in New York City help us decide whether should we have a New York State of mind or is the West Coast, the best coast? Special thanks to my guests! If you'd like to hear more from L...
Aug 31, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 76
Today we’re going to be speaking with Kate Apiratanapimonchai about her life as an immigrant, turned beauty influencer, turned med student, turned entrepreneur. Her company Moshika Beauty produces, cruelty-free, vegan beauty products that are safe for all types of skin. I think you’ll find her story unique and inspiring! I hope you enjoy our chat! Thanks for listening! You can follow Kate on Instagram @katesglamour, or @kate_moshika, and her company at @moshikabeauty or on the web at moshikabeau...
Aug 24, 2022•51 min•Ep. 75
We have our final pick for our InfatuAsian Summer Book Club, Kaleidoscope written by Cecily Wong! Emily and I enjoyed speaking with Cecily about this fantastic read. It’s so moving and deep. The relationships are so tightly intertwined and complex, with changing perspectives and undetermined outcomes. It's partly a deep dive into familial relationships and part travelogue. Loved the book and loved our chat with Cecily! Learn more about Cecily at Cecilywong.com or follow her on Instagram @helloce...
Aug 17, 2022•57 min•Ep. 74
Hayden is the first and probably the last guest on the pod that I gave a failing grade to in biology. Despite that, we've kept in touch over the years and it was fun chatting with him for a few hours this summer. Hayden got recruited to develop games for Rockstar games and worked on Red Dead Redemption for over 5 years. He's since been doing all kinds of other digital art for himself and others. He got into riding personal electric vehicles a few years ago and got a concussion from a hard fall, ...
Aug 10, 2022•56 min•Ep. 73
But… but…that’s not fair! That’s what Ava Wong, a Stanford trained lawyer turned stay at home mom said, when she learned about a counterfeit handbag scheme cooked up by her ex-college roommate. Today we are discussing superfake designer handbags, fussy toddlers, and confronting the model minority myth, when we talk with Kirstin Chen author of Counterfeit! Counterfeit was the June pick for Reese Witherspoon's book club. It shot to #5 on the New York Times bestseller list. Learn more about Kirstin...
Jul 27, 2022•54 min•Ep. 72
Today's guest, Kimlai Yingling, is hard to nail down with a one or two-word description. She's worked in all sorts of media from the stages at county fairs to television studios and many places in between. She's an entertaining storyteller with a larger-than-life personality (and hair)! Join my sister Caryl and I as we sit back and let Kimlai tell us stories from her journey. You can follow Kimlai @Kimlaiyingling on most social media platforms (@iamkimlai) on TikTok. And visit her website EatinA...
Jul 20, 2022•45 min•Ep. 71
Which Asian actors would you choose to make up the all-time greatest Asian cast? Curtis and Lauren along with 2 of the hosts from the Reel Asian Podcast, Ray and Alan, set out to make a list of their favorite Asian actors. We did it in a “fantasy football” style draft, taking turns picking our favorite actors over 6 rounds. Once an actor is picked they are unavailable to the rest of us. We compared lists at the end, as well as discussed who didn't make our lists but probably could. How will our ...
Jul 13, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 70
It’s not every day that you get to chat with a trailblazing genius! Gene Luen Yang is the author of American Born Chinese, a graphic novel that broke barriers in so many ways. He’s won numerous awards for his comics and novels. In 2016 he was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship, aka the “Genius Grant.” He illustrates and writes for both Marvel and DC, as well as the Avatar The Last Airbender graphic novel series. Even with all the accolades, Gene remains remarkably humble and appreciative. He was c...
Jul 06, 2022•53 min•Ep. 69
This week we hit the road! (sort of) We are chatting with Sara Qiu, a cyclo-tourist, who is riding her bike solo from Spain to Asia. She doesn’t have a time frame or a final destination. She is documenting her ride on her YouTube channel, Journey From the Road. At the time of this interview, she had ridden through France and most of Italy (about 2000 km). She happened to be back home in Spain to take care of some passport issues when we chatted, but she has since flown back to pick up where she ...
Jun 29, 2022•53 min•Ep. 68
Many of us were forced into music lessons as a kid. Elizabeth Tsung was no different, but those frustrating and torturous hours of violin practice blossomed into a music degree and a career performing and composing music. Elizabeth, Emily, and Curtis discuss her latest EP, “Illusions.” You can purchase Elizabeth’s music over at elizabethtsung.bandcamp.com or you can find her work on Spotify. You can also follow Elizabeth over at her Instagram @elizabeth.tsung Thanks for listening! If you would, ...
Jun 22, 2022•53 min•Ep. 67
Isabel Wong is a tale of two cities, Nottingham and Hong Kong. She worked as a financial journalist on Hong Kong television for several years and is now working as a content strategist. Earlier this year Isabel started her podcast, Proudly Asian, where she interviews Asians from around the world about what it means to be Asian and the biases that go along with that. You can listen to Isabel’s pod Proudly Asian pretty much anywhere you get your podcasts and follow her on Instagram @proudly.asian ...
Jun 15, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 66
What’s the hardest job in the world? Ballet dancer may not be on the top of many people’s lists, but after talking with Frances, I think it needs to be up there! The physical and mental demands that dancers put on their bodies and minds are second to none. Listen to us chat with San Francisco Ballet’s principal dancer Frances Chung! Frances has been dancing nearly her entire life and gives us an inside look at what ballerina life is really like. You can follow Frances on her Instagram @franadian...
Jun 08, 2022•50 min•Ep. 64
Here's a little bonus sound from our chat with author Weike Wang. She talks about why both of her books are yellow, as well as gives us her NYC Chinese food pics!
Jun 06, 2022•2 min•Ep. 65
Emily and Curtis had such a great time chatting with author Weike Wang! She’s smart, funny, thoughtful and the author of Chemistry: A Novel and Joan is Okay. She won the PEN/Hemmingway award in 2018 (awarded to noteworthy 1st-time authors), and was recognized as one of the 5 Under 35 authors to keep an eye on by the National Book Foundation (among many other awards)! We discuss her childhood and upbringing, studying chemistry at Harvard, her writing process, and dive a little deeper into her lat...
Jun 01, 2022•57 min•Ep. 62
