The Hungry Immigrant

Abang Brian
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Food
  • Updated Weekly

The Hungry Immigrant podcast, hosted by celebrity chef, cookbook author and educator Abang Brian, is dedicated to preserving Asian food culture and heritage. Through insightful conversations with chefs, food historians, and culinary innovators, the podcast explores traditional dishes, culinary techniques, and the cultural significance of food. Each episode celebrates the power of food in preserving identity and heritage, with the goal of keeping Asian culinary traditions alive for future generations.

  1. 4d ago

    What Does Malaysia Taste Like? 🇲🇾 | The Great Malaysian Potluck with LITE

    What does Malaysia taste like? In this special live Merdeka and Malaysia Day episode, Chef Dr. Abang Brian gathers LITE Breakfast announcers Terry and Leah, Sheila, Ming Ho from Sunway Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia and members of the LITE community for The Great Malaysian Potluck. Through childhood food memories, mothers’ cooking, agak-agak, audience stories and a blind Sambal Survey, they explore how Malaysians learn taste, inherit recipes and carry culture from one generation to the next. Because Malaysia is more than a melting pot—it is a potluck, where every dish brings its own story to the table. The Hungry Immigrant: Heart, Heritage and the Unexpected.

  2. Sep 23

    The Foods We Left Behind Could Save Our Future | Paul Newnham

    What if the foods we left behind could help feed our future? Recorded during Climate Week in New York, Dr. Abang Brian speaks with Paul Newnham, CEO of the SDG2 Advocacy Hub and founder of Beans Is How, about the missing role of culture in solving hunger, nutrition and climate challenges. They explore why immigrants sometimes abandon ancestral foods, how ingredients such as beans and lentils became associated with poverty, and whether traditional dishes can evolve without losing their identity. From refugee communities and global food policy to dal, bean burgers and the Sambal Survey, this conversation asks us to look back at our food heritage as we build what comes next. Because preserving culture does not have to mean rejecting change. It is not “either/or.” It can be “and.” The Hungry Immigrant: Heart, Heritage and the Unexpected.

  3. Aug 30

    Why Bahn Mi Bread is NOT a Baguette

    Jill Nguyen left Vietnam at 14 with two suitcases. Seventeen years later, she has become one of DC’s most beloved bakers. In this episode of The Hungry Immigrant, Abang Brian sits down with Jill, the Vietnamese-born baker behind Capital Jill Baking. Jill never baked before 2020, but what began as pandemic restlessness turned into a life of sourdough, cakes, community, and a starter named Scarlett Dough Hanson. They talk about leaving Hanoi, building a life in America, the real banh mi bread, why it is not a baguette, tamarind caramel, Milo, sambal, snail sausages, and the beautiful madness of gathering almost 300 cakes in one room. This is a story about migration, reinvention, and how flour, water, time, and stubbornness can become a new home.

  4. Aug 11

    You’ve Been Using a Wok Wrong! The Secret to Better Stir-Fries with Eleanor Hoh

    Are you using your wok correctly? Eleanor Hoh, better known as the Wok Star, joins Dr. Abang Brian to reveal what most home cooks misunderstand about wok cooking. They explore how to choose, season and care for a wok; why heat and BTUs matter; what creates wok hei; and the mistakes that may be holding back your stir-fries. Eleanor also shares her journey Hong Kong to the United States, how food helped her build community, and how the wok became central to her life and work. 🎁 Listen to the episode, then visit @hungryimmigrant on Instagram for your chance to win a Wok Star Kit worth $159+. Giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on August 19, 2026. US only. Terms and conditions apply. Follow @wokstar, @hungryimmigrant and @abangbrian on Instagram. The Hungry Immigrant celebrates the people, stories and food traditions shaping Asian food culture around the world.

  5. Jul 23

    Authentic to whom?

    Who gets to decide whether food is “authentic”? Recorded live at the 2026 Kalamazoo Foodways Symposium, Chef Dr. Abang Brian is joined by Peecoonn Allen, Thai-born founder of Umami Ramen, and Shane Bernardo, a Filipino food justice organizer and co-founder of Food as Healing. Through stories of carrot som tum, a grandmother’s lugaw, adobo, rendang and nasi lemak, they explore how migration, colonization, displacement and adaptation shape the food we inherit. Is a dish less authentic when it changes—or is adaptation how its meaning survives? It is a conversation about food as love, healing, memory and belonging—with a fiery Sambal Survey along the way.

  6. Jul 16

    Lao Food Is Not Thai Food | Saeng Douangdara on Refugees, Identity & The Lao Kitchen

    Lao food is not Thai food. Yet for decades, one of Southeast Asia's oldest culinary traditions has been misunderstood, hidden behind restaurant menus, and overshadowed by history. In this episode of The Hungry Immigrant, Dr. Abang Brian sits down with chef, food educator, and author Saeng Douangdara to explore the story behind Lao cuisine, the legacy of refugee families, and the release of his landmark cookbook, The Lao Kitchen. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in Wisconsin, Saeng shares how his parents carried Laos with them through recipes, sticky rice, and padaek. Together, we discuss the history of Thaification, what truly defines Lao food, growing up queer and Lao in America, and why preserving food culture is about far more than recipes. Because sometimes, the most powerful thing immigrants carry with them isn't what fits in a suitcase—it's what lives in their kitchens.

  7. Apr 30

    Hungry Heroes: Abigail Marquez

    In this episode of Hungry Heroes, we spotlight Abi “Lumpia Queen” Marquez — a creator who turned a humble Filipino staple into a global conversation. From filming in her home kitchen to winning a Webby Award and earning a James Beard nomination, Abi’s journey is more than viral success. It’s about representation, creativity, and the power of food to carry identity across borders. Through her signature “what if we lumpia that?” approach, she invites millions to rediscover Filipino flavors — not as trends, but as culture, memory, and pride. This episode blends narration with Abi’s own words, tracing how passion, personality, and persistence can transform everyday cooking into cultural impact. Because sometimes, the smallest wrapper holds the biggest story. Featuring excerpts from: Rappler Talk Entertainment: Abi Marquez on content creation, Filipino foodMaking Lumpia with the ‘Lumpia Queen’ (PIX11 / New York Living)Influencer Abi Marquez Talks About Youth Creativity and Digital InnovationLA Currents: Abi Marquez InterviewRX931 Heard on Thursdays: Abi Marquez

    Hungry Heroes: Abigail Marquez

  8. Apr 1

    The Hood Paris: The Pandan Revolution in the 11th Arrondisment

    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:

    The Hood Paris: The Pandan Revolution in the 11th Arrondisment
See All (53)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Hungry Immigrant podcast, hosted by celebrity chef, cookbook author and educator Abang Brian, is dedicated to preserving Asian food culture and heritage. Through insightful conversations with chefs, food historians, and culinary innovators, the podcast explores traditional dishes, culinary techniques, and the cultural significance of food. Each episode celebrates the power of food in preserving identity and heritage, with the goal of keeping Asian culinary traditions alive for future generations.

Information

  • Creator
    Abang Brian
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Abang Brian
  • Show Website
    The Hungry Immigrant