10 episodes

Take A Bao is a show exploring anything and everything around Asian food. From unpacking the origins of rice and rendang, to deep dives into the depths of Chinese tea and Vietnamese pho, this show aims to give voice to the intriguing food stories of Asia. On each episode, you'll learn about how the different cultures and communities across Asia shaped its food. You’ll hear from chefs, farmers, food writers, and eaters, learn how to cook and eat iconic Asian dishes, and really celebrate the food of Asia to give it the representation it deserves, letting it have its moment to—wait for it—take a bow!

Take a Bao Jun (from Jun & Tonic)

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 26 Ratings

Take A Bao is a show exploring anything and everything around Asian food. From unpacking the origins of rice and rendang, to deep dives into the depths of Chinese tea and Vietnamese pho, this show aims to give voice to the intriguing food stories of Asia. On each episode, you'll learn about how the different cultures and communities across Asia shaped its food. You’ll hear from chefs, farmers, food writers, and eaters, learn how to cook and eat iconic Asian dishes, and really celebrate the food of Asia to give it the representation it deserves, letting it have its moment to—wait for it—take a bow!

    #10: Finding Refuge in Food (Part 2)

    #10: Finding Refuge in Food (Part 2)

    This 2-part story is about refugee food—two words that carry so much weight, so much prejudice, so many layers to them. Despite our preconceptions, the vast majority of us haven’t had many interactions with refugees at all, much less shared a meal with them, or eaten their food. In part 2, we cook with Nesreen Al-Khatib, a Syrian refugee in Malaysia, get some tips from her about making hummus, and continue our conversation with Kim from PichaEats about the future of refugee food.
    (Connect with us at takeabaopodcast.com, or on Instagram @jun.and.tonic.)

    • 27 min
    #9: Finding Refuge in Food (Part 1)

    #9: Finding Refuge in Food (Part 1)

    This 2-part story is about refugee food—two words that carry so much weight, so much prejudice, so many layers to them. Despite our preconceptions, the vast majority of us haven’t had many interactions with refugees at all, much less shared a meal with them, or eaten their food. In part 1, we melt away the misconceptions around refugee food, and explore the true meaning of food cooked by refugees. We follow the story of PichaEats, a Malaysian social enterprise working with refugees to share their food with the world and hear the story and struggles of a Syrian home cook. 
    (Connect with us at takeabaopodcast.com, or on Instagram @jun.and.tonic.)

    • 25 min
    #8: Tea and Tranquility

    #8: Tea and Tranquility

    Tea is often viewed as a source of calm, of zen, of mindfulness. And in this episode, we'll lean into all of that, and more, through a tea tasting session. We touch on the history of Chinese tea, have plenty of laughs in learning to describe different varieties of tea, and seek some life advice from a tea connoisseur. And hopefully, through this episode, you'll feel a little more collected and connected. After all, in these turbulent times we’re in, we could all do with a little more grounding and zen in our lives. (Connect with us at takeabaopodcast.com, on Instagram @jun.and.tonic. And since this is the last episode for Season 1, to keep up with more food things in the lull between seasons, you can find Jun on his blog junandtonic.com.)

    • 38 min
    #7: Tracing the Way of Kueh

    #7: Tracing the Way of Kueh

    What are kueh/kuih? A quick search on the web will tell you that “kueh are bite-sized snacks or desserts commonly found in Southeast Asia”. But kueh is so much more than that. They go beyond just sweets and snacks. Kueh came together by the clash of cultures in Southeast Asian centuries ago, and its techniques and ingredients is a culmination of cultures and communities across the world. In short, kueh is the very fabric of life. So this week, we learn how kueh connects the world, and get all warm and fuzzy hearing some heartwarming kueh stories. (Connect with us at takeabaopodcast.com, or on Instagram @jun.and.tonic.)

    • 47 min
    #6: Rice Is Life

    #6: Rice Is Life

    Rice is Asia’s staple starch. It is present in Japanese hand rolls, Indonesian nasi goreng, Iranian tahdigs, and serves as a side to soak up saucy Chinese stir-fries and Indian curries. But the flavour and texture of rice is rarely talked about. So this episode, we’re flipping that on its head, as we explore the world of heirloom rice in the island of Borneo! (Connect with us at takeabaopodcast.com, or on Instagram @jun.and.tonic.)

    • 31 min
    #5: How to Think About Other People’s Food

    #5: How to Think About Other People’s Food

    Around the world, there are hundreds and thousands of cuisines and sub-cuisines. It’s near impossible to understand and taste them all. So when we’re faced with a foreign cuisine, how should we seek to understand it? How should we think about food we’re unfamiliar with, other people’s food? We grapple with that, and more, through the story of the Chettis, a marginalized, multiracial community in Southeast Asia. The Chettis date back to the 15th century, originating from traders and sailors from India who settled down in the Malay Archipelago and married into the local community. Today, there are less than 500 Chettis in Malaysia, and their food and culture is dwindling with each passing generation, and most Malaysians have never even heard of them. So on this episode, we learn about the Chettis, and do our best to understand their food. (Connect with us at takeabaopodcast.com, or on Instagram @jun.and.tonic.)

    • 39 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
26 Ratings

26 Ratings

__k.z ,

History of Food

I LOVE the way Jin takes listeners into a deep dive into the history of Asian food. Especially the tea episode where there’s the sound of tea seeping and sifting. It’s very calming and soothing. Also, I like to learn about the differences and so many types of Asian food!!!

yumit18 ,

Beautifully crafted, soulfully produced

My sister and I LOVE this show. An absolutely beautifully crafted podcast (storytelling, research, audio, music) with such a deep and authentic amount of care for the subject. What a extraordinary way to look at Asian food through a multidimensional lens, celebrating people as much as their cuisine. Listen to it people!!

larns23 ,

Very thoughtful and wonderful podcast!

This podcast takes a purposeful and emotional look at food! It is important to see food beyond just how it tastes, and the host does an incredible job of respecting and balancing culture. I love listening!

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