Let’s acknowledge the work done by the Asian women in LA’s food industry, support their businesses, and show them compassion and kindness at a time that is tremendously difficult. Ai Honda Kennedy’s tagline is “trying to do too much.” I’d say that pretty much sums up this entire group of impressive women. This isn’t THE list. It’s simply A list. I’m sure there are as many that I left out as I managed to list here.
Glue: Women who create or hold communities together
Chancee Martorell - Thai Community Development Center
Natasha Phan - Roy Choi’s partner in many endeavors
Alexandra Suh - Executive Director of Koreatown Immigrant Workers Advocates
Lien Ta of All Day Baby - helped create Regarding Her Food
Christine Tran - Executive Director of Los Angeles Food Policy Council
Diep Tran - Chef at Red Boat Fish Sauce
Restaurateurs/owners/general managers/operations
Cathy and Vanda Asapahu - Ayara Thai
Barb Baptiste - B Sweet, Big Boi
Ria Dolly Barbosa - Petite Peso
Steff Baros - Lasita
Caroline Cho - Dan Sung Sa
Shirley Chung - Ms Chi
Crystal Coser - Bites and Bashes
Lynda Trang Dai - Lynda Sandwich
Diane Dang - Brodard
“Nancy” Amphai Dunne - Northern Thai Food Club
Chef Fern and Chef Pla - Luv2Eat Thai
Valerie Gordon - Valerie Confections
Yoonjin Hwang - Spoon by H (RIP!)
Roxana Jullapat - Friends and Family
Ai Honda Kennedy - ADNOHIA
Injin Kim - Peri Coffee
Sarah Kim - Playing for Keeps LA
Jihee Kim - Perilla LA
Jenee Kim - Park’s BBQ
Vivian Ku - Pine & Crane, Joy, Today Starts Here
Carol Kwan - Mama Musubi
Sojung Kwon - Document Coffee Bar
Wendy Lam - Newport Seafood
Uyen Le - Bé Ù
Mei Lin - Umamixo
Kim Luu-Ng, Cassia
Jessie Nicely - Burmese Please
Jintana Noochlaor - Sapp Coffee
Kristin Nguyen - Garlic and Chives
Jennifer Pak - Soban
Mina Park - Shiku
Minh Phan - porridge + puffs, PHENAKITE
Nikki Reginaldo - Kato
Patti Röckenwagner - Röckenwagner Bakery
Dina Samson - Rossoblu
Jazz Sing - Jitlada
Lieu Tran - Pho 79
Elaine Mendoza Yamanashi - Tokyo Fried Chicken
Kelly Xiao and Lynn Liu - Sichan Impressions
Nan Yimcharoen - KinKanLA
Mei Lin - Nightshade and Daybird
Kuniko Yagi - Pikunico
Saehee Cho - Soon Minimart
Various dishes from Minh Phan’s restaurant called porridge + puffs. Photo by Mariah Tauger.
Black Vichyssoise at Minh Phan’s PHENAKITE. Photo by Katrina Frederick.
Pastry makers, fermenter:
Sally Camacho Mueller - Tesse
Steph Chen - Sugar Bear Bakes
Laura Hoang - Lasita
Gemma Matsuyama - Ototo
Kei Okumura - Sugarbird Sweets
Jess Wang
Writers, teachers, bookstore owner:
Cathy Danh Chaplin
Jenny Dorsey
Jenn Harris
Paola Mardo
Tien Nguyen
Sonoko Sakai
Jean Trinh
Esther Tseng
Michelle Mungcal - Now Serving