—shows that put food into context of a community’s struggles and successes. Of course, all of those big ideas are interspersed with segments of really, really good-looking meals and moments of levity, like Ling and her husband Paul Song doing kimchibacks with D.C.-based chef Danny Lee.explores the history of the Filipinos in Louisiana, the Chinese in Northern California, the Vietnamese in Orange County’s Little Saigon, the Bangladeshis in New York, the Japanese in L.
In each episode, Ling establishes the background info, often using archival footage, and then interviews multiple members from each diaspora. In episode four, for example, Ling explains the formation of Bangladesh, then meets with actor Alaudin Ullah, who shares how his father, a steamship worker, jumped ship to start a new life in New York as an undocumented immigrant.
Unlike the many food shows that center around the premise that food is the great unifier, able to bridge gaps between different groups,considers food the key to unlocking the connections within a diaspora. In Boyle Heights—the neighborhood that became a refuge for Japanese Americans after their incarceration during World War II, but saw an exodus as Japanese Americans gained upward mobility—Ling visits Otomisan, its oldest-running Japanese restaurant.
bettinamak lisaling I loved this show! Thanks for highlighting!
lisaling bettinamak Sounds cool!I didn't know abt 1st settlement:1)Filipinos in Louisiana!Also,says covers these foods: 2)Chinese,Northern California,3)Vietnamese,Orange County’s Little Saigon,4)Bangladeshi, New York,5)Japanese,L.A’s Boyle Heights& 6)Korean,Fairfax County, Virginia.Thx for posting.