Many of us daydream of leaving our home country to pursue our dreams, yet not many of us find ourselves making that a reality. Amelie Kang was one of the few who took the leap, leaving her home in China to move to America and explore a career in culinary arts. After years of being a student to a Chinese teacher with international cooking exposure and her grandmother's culinary influence, her curiosity was heightened. Upon arriving in America, she soon graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and hopped on the fast track to open her own restaurant. Through monumental success and a few bumps along the way, Amelie kept one thing at the forefront of all she does, keeping customer experience first. Through her dining, Mala Project aspires to bring bold, authentic flavors of China to the American table with a form of dining new to many of us called dry pot. This dynamic conversation will serve up: 

• Her journey to America, and her inspiration along the way.
• How she ended up on Forbes 30 under 30 list and what she learned through the successes and failures along the way. 
• What it means to be a “customer service company that happens to serve food.”
• How everyday hosts can bring her “culture building” philosophy to their own tables.
• How to broaden our scope of Chinese food with new menu items and dishes to try! 

Amelie and I found ourselves sharing so many of the same values when it comes to the table! We are overjoyed to bring you such an inspiring story of courage and community!  

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