Southern Fried Asian

On a new episode of Southern Fried Asian, Keith talks to documentary short filmmaker Rita Phetmixay about growing up Lao Isaan American in North Carolina.

Rita shares the story of her family's harrowing journey after the war from Laos and Thailand to the States (2:00) and being one of the only Lao American families in rural North Carolina (11:00). She explains why she decided to make a short film about her father called Phetmixay Means Fighter and the story behind her family name (16:00). She also explains how her Asian American identity was always created for her when she lived in North Carolina (21:45). Then, Keith and Rita try to unpack what it even means to be "Asian American" (30:00) and especially Asian American in the South (38:45). Finally, Rita reminisces about incorporating Lao style chicken wings and Thai iced tea in her parents' pizza and sub shop in Asheboro, North Carolina (45:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One, and TuneIn Premium! Support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Southern Fried Asian is back from hiatus with a brand new episode featuring cartoonist Kate Gavino, whose new book Sanpaku is in stores now!

Kate discusses her inspiration for creating Sanpaku (2:00) and her contribution to New Frontiers which was also a story about her grandmother (3:00). They also discuss what it feels like to see aspects of Asian culture go mainstream (5:00) and the origins of the concept of sanpaku (6:00). Kate also explains why Houston is the best city in Texas (9:00) -- except for the traffic (14:00) -- and what is was like growing up Filipino (16:00)! Then, they try to figure out the conundrum of being caught between whiteness and blackness and the quest for authenticity (18:00). Later, Kate reveals what inspired her to be a cartoonist (23:30) and how she came to create her first book Last Night's Reading (25:00), being approached to contribute to the New Frontiers anthology (28:00), and working with Boom! Studios (29:30). Finally, she shares why Filipino Texas Thanksgivings are the best (33:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One, and TuneIn Premium! Support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Southern Fried Asian wraps up our special food month with a conversation between Keith and Starry Kitchen co-founder Nguyen Tran!

Nguyen talks about growing up in the suburbs of Dallas (4:00), why he would pretend to be Wonder Woman when the other kids bullied him (8:00), and dealing with different Asian stereotypes (11:00). Then, they go into an extended discussion about how rejecting than embracing Vietnamese food contributed to his identity (15:00), whether there is such a thing as cultural authenticity when it comes to food (23:00), and the origin of Starry Kitchen (33:00). Finally, Nguyen explains how his and his wife's Texas roots inform their food (44:00) and must choose between In-N-Out and Whataburger (47:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One, and TuneIn Premium! Support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Southern Fried Asian's month-long series of food episodes continues with a special Comic-Con conversation with nutrition specialist, and North Carolina native, Dr. Benjamin Ha!

In the halls of the San Diego Convention Center, Dr. Ha tells Keith about his family's love of Comic-Con (1:45) and how he defines being a nerd (3:00). He also talks about growing up in rural North Carolina (8:00) and explains why he chose to become a physician (13:00) and focuses on nutrition (16:00). Then, Keith asks about his viral "Baby Got Kale" video (20:00) and their mutual love for Hamilton (24:30). Later, Dr. Ha describes what it was like trying to find Asian food in a small, rural town (27:30) and helps Keith understand why American food choices are often so unhealthy (32:45) before sharing food memories of Carolina BBQ and Bojangles (36:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One, and TuneIn Premium! Support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Southern Fried Asian with comic book illustrator and the creator of the bestselling graphic novel cookbook Cook Korean, Robin Ha.

Robin reveals the secret origin of Cook Korean (1:45) and explains why Korean food is so popular right now (11:00). Then, Robin describes what it was like moving from Seoul, Korea to Huntsville, Alabama at age 14 (22:00) and living among the city's Korean population... or lack thereof (28:00). Later, she explains how the local comic book store in Huntsville literally changed her life (35:00) and how she eventually taught herself to cook (37:00). Finally, Robin shares some Alabama food memories and her fascination with drive-through fast food places like Sonic (42:45).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One, and TuneIn Premium! Support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Southern Fried Asian kicks off July with a month-long series of food-related episodes! Up first is rockstar chef Cheetie Kumar, the guitarist of indie band Birds of Avalon and the James Beard Award-nominated owner of Garland in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Cheetie compares the lives of chefs and musicians (2:00) and explains why she chose to move from the Bronx to North Carolina as an adult (5:30). Then, Keith and Cheetie describe the connection Southern and Asian cultures have with food (10:00) and break down the day-to-day of operating a restaurant (13:30) and why inspiration requires work (20:30). Later, Cheetie reveals what it was like to receive a James Beard nomination (28:30) before an extended conversation about redefining food culture and the politics of food (32:00). Finally, she describes which food convinced her to move to North Carolina (40:00). BONUS: Listen to the Birds of Avalon track "Cycle Thief," from the album Operator's Midnight, at the end of the pod.

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One, and TuneIn Premium! Support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Southern Fried Asian took a month off, but we're coming back in July!

Starting next week, the pod returns and will be all-new for the rest of the month, kicking off a series spotlighting a different Southern Fried Asian in the culinary industry. Yes, the transition to food podcast is complete!

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and TuneIn Premium! Support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

On this week's Southern Fried Asian, Keith sits down with fellow Virginian Jenny Han, the New York Times-bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy as well as To All the Boys I've Loved Before -- soon to be a movie on Netflix -- and its subsequent sequels!

After trading stories about growing up in Virginia (1:30), Jenny shares what it was like living just outside Richmond, VA (6:00) and how those experience inform her writing. Then they talk about writing from non-Asian American perspectives in her earlier work (13:00) and what it was like writing To All the Boys (22:00). Since Netflix will premiere the motion picture adaptation of To All the Boys I've Loved Before starring Lana Condor on August 17, Jenny discusses the challenges in adapting a novel while avoiding whitewashing (28:00) and what it was like to see Lana Condor embody the role of Lara Jean (34:00). Finally, Jenny reminisces about her grandmother's secret barbecue chicken wings (39:45).

Pre-order the special movie tie-in edition of To All the Boys I've Loved Before on Amazon !

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Since May is both Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Mental Health Awareness month, Keith speaks with Susie Reynolds Reece, the founder of Suicide Prevention Allies, the author of Children's Guide to Parenting, and the original "Southern Fried Asian."

Susie shares the story of her father's passing, moving to Arkansas, and the changing ways society talks about suicide (4:00). She and Keith also discuss how to overcome the stigma of mental health treatment in Asian American communities (6:30) and overcoming social media addiction (8:30). They also settle the "Southern Fried Asian" beef once and for all (12:30) before having a frank discussion about internalized racism (15:00) and upending stereotypes around Asian parenting (20:00). Finally, Susie reminisces about kimchi -- both how her white relatives embraced it and how her Korean mother taught her to make it (26:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

In February, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) held its first convening of Asian American filmmakers in the South. Dubbed, "Beyond Borders: Diverse Voices of the American South," the event brought together these filmmakers and organizers to Durham, North Carolina to build community. On a new episode of Southern Fried Asian, Keith talks to two of the filmmakers -- Matthew Hashiguchi and Hanul Bahm -- as well as CAAM's Talent Development & Special Projects Manager Sapana Sakya.

Together, they discuss origins of CAAM's interest in assembling Asian American filmmakers in the South (1:30). Hanul reveals her initial unease in identifying as a Southerner (6:00) and Matthrew equates the South with growing up in the Midwest (10:15). Matthew also discusses his film Good Luck Soup and the connection the South and Midwest have to Japanese American internment (20:00), while Hanul considers exploring the South more in her films (21:45). Then, Sapana highlights the intersectionality at the center of the project (34:00) before each of them share their favorite food memories of the South (37:00). Finally, Sapana shares what she feels is in the future of the Diverse Voices project (44:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.