The Hungry Immigrant

Francisca Luhong James made history as the first Dayak woman to be crowned Miss Universe Malaysia—but her story begins long before the crown, in the longhouses, kitchens and food traditions of Sarawak.

Francisca joins Chef Dr. Abang Brian to explore her Kayan-Kenyah-Iban heritage through midin, kasam, Sarawak pepper, siput and memories of cooking with her grandmother. She reflects on Indigenous representation, the traditions at risk of being lost and why preserving food means preserving the stories, knowledge and identity of a community.

Plus, Francisca faces the Sambal Survey.

This is The Hungry Immigrant: Heart, heritage and the unexpected.

Chef Paolo Dungca’s journey began in San Fernando, Pampanga, continued through immigration to Los Angeles at 13 and eventually brought him to Washington, D.C.—with the flavours of the Philippines travelling alongside him.

From washing dishes at Disneyland to becoming a StarChefs Rising Star, James Beard Award semifinalist and the chef behind KAYU, Paolo has built a career around remembering, questioning and reimagining Filipino food.

He joins Chef Dr. Abang Brian to discuss migration, memory and the meaning of authenticity. They explore what makes food feel Filipino, how recipes evolve after crossing borders and whether immigrant cuisine must become “fine dining” before people recognise its value.

This is a conversation about ambition, belonging and cooking the Philippines you remember—even when home is thousands of miles away.

The Hungry Immigrant: Heart, Heritage and the Unexpected.

What does Malaysia taste like?

In this special live Merdeka and Malaysia Day episode, Chef Dr. Abang Brian gathers LITE Breakfast announcers Terry and Leah, Sheila, Ming Ho from Sunway Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia and members of the LITE community for The Great Malaysian Potluck.

Through childhood food memories, mothers’ cooking, agak-agak, audience stories and a blind Sambal Survey, they explore how Malaysians learn taste, inherit recipes and carry culture from one generation to the next.

Because Malaysia is more than a melting pot—it is a potluck, where every dish brings its own story to the table.

The Hungry Immigrant: Heart, Heritage and the Unexpected.

What if the foods we left behind could help feed our future?

Recorded during Climate Week in New York, Dr. Abang Brian speaks with Paul Newnham, CEO of the SDG2 Advocacy Hub and founder of Beans Is How, about the missing role of culture in solving hunger, nutrition and climate challenges.

They explore why immigrants sometimes abandon ancestral foods, how ingredients such as beans and lentils became associated with poverty, and whether traditional dishes can evolve without losing their identity.

From refugee communities and global food policy to dal, bean burgers and the Sambal Survey, this conversation asks us to look back at our food heritage as we build what comes next.

Because preserving culture does not have to mean rejecting change. It is not “either/or.” It can be “and.”

The Hungry Immigrant: Heart, Heritage and the Unexpected.

Jill Nguyen left Vietnam at 14 with two suitcases. Seventeen years later, she has become one of DC’s most beloved bakers.

In this episode of The Hungry Immigrant, Abang Brian sits down with Jill, the Vietnamese-born baker behind Capital Jill Baking. Jill never baked before 2020, but what began as pandemic restlessness turned into a life of sourdough, cakes, community, and a starter named Scarlett Dough Hanson.

They talk about leaving Hanoi, building a life in America, the real banh mi bread, why it is not a baguette, tamarind caramel, Milo, sambal, snail sausages, and the beautiful madness of gathering almost 300 cakes in one room.

This is a story about migration, reinvention, and how flour, water, time, and stubbornness can become a new home.

Are you using your wok correctly?

Eleanor Hoh, better known as the Wok Star, joins Dr. Abang Brian to reveal what most home cooks misunderstand about wok cooking. They explore how to choose, season and care for a wok; why heat and BTUs matter; what creates wok hei; and the mistakes that may be holding back your stir-fries.

Eleanor also shares her journey Hong Kong to the United States, how food helped her build community, and how the wok became central to her life and work.

🎁 Listen to the episode, then visit @hungryimmigrant on Instagram for your chance to win a Wok Star Kit worth $159+. Giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on August 19, 2026. US only. Terms and conditions apply.

Follow @wokstar, @hungryimmigrant and @abangbrian on Instagram.

The Hungry Immigrant celebrates the people, stories and food traditions shaping Asian food culture around the world.

Who gets to decide whether food is “authentic”?

Recorded live at the 2026 Kalamazoo Foodways Symposium, Chef Dr. Abang Brian is joined by Peecoonn Allen, Thai-born founder of Umami Ramen, and Shane Bernardo, a Filipino food justice organizer and co-founder of Food as Healing.

Through stories of carrot som tum, a grandmother’s lugaw, adobo, rendang and nasi lemak, they explore how migration, colonization, displacement and adaptation shape the food we inherit. Is a dish less authentic when it changes—or is adaptation how its meaning survives?

It is a conversation about food as love, healing, memory and belonging—with a fiery Sambal Survey along the way.

Lao food is not Thai food.

Yet for decades, one of Southeast Asia's oldest culinary traditions has been misunderstood, hidden behind restaurant menus, and overshadowed by history.

In this episode of The Hungry Immigrant, Dr. Abang Brian sits down with chef, food educator, and author Saeng Douangdara to explore the story behind Lao cuisine, the legacy of refugee families, and the release of his landmark cookbook, The Lao Kitchen.

Born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in Wisconsin, Saeng shares how his parents carried Laos with them through recipes, sticky rice, and padaek. Together, we discuss the history of Thaification, what truly defines Lao food, growing up queer and Lao in America, and why preserving food culture is about far more than recipes.

Because sometimes, the most powerful thing immigrants carry with them isn't what fits in a suitcase—it's what lives in their kitchens.

In this episode of Hungry Heroes, we spotlight Abi “Lumpia Queen” Marquez — a creator who turned a humble Filipino staple into a global conversation.

From filming in her home kitchen to winning a Webby Award and earning a James Beard nomination, Abi’s journey is more than viral success. It’s about representation, creativity, and the power of food to carry identity across borders.

Through her signature “what if we lumpia that?” approach, she invites millions to rediscover Filipino flavors — not as trends, but as culture, memory, and pride.

This episode blends narration with Abi’s own words, tracing how passion, personality, and persistence can transform everyday cooking into cultural impact.

Because sometimes, the smallest wrapper holds the biggest story.

Featuring excerpts from:

• Rappler Talk Entertainment: Abi Marquez on content creation, Filipino food
• Making Lumpia with the ‘Lumpia Queen’ (PIX11 / New York Living)
• Influencer Abi Marquez Talks About Youth Creativity and Digital Innovation
• LA Currents: Abi Marquez Interview
• RX931 Heard on Thursdays: Abi Marquez

In the heart of the 11th arrondissement, Abang Brian found home the moment he opened the door to The Hood Paris. A buzzing café and restaurant that has become a soul-restoring haven for modern Asians and a vibrant cultural bridge for Parisians. In this episode, Pearl and Crystal, the co-founders of The Hood, share their incredible journey. They detail how they went from careers in finance and accounting to pioneering Southeast Asian cuisine in one of the world’s most demanding food capitals. Their mission was never just about food; it was about creating a community-driven kopitiam where everyone feels at home, breaking down stereotypes that label Asian food as merely "cheap takeaway." This episode explores the delicate dance of cultural identity in how they adapt the heavy, rich flavours of rendang and Curry Laksa for the French palate, their thoughtful use of MSG, and the audacious idea of pairing Nasi Lemak with natural wine. It’s a story of passion, pride, and the kind of food that is so comforting, it becomes a universal language.

0:00 - Intro

01:05 - Finding Home: From Finance toKopitiam

05:25 - The Pandan & Kaya Revolution

11:15 - Breaking Bread, We Break Rice

16:05 - How Chicken Soup Won Over theFrench

21:45 - Produce, Terroir, and the MSGDebate

27:35 - "Cheap Asian Food"

32:00 - The Oeuf Mayo Sambal Fusion:Adapting Flavours

41:15 - The Soul of The Hood

43:55 - The Mother Ship Concept: Nonette& Future Plans

47:10 - The Sambal Survey

Timestamps: