Voxcali

Ruoming Pang led Apple’s core LLM initiatives until being lured to Meta by Zuckerberg’s $200 million offer.

Ruoming Pang may be the biggest AI talent to be caught in the big net cast by Mark Zuckerberg to feed Meta’s Superintelligence quest.

Pang’s reported compensation package exceeds $200 million – a figure that puts him alongside NBA superstars like MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who just signed a 4-year $285 million contract.  Of course Meta’s package consists largely of stock options that can be cashed on some future date when Superintelligence will have created billions in shareholder value.

As Apple’s Head of Foundation Models since 2021 Pang led a team of about 100 engineers to achieve LLM-backed initiatives for functionalities like email and web article summaries, Genmojis, and priority notifications.

Before Apple Pang spent 15-year on Google’s large-scale deep learning systems.  He led Google Brain’s speech recognition research and co-created Zanzibar, a fundamental system that controlled who could access data across all of Google’s services.  Pang’s foundational AI models also refined Google’s search ranking recommendation systems and natural language processing.

Pang’s writings have been cited over 45,000 on Google Scholar.  His most notable publication is on MobileNetV3, a new generation of mobile-optimized deep learning models developed using automated search and unique architecture design. Pang earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University in 2006 following a master’s degree in computer science from USC in 2000.   The China native graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 1998 with a bachelor’s in computer science.

The Pakistani American turned Flex-N-Gate into an automotive giant that afforded him the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C.

It took Shahid Khan 13 years to go from new Pakistani immigrant to owner of his first and only employer Flex-N-Gate.  Today, at 74, he’s known more for his multi-sports empire than his $8.9 billion global automotive bumper business employing 27,000.

Khan entered the sports business in 2011 when his $770 million bid for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars was unanimously approved by the league’s owners.  That made Khan the league’s first minority owner.  Today the Jaguars are worth $4.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Less than two years later Flex-N-Gate was profitable enough to afford him the English Premier League team Fulham FC at $200 million.  The team is now worth $850 million.

IN 2019 Khan founded All Elite Wrestling which he now co-owns with 42-year-old son Tony Khan.   AEW is now worth $2 billion.

Khan immigrated to the United States in 1967 at age 16 to study at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.  As a student he began working at auto parts maker Flex-N-Gate.  He became its engineering director upon graduating in 1971 with a bachelor’s in industrial engineering.

He left in 1978 to launch Bumper Works.  It offered an innovative a one-piece bumper design that eliminated welds and became the industry standard.  Just two years later Bumper Works was doing well enough to let Khan buy his former employer.  After he integrated Bumper Works into its operations Flex-N-Gate became a supplier to the largest domestic and international auto brands. 

Today at age 75, Shahid Khan has a $13.3 billion personal net worth, making him the richest person of Pakistani origin.

Parts 2 and 3 of Goldsea's popular Asian American Parenting series shows the problem with parent-centered parenting and lays the foundation to the sincerity and joy that make for child-centered parenting.

Hello, this is Tom Kagy with Unconventional Wisdom.

Today I'm going to continue a podcast I did a couple of months earlier about Asian American parenting. As I mentioned then, I think too many Asian American parents are focused on what I think of as parent-centered parenting. In other words, they're essentially laying down an agenda that favors the parents' own personal preferences and objectives over what is good for the child.

To help move away from that type of parenting, which is really a form of oppression, I've distilled some lessons that I've drawn from my own experiences in raising three extremely well-adjusted, successful children. And yes, I am bragging, but I'm also telling you the truth. These are methods that I found are very effective. ⁓

In the first part, I provided an introduction to what child-centered parenting is. In part two of this article, which was written decades ago when I was in the midst of raising our children, we talk about how to get to child-centered parenting.

Sincerity, that's the essence of our strategy for raising great kids. Not only in saying what you mean, talk is cheap and isn't the best proof of sincerity, but in the sense of doing what you sincerely believe to be in the best interest of your kids. That isn't always easy, as I'm sure you'll agree.

What makes it more difficult is that in parenting, as in anything, the good is the enemy of the great. There's no shortage of good parents who raise good kids. Asian-American parents hardly need help in being so-called good parents.

Most of us have had ample opportunities to absorb the litany from our own parents, relatives, friends, neighbors, and professional colleagues. Push your kids to get straight A's, to play with the right kids, to acquire culture by taking piano or violin lessons, to pick up rudiments of Asian traditions, to get into a prestigious university, preferably an expensive one, and find a desk job with some big company after graduation. Then marry somebody just like themselves.

Sadly, that just about sums up the parenting philosophy of four out of five Asian American parents, not to mention probably three out of four white American parents. It's a great strategy if your parenting goal is to earn your stripes in the eyes of other parents just like you.

Unfortunately, making yourself look like a good parent comes at a steep price. And I don't mean the costs of piano lessons, prep schools, and college tuition. I mean the price your kids pay when they come to understand, at around the age of seven, that their parents really want them to be someone else.

" hear John gets straight As. Why can't you be like John?"

"Mary always plays with the popular girls."

"Why don't you do that? I wish you'd be more athletic instead of playing those stupid computer games all the time."

In a nutshell, that's the dynamic behind the relationship between good parents, quote unquote, and their never good enough kids. Parents who never forgave themselves for having failed to live up to expectations foisting off the same guilt, inadequacy, and debilitating pressures on their own kids.

Remember when you swore never to do that with your kids? And yet, before you know it, you find that your relationship with your own child has been poisoned by the same kind of insincerity that fuels the vicious cycle of good parenting. Study hard and get good grades. Why?

Here's an aspect of the parent-child dialogue too often poisoned by insincerity. "So you can go to a top college and become successful and happy."

"What if I hate studying?"

"I don't care what you hate. I want you to study harder and get better grades so you can be happy later on."

At this point, most kids simply clam up and beat a sulking retreat. After all, the parent is bigger and stronger and holds the purse strings. The parent feels like he's done his duty by laying down the law. In fact, all he's done is confirm the suspicion that his interest in his child's happiness is insincere. The kid doesn't have to be a genius to finish out the dialogue in the sound stage of his own mind.

"But I thought you said it was for our own happiness and well-being."

"It is."

"But I told you, I hate studying. It doesn't make me happy."

"I don't care. I want you to go and study. I know what's best for you."

The dialogue always ends on the same note, a parental assertion of superior wisdom and authority. The kid is forced to come to grips with the ultimate no-win proposition. He must study and get good grades, even though he hates studying and isn't smart enough even to know what's best for himself.

Yet in essence, this is precisely the one-sided dialogue between good parents and their hapless kids with regard to every area of life, school, friends, sports, music, sex, money. It all boils down to the bald assertion that the parent knows best and the kid must obey or else. What makes it galling is the parent's insistence that it's all for the kid's own good.

Most parents fool themselves into believing that their kids believe this nonsense.

Restoring Sincerity Let's see how the dialogue might go if the parent were indeed sincere. Dad, why should I study when I hate it? Son, there are many reasons. First, if you get better grades, I would feel like a responsible and successful parent. It would let me brag to the guys at work who are always telling me about their kids' great report cards. And later, when you're an adult, you might have an easier time getting a job.

So you won't be a financial burden on me and your mother who, after all, will be nearing retirement. And who knows, you might even like being successful. You mean if I get good grades it would make life better for you? Yeah, that's it. ⁓ okay, Dad. I'll see what I can do, though. I still hate this math and English bullshit. The sincere parent doesn't insult the child's intelligence by trying to force feed him patent lies is for your own happiness. For another, by admitting what parental success means for himself, he elevated the kid's sense of self-worth and importance. What's more, he injected some meaning into at least the outcome of his studies, helping his parents, if not into the process itself.

Not a bad first step for a parent determined to break the vicious cycle of, quote, good parenting, unquote. Before we move into an orderly review of our parenting strategy, let's follow the dialogue a step further. If the parent is sincerely interested in his child's welfare and happiness, it may have continued thus. Thanks. But if you don't mind me asking, why do you hate math and English so much?

Asked with a proper degree of sincere interest, a question is the critical second step in salvaging a relationship from the slippery slope of insincere, self-defeating, parent-centered parenting and returning it to the more effective and satisfying child-centered parenting. Principles of Child-Centered Parenting As I said earlier, sincerity is simple, but most certainly not easy. In a nutshell, here are the key precepts we will be exploring in part three. Start with absolute honesty. They can handle it. Focus on what your child feels, not how you look. Provide strength, not stress. Provide choices, not rules. Teach love, not fear.

If you've managed to listen this far, you're either deeply skeptical and are merely driven by morbid curiosity, or you see the advantages of building parent-child relationships on the goals that matter, equipping your kids for a healthy, productive, and meaningful life, even if it means giving up long cherished notions of parenting.

In either case, you care enough about parenting to admit to some doubts about the conventional precepts that have produced the Joes and Janes who people our world. Let's get started. One, build on a bedrock of honesty.

You kids don't believe you're a perfect being who always knows what's best for them. Not if they're normally bright kids past the age of seven. So if you're basing your parent-child relationship on that woeful premise, you'll quickly find yourself slamming against a painful dead end at around the time they turn 12. In fact, we believe that most of the trauma our society imputes to adolescence is brought on by misguided parenting posing as good parenting.

Let's face it, you don't always even know what's best for yourself, much less what's best for another human being. You can't claim the role that so many parents seem bent on claiming, that of all-knowing God of their kids' lives, that role must be ceded to each child at the earliest possible opportunity. Usually that's around the time they start screaming at the top of their lungs while squeezing tears through their tightly shut eyes. That blessed event occurs, in my experience, seconds after they have exited the nirvana of their first home.

Yes, we firmly believe that parents must cede sovereignty over their kids' lives and forego centrality in decisions that affect them from the moment the little creatures exit the womb. Instead, for the first 10 years of their lives, they should expect to play thoughtful hosts showing new guests around. Remember who invited the new being into this world?

Our philosophy turns the conventional notion on its head. You didn't give them life for the simple reason that they didn't ask to be born. You invited them.

Like any good host, you want to see to it that they have the best possible time for the longest possible time. If you're okay with this premise, we're halfway there. Forget that self-defeating notion of parental authority. There's no such thing. Never was, never will be.

It's like talking about using a hammer to program your computer system. It's a concept born of a time when people had to scratch for survival in a harsh land and has no place in an age when the best yardstick of future prosperity is the kind of self-assurance and dynamism needed to fuel creative energies.

You aren't a drill sergeant toughening up a recruit for battle or a warden keeping order among hardened criminals. You're a host who invited your guest to come as she is. Like any good host, you want to make sure your guest doesn't hurt herself by tripping over that pesky tree root in the backyard or slipping on that slick patch and falling down those concrete steps. You want to make sure there's ample food and drink, a warm place to sleep, a variety of amusements. Most of all, you want your guest to enjoy herself so much that she'll want to stay forever.

Stop laying down silly rules or force-feeding hypocritical nonsense about how they have to live with arbitrary restrictions because, well, because you care about them. That's bull. The truth is, parents who lay down a lot of rules are just trying to make life easier for themselves whether they're conscious of it or not.

It's easy enough to intimidate them into putting up with restrictions that may spare you some annoyance and convenience, discomfort and effort. But consider the price you pay when you bully in the name of love. It's ironic that America is always carping at China and other nations about, quote, human rights, quote, quote, democracy.

When there's so much oppression, arbitrariness, and emotional cruelty in so many American homes, you don't have to look much farther than that for all that teen anger and angst.

Parental bullying, we believe, is the original sin of parenting. It injects the poison of hypocrisy into the parent-child relationship. In its wake follows dishonesty, mistrust, resentment, and ultimately alienation and self-destructive rebellion. It probably won't happen when they're seven, eight, or nine. Maybe not even when they're ten or eleven. But bully your kids under the rubric of parental authority. Then compound the sin by calling it love. And sooner or later you'll have turned that beloved little guest into an irksome, even a hateful burden.

Okay, Mr. Know-it-all, you're thinking, how do you teach your kids to grow up to be healthy, well-adjusted, productive and happy adults if you can't even lay down any rules? The short answer is that those aren't things that come from teaching the way knowledge of math can come from teaching.

We get into the subject of rules versus choices later in the article. The purpose of this section is to lay down the foundation for a constructive, effective, and rewarding relationship. The first rule is not to base it on a dangerously misguided notion of parental authority. Push that notion completely out of your head, even though it may have been pounded into your head by your own parents.

You'll spare all concerned a lot of futility, frustration, and rage. Always remember that any exercise of parental authority is merely bullying. And bullying has no place in raising a great human being.

You're probably imagining all the impossible situations that will run amok if you give up the right to come down hard on bratty behavior. I told you it would be difficult. But rest assured, there are ways to lead your guests toward happy maturity, much better ways, as you'll soon see. But that all depends on laying a foundation based on absolute honesty.

Honesty demands that you not force on that newcomer the false notion that you are still all-knowing and therefore have the right to resolve awkward situations by bullying. But start with honesty and you will be able to establish a framework that will grow stronger as your child grows and will let you play a key role in helping your child build the best possible life for her own unique strengths and weaknesses.

If you succeed in doing that, everything else will fall easily into place. A relationship that began with much bawling, tyranny on one side and continual sacrifice on the other will, almost before you know it, mature into the warmest, most mutually gratifying relationship you can imagine. So let your child know from the outset that you aren't God and that you don't know what's best for her, but that you want to do everything in your power to help her discover the really important answers for herself. After all, your real goal is to help that little guest become a confident, capable settler who embraces life with the maximum amount of joy. The only way to do that is to let her feel from the start that it's her life.

That fundamental truth learned early in life forms the rock-solid foundation for every lesson to follow. If not, everything will be built on quicksand. Two, focus on what your child feels, not on how you look.

Who enjoys more universal approval than a good parent? Virtually no one. So, of course, it's only natural to aspire to that title. Unfortunately, it's based more often on appearances than on results. And that focus on looking good can make you lose sight of the goal of parenting. Just because you happen to be within earshot of someone who might pass judgment on your worthiness as a good parent, you might be tempted to scold your kid when you'd rather laugh with her for that bit of innocent impishness.

You might deny her that second ice cream bar when you know that letting her become responsible for her own eating habits will be far healthier in the long run. You might push her to get better grades despite doubts about adding to the pressure built into our social system. In short, you might lapse into treating her like a dim-witted, burdensome intruder rather than your most cherished guest. We've already seen how that will put your relationship on a self-defeating track.

The temptation to court social approval at your child's expense can be resisted if you consciously weigh it against what effect such betrayal would have on your child. What would it do to her to see that her parent

values the approval of others over preserving an honest, mutually respectful relationship with her. Would it instill doubts about your honesty, loyalty, and trustworthiness? Would it make her question the sincerity of everything you say and do? Of course it would. The thought of that price will keep you honest with your kid.

Even though you might feel your face warm a little as your child casually tears the wrapper off that third eskimo pie in front of other parents who cut eyes at you for standing by like some Neanderthal while all that sugar, fat, and cholesterol wreck your offspring's delicate metabolism. It isn't easy or pleasant to suffer the silent clucks of other parents. Yet if you are to spare your child and yourself the awful consequences of "good" parenting, that's exactly what you must do time after time, especially during the first 10 years of your child's life.

Take comfort in the knowledge that it gets easier with each passing year, especially once the benefit of your farsighted parenting approach begin manifesting themselves. More on that next time.

This continues with part four and five, which you can read on goldsee.com.

Kyle Hanagami, Bailey Sok, and Sean Lew have danced with legends, started viral trends, and are constantly inspiring a new wave of dancers.

Asian Americans are leading a global movement with iconic moves and these three dancers are repping their culture while they’re at it. 

Japanese-American Kyle Hanagami is based in Los Angeles and is one of the most in-demand choreographers internationally. He has an impressive resume working with A-listers like Jennifer Lopez and BLACKPINK.

His introduction to dance began while he was attending UC Berkeley where he graduated with a double major in Economics and Psychology. At the time it was just Kyle’s hobby, but after college he joined a dance company, returned to Los Angeles, and started to pursue his dream. 

Kyle Hanagami, 38, has been sharing his choreography with the world on YouTube and has grown his channel to nearly 5 million subscribers, accumulating over 1 billion views. He currently holds the title for the most-viewed choreography video ever to be posted on YouTube which was to Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You. 

Along with outstanding social media metrics, Kyle has also won an iHeartRadio Music Award for Favorite Music Video Choreography and received the Vanguard Award at the 2024 Industry Dance Awards. 

Korean-American Bailey Sok was born and raised in Orange County and started making a name for herself when she started dancing at just 2 years old. By her teens, she had countless videos of her dance performances going viral overnight earning her major recognition both on screen and behind the scenes. 

When she was 14, Bailey became a dance instructor teaching classes all over the globe which led her to collaborations with famous artists including Janet Jackson. 

In 2019, she was honored as Rising Star of the Year at the Arena Awards and more recently in 2023, she was named Dance Creator of the Year at the Adweek Creator Visionary Awards. 

Now at 21, Bailey has been a part of huge campaigns working with giants like Nike, Samsung, and Spotify. She is currently shifting into a singing career as she prepares for her official debut album with K-Pop Group ALLDAY PROJECT. 

Los Angeles native Sean Lew is of Chinese, Japanese, and Mongolian descent who is best known for his appearance on two seasons of the NBC series “World of Dance”. Sean began dancing competitively at 5 years old winning many titles in national competitions and by 8 he was dancing professionally on Glee. 

When Sean was 11 he began to rise to fame after a video of him dancing to Lady Gaga’s applause went viral and scored him an appearance on The Queen Latifah Show. Since then he has danced for many celebrities like Sia and Chris Brown. 

Sean, 23,  has expanded his talents to acting and directing, becoming a series regular on the Fox crime drama The Cleaning Lady and earlier this year releasing a short dance film titled Life Through a Kid’s Eyes. 

There is a new generation of Asian American dancers that are completely owning the spotlight with their passion and creativity and these three talents are leading the movement with every performance.

Singapore native Michelle Lee retired at 35 and is now teaching her clients how she built her wealth to become financially free and how they can do it too. 

Kelli Luu (00:00)

to hear just how she's doing it. Welcome, Michelle.

Michelle Lee (00:20)

Kelli Luu (00:23)

Michelle Lee (00:39)

I connect and I spark conversations that make people feel safer and more empowered with their finances.

Kelli Luu (01:08)

Michelle Lee (01:26)

Kelli Luu (01:48)

Michelle Lee (01:52)

Kelli Luu (02:04)

Michelle Lee (02:17)

Kelli Luu (02:34)

Michelle Lee (02:43)

Kelli Luu (03:08)

Michelle Lee (03:08)

and sometimes even trauma. Therefore my goal is to empower people to be good with money, emotionally and practically.

Kelli Luu (03:17)

Michelle Lee (03:23)

Kelli Luu (03:27)

Right. Yeah, definitely we've seen that before. Can I ask you what's a common struggle that people often come to you for?

Michelle Lee (03:45)

Kelli Luu (03:49)

Mm-hmm.

Michelle Lee (04:12)

Kelli Luu (04:12)

Right, okay. Do you think that people in Singapore are flashy as they are here in the US?

Michelle Lee (04:24)

Kelli Luu (04:25)

Interesting.

course, yeah, Okay. Have you ever had a nine to five? And if so, how did you decide to like leave that?

Michelle Lee (04:43)

Kelli Luu (05:07)

Michelle Lee (05:09)

Kelli Luu (05:15)

Nice, okay. Can you briefly share with us the main source of income that's helped you retire at 35?

Michelle Lee (05:37)

Kelli Luu (05:43)

Mmm, yeah.

Okay.

Michelle Lee (06:05)

is a different kind of investment, it takes a lot of tenacity and good heart, know, like strong heart. So I stay very disciplined, yeah. I really hold and so disciplined and I started saving and investing. So at 34, I bought a property in Singapore, right, a freehold property, and that really settled everything for me, right. It gave me both peace of mind and this strong financial foundation to walk away from.

Kelli Luu (06:11)

Michelle Lee (06:34)

Kelli Luu (06:37)

Michelle Lee (06:41)

see I get paid from my content creation as well and also for my coaching. So I mean, I always tell people as long as you are hardworking and you have skill sets, there's no worry that you will not find a job or income.

Kelli Luu (06:45)

growing up in Singapore, is there any pressure in that culture to follow a traditional path or, what is it like there? What kind of pressure is there?

Michelle Lee (07:06)

Kelli Luu (07:11)

Right.

Michelle Lee (07:34)

Kelli Luu (07:54)

Michelle Lee (08:00)

Kelli Luu (08:18)

Michelle Lee (08:27)

Kelli Luu (08:31)

Michelle Lee (08:37)

are miserable, you don't quit because your parents will say, hey, this is a job. know, every job is going to be the same. It's going to be unhappy in another job. So I had to unlearn, right? Unlearn that and redefine success for myself, I learned, but by how I live and what I value in life.

Kelli Luu (08:46)

Oh yeah, Do you have a lot of American clients that come to you for advice?

Michelle Lee (09:04)

Kelli Luu (09:06)

Okay. And do you feel like there's a difference between the financial, the financial advice that you give to people in Singapore versus Westerners over here in America?

Michelle Lee (09:18)

Kelli Luu (09:29)

Michelle Lee (09:40)

Kelli Luu (09:48)

Okay, cool. So are you giving like investment advice too? So it's not just coaching people with their money, you're teaching them how to make it.

Michelle Lee (09:59)

have no advice. I don't advise people on the investment. I advise people the investment part, Because you are not going to do well with investment if you didn't get your mindset right.

Kelli Luu (10:06)

Right, got it. So I know you said, the government is just completely different in Singapore it's like they really, really take care of their citizens, I would say. Like they make sure, they kind of like set everyone up for success in a way, But is there something unique about the Singaporean financial culture that a lot of us don't see?

Michelle Lee (10:23)

in Singapore, we encourage the locals to top up their retirement scheme, their CPF scheme, for more incentive, tax reliefs and everything. And also they give up a lot of subsidies to people who might be struggling or have a bigger family or may face some problem in their house.

Kelli Luu (10:43)

Michelle Lee (10:57)

Kelli Luu (11:02)

Michelle Lee (11:18)

lower income people. And Kelli, for me, I'm a beneficiary of my government policies. I didn't come from a good background. And whatever financial assistance that I received was very useful in my upbringing in the years that I grew up and I feel that I want to pay it forward.

Kelli Luu (11:38)

Michelle Lee (11:46)

Kelli Luu (11:47)

Michelle Lee (11:57)

No certification, nothing. So what can you do? What value can you add to the company? on the side. And it's also very important to track every dollar. Not to restrict, but to understand and be intentional about where your money goes. Because you can't grow anything that you don't track.

Kelli Luu (12:33)

Okay, of course, definitely. Do you think it's harder to build wealth now in 2025 or then 10 years ago?

Michelle Lee (12:46)

Kelli Luu (13:15)

Michelle Lee (13:16)

I feel that they will need, I feel that they have to prioritize to earn, right? And with intention, right? Have a goal in mind. Invest with confidence, okay? And also have clarity, right? Most importantly, build skill sets that give you freedom. Don't just focus on budgeting. Focus on expanding your value.

Kelli Luu (13:41)

expanding your value, got it. As a person or as like a brand?

Michelle Lee (13:47)

has a business and you are your own

Kelli Luu (13:53)

Michelle Lee (13:59)

Kelli Luu (14:17)

Michelle Lee (14:22)

Kelli Luu (14:32)

Michelle Lee (14:50)

Kelli Luu (14:53)

Okay.

Michelle Lee (15:18)

will sabotage your money no matter how much you earn.

Kelli Luu (15:45)

Michelle Lee (15:57)

Kelli Luu (16:01)

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Michelle Lee (16:22)

Kelli Luu (16:22)

Right. Okay. You said that you're retired at 35. What does that really look like? Like, you kind of even almost walk me a day in your life?

Michelle Lee (16:33)

Kelli Luu (16:42)

Mm. Yeah.

Michelle Lee (16:59)

Kelli Luu (17:02)

Michelle Lee (17:23)

Kelli Luu (17:27)

Michelle Lee (17:49)

time, I focus on upskilling, especially in content creation. I learn from other creators, know, take up courses, learn to get better at telling stories, editing, just writing. I like writing on threads. Yeah. So retirement is about having the time and space to really just grow and learn and live meaningfully.

Kelli Luu (18:08)

Michelle Lee (18:18)

just building and impacting and creating impact and influencing people, you know.

Kelli Luu (18:48)

Michelle Lee (18:54)

Kelli Luu (18:59)

Okay, well, thank you so for sharing your story with Goldsea today. I'm sure everyone appreciates it today. Thank you so much.

David Chang is reshaping the global culinary landscape with Momofuku and a distinctive voice in food media.

Celebrity chef David Chang combined innovative techniques and quality ingredients to reimagine modern Asian cuisine in the U.S.

Momofuku, which means “lucky peach” in Japanese, is on the entrance to eight restaurants across New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Chang opened his first Momofuku in 2004, a Noodle Bar in NYC’s East Village which quickly garnered critical acclaim for the bold flavors of its pork belly buns, fried chicken and ramens.

Two years later he opened Momofuku Ssäm Bar featuring Korean fusion wraps.  Chang’s tasty eclectic creations were featured on season 5 of the popular foodie TV show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations showcasing cured hamachi, uni with chicharrónes, and slow roasted pork shoulder served with oysters and two kinds of kimchi.  It was awarded two Michelin stars in 2009.

In 2015 the Momofuku Group launched Fuku, a fried chicken sandwich chain located in ballparks and arenas across the country including Madison Square Garden and Allegiant Stadium.  Four years later the brand expanded into restaurant-quality pantry items.  By 2023 Momofuku reported gross revenues of $50 million.

Guest judge appearances on several culinary TV programs and hosting the first season of PBS’s The Mind of a Chef in 2012 made Chang practically ubiquitous on the hip restaurant scene.  A quarterly food publication “Lucky Peach” launched in 2011 ceased publication after 6 years.

In 2018 Chang achieved household status after Netflix debuted Ugly Delicious, a series in which he not only stars but also creates and produces.  The show connects cultures through cuisine and examines the history or evolution of a specific dish or culinary theme.  It ran for 12 episodes across two seasons.  

His second Netflix series Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner premiered in 2019 to explore a new city with a celebrity guest in each of its four episodes.  

In 2021 Chang created a six-episode Hulu docuseries The Next Thing You Eat focusing on food production technologies. 

His most successful Netflix series, Dinner Time Live with David Chang, debuted in 2024 andhas run 37 episodes to date.  

As if that weren’t enough time away from a hot stove, Chang also hosts a podcast called “The Dave Chang Show”.

Chang Seok-ho was born 47 years ago and grew up in Arlington, Virginia.  His parents had emigrated from Korea in the 1960s and came to own a golfing goods store and two restaurants. Chang studied at the French Culinary Institute in 2000 and worked in acclaimed New York City restaurants. In 2020 Chang made history as the first celebrity to win the $1 million top prize on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” The proceeds went to the Southern Smoke Foundation which provides emergency relief grants and mental health services to food and beverage industry workers.

Pending export licenses from the Trump administration during a trade truce with China will allow Nvidia to meet the huge backlog of demand for its GPUs.

With over 250 vendors, free parking, and entertainment, 626 Night Market is back at Santa Anita Park proving why it’s everyone’s favorite food and culture fest.

Summertime in Socal means it is time for the annual 626 Night Market and this year they were not holding back. With over 100,000 attendees and 250 vendors the energy at this weekend’s 626 in Arcadia was absolutely electric. 

626 makes sure all their guests have a smooth admission with free parking and $6 tickets at the door. The market runs Friday through Sunday from 4PM to 11PM giving you plenty of time to indulge in the experience. I recommend arriving at 6PM to beat the rush and long lines that started forming around 9. 

When you walk into the Santa Anita Park grounds you’ll immediately be drawn in by the endless number of booths selling collectibles and other trinkets. Keychains, Croc pins, and of course the star of this year’s show, Labubu made it impossible for me to walk away without making a purchase. 

Deeper into the market is a foodie paradise. The vendors are also local chefs and entrepreneurs looking to build their business and market new concepts so there is something for everyone at 626. Snack on a grilled squid skewer, which was $20 or stuff your belly with a truffle lobster roll which came out to $29. 

After grabbing a couple of bites, pick a spot to get a refreshing fruit infused lemonade or a tasty whipped matcha. Some vendors even offer unlimited refills with their special souvenir bottles. This year’s hot seller was the capybara which was $27 for unlimited refills until 10PM. 

If you need a break from the food, you can stop and win prizes with classic market games or you can get your adrenaline rushing by bungee jumping on a trampoline. And of course don’t forget to check out the live music in the middle of the fair grounds featuring local upcoming music artists. 

626 Night Market will be back for one more weekend at Santa Anita Park so if you’re looking for something to do this summer secure presale tickets for July 18-20 online for $5. 626 brings together the best of food, culture, and community showing everyone exactly what summer in SoCal is all about.

Belly Laughs was a full course experience brought to L.A. Live to celebrate Asian American culture, comedy, and culinary pride.

This past weekend the Belly Laughs Festival brought food, comedy, and Asian-American culture to Los Angeles. 30 AAPI comedians, 20 Asian-owned food and beverage vendors and over 6,000 attendees got together at L.A. Live for a celebration of a unique Third Culture. 

Famous names like Asif Ali, Margaret Cho, and Bobby Lee took the stage at the Peacock Theater and had people laughing out of their seats with sets ranging from reflection to ICE crackdowns.

But this wasn’t just a comedy show, it was a true cultural event.

Outside of the theater was an exciting experience put together by MAMA’s Nightmarket. With handpicked vendors, each with their own hustle, heart, and heritage, you could taste flavor and tradition with every dish. It was extremely difficult to decide which vendor to stop at with beef skewers, spicy dumplings, and Korean fried chicken lighting up the air. 

The fun continued with mahjong tables and karaoke stages giving everyone an opportunity to meet new people and reconnect with their roots. 

And there were also live events throughout the day which entertained the crowd with traditional techniques and fusion twists. Chef Tue Nguyen taught a crash course cooking demo and Rivera Seafood Club held a live tuna cutting.  

Hari Kondabolu called Belly Laughs our “Lollapalooza” and I couldn’t have agreed more. I left the event full of food, boba, and pride. The Belly Laughs Festival was proof that Asian Americans can headline, host, and hold space confidently, all while having a good time doing it. 

An accident investigator and former pilot suggests the most likely cause of the crash was failure to replace a chip that had become worn out.

A report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau following the fatal crash of an Air India flight  indicated a chip malfunction as the crash's cause, a former pilot told Reuters on Saturday (July 12). Kristy Kilburn reports.