Weekly Welcome

Keegan Fong is the Founder of Woon, serving “homestyle Chinese food” in Los Angeles inspired by recipes from “Mama Fong.” It’s a gateway restaurant for those that have both enjoyed Chinese food growing up and for those desiring to explore in depth about Chinese cuisine. Keegan has created a comfortably modern environment minus the stuffiness plus the friendliness to serve his favorite childhood dishes.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography by Calvin Khurniawan. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Deau and Joy are the power couple and Co-Founders behind LA's buzziest Thai restaurant, Holy Basil. Both hail from Bangkok, but boast different stories on how their paths eventually converged at the now-closed Chandara as cashier and bartender, respectively. Deau's background was in graphic design and naturally the pair launched a string of pop-ups promoting their beverage brand The_Base. Naturally, the opportunity presented itself and the duo soon found themselves launching their first ever full blown Bangkok street food concept in Downtown Los Angeles. Since opening in early 2021, they've had their share of challenges in educating the consumer base as well as a string of accolades validating their years of work in this industry.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography by Calvin Khurniawan. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Katy Noochlaor is the Co-Owner and operator of 20+ year Thai street food Tuk Tuk in Sawtelle, robust wine and casual Thai fare Same Same in Silver Lake, and the multigenerational dining institution Chao Krung in Fairfax. We speak on her newly relocated and updated Tuk Tuk as well as the importance in reclaiming Thai food.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography by Calvin Khurniawan. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Eric Tjahyadi is a Co-Owner in his family owned Southeast Asian restaurant Bone Kettle in Old Town Pasadena. During the day, Eric is also the VP, Head of Global Ad Sales at Sony Music. He's also a partner in Supa Coffee, a hip-hop themed conceptual café. We touch on creating organizational structure, importance of delegating, and not giving up on what you want to do and what you love. Eric and his family immigrated from Indonesia and their initial perception of America (Victorian houses/Full House) ended up being anything but. There have been many challenges in this self-funded, family venture in Bone Kettle. Through it all, it's still here and after conversing with Eric, it's easy to see why.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography + videography by Calvin Khurniawan. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Vanda Asapahu is a second generation restaurant owner of Ayara Thai, a Thai institution in Westchester, LA nearing two decades of operation. Family owned and operated in every sense, we dive into the dynamics of working with family, the harmful notion of “cheap Asian food,” and what’s next for the Asapahu family.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography + videography by Calvin Khurniawan. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Bartender-turned-ice cream shop owner Adrienne Borlongan is the Co-Founder of Wanderlust Creamery — artisanal ice cream inspired by the founders’ feelings of wanderlust, every flavor is a love letter to the places they’ve been, the places they long to visit, and childhood memories.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography + videography by Calvin Khurniawan. Recorded at 3.1 Phillip Lim. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Ria Dolly Barbosa is the Executive Chef and VP of Culinary at Peso Hospitality. Their first restaurant Petite Peso serves thoughtful, comforting Filipino food in DTLA. We chronicle her immigrant experience from the Philippines to running the popular Sqirl to eventually meeting her now business partners through Instagram.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography + videography by Calvin Khurniawan. Recorded at 3.1 Phillip Lim. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Rica Leon is the Co-Owner/CEO of Chifa in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles ― a restaurant that features Cantonese, Peruvian, and Taiwanese cooking. Truly a family owned and operated restaurant, it's inspired by Rica's mom Wendy "Popo" who emigrated from Hong Kong to Lima, Peru with her family. Eventually the family made their way stateside landing in Highland Park, which neighbors Eagle Rock. Rica's story is a full circle story about grit, perseverance, and the American dream. 

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography + videography by Calvin Khurniawan. Recorded at 3.1 Phillip Lim. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Justin Pichetrungsi is the second generation owner and operator of Anajak Thai Cuisine in Sherman Oaks. Anajak has been around for multiple decades and one of the first Thai restaurants in the valley. We chat about challenges of multigenerational restaurant ownership in maintaining the older clientele while attaining the new, the expression of Thai cuisine, how his ever popular "Thai Taco Tuesday (TTT)" came to be, his use of social media, and how he came to fully realize his responsibility in returning to run the family business.

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography + videography by Calvin Khurniawan. Recorded at 3.1 Phillip Lim. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.

Lien Ta is the Co-Owner and operator of LA restaurants Here’s Looking at You and All Day Baby. In addition, she’s a Co-Founder of Regarding Her, a national non-profit driven by women restaurateurs on a mission to empower and advance all women identifying food and drink entrepreneurs. 

Hosted + produced by Arnold Byun. Cover art illustration by Seohui Chi. Photography + videography by Calvin Khurniawan. Recorded at 3.1 Phillip Lim. Follow us on Instagram @withwarmwelcome or visit our website, withwarmwelcome.com.