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"title": "The Real Mongolian Barbecue",
"headTitle": "The Real Mongolian Barbecue | KQED",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915325\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1911px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13915325 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A metal pot filled with chunks of raw meat sits on an outdoor grill area with wisps of smoke rising up.\" width=\"1911\" height=\"1274\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1911w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1911px) 100vw, 1911px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">To cook khorkhog outdoors at Richmond’s Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, Battulga Ochirpurev filled a pressure cooker with lamb meat, vegetables and blazing hot stones. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">KQED’s \u003c/i>\u003c/em>BBQ in the Bay\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bbq\">series of stories\u003c/a> exploring the Bay Area’s multicultural barbecue scene. New installments will post every day from June 28–July 1. \u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ooking back, it’s a bit embarrassing that I ever believed Mongolian barbecue had anything to do with Mongolia, the country. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I was probably 10 or 11 years old when some distant Canadian cousins introduced me to the pleasures of all-you-can-eat griddle-cooked meats, treating my family to what they’d offered up as a fun and novel lunch option in the Toronto suburbs. There was the buffet line where you could customize your sauce and pile as many thinly sliced meats and vegetables onto your tray as you liked. There were the chefs in paper hats, who’d dump everything onto the sizzling flat-top. There was the giant gong that they would bang, unironically, anytime someone’s order was ready.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Years later, while working as the food critic for the \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">East Bay Express\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, I sheepishly recounted this memory to Togi Sukhbaatar, who ran \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/togis-serves-real-mongolian-food-2-1/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a Mongolian restaurant in downtown Oakland\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at the time. “That isn’t really Mongolian at all, is it?” I asked him. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No, it is not. As the story goes, Mongolian barbecue was actually invented in the 1950s by a Taiwanese comedian with no connection to Mongolia. Mong gu kao rou, or “Mongolian barbecue,” wasn’t even his first name choice: He would have advertised his restaurant as serving “Beijing barbecue” if it weren’t politically risky in Taiwan to invoke China so directly at that time. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/14/garden/at-the-nation-s-table-appleton-wis.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">By the ’80s\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, kitschy and vaguely Orientalist versions of the restaurant genre had \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://la.eater.com/2018/1/12/16885612/los-angeles-founder-mongolian-bbq-dies\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">become popular\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in much of the United States.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Still, Sukhbaatar said, there \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">was\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a well-loved Mongolian food that better fit the term “Mongolian barbecue”—a slow-cooked lamb or mutton dish known as khorkhog, which Mongolians eat at every birthday, every wedding, every big family gathering. Even here in the Bay Area, almost any time more than 10 or 20 Mongolian Americans get together—say, in a park or in someone’s backyard—they’ll build a fire to prepare a big pot of khorkhog: a sealed vessel, usually a pressure cooker, filled to the brim with the meat from a whole sheep or lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions and blazing hot rocks.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This, Sukhbaatar told me, was the real Mongolian barbecue.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After I learned about khorkhog, I became mildly obsessed with the dish. But it wasn’t easy to track down. There are only a handful of Mongolian restaurants in the Bay Area to begin with, and only the most ambitious of these even list khorkhog on the menu because the process of cooking it is so time-consuming and unwieldy in the context of a restaurant kitchen.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915331\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13915331 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"An old pressure cooking sitting on a grill grate, with trees in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Most Mongolian American families own at least one old-school pressure cooker like this one, which they use for making the slow-cooked lamb dish known as khorkhog. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After years of searching, I finally stumbled across \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/Dumpling-House-Mongolian-cuisine-111983887822655/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dumpling House Mongolian Cuisine\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a Mongolian restaurant in Richmond that serves khorkhog all the time, as long as you call ahead to give them a couple of hours of advance notice. Finally, then, I’d have a chance to taste khorkhog for myself. Owners Erika Terbish Erdenechimeg and Battulga Ochirpurev even agreed to cook it for me in the traditional way—outdoors, over a blazing fire. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was also a chance to dig deeper into the questions that had bothered me ever since I first learned about khorkhog. Why was it that, while most everyone in the U.S. is familiar with so-called “Mongolian barbecue,” traditional Mongolian foodways seem to have been completely erased? And why had I heard so little about the Bay Area’s Mongolian community to begin with? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marketing copy for the American chain restaurant version of Mongolian barbecue often cites an \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.changsmongoliangrill.com/history/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">origin story\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for the dish in which Genghis Khan’s band of fierce nomadic warriors would hunt animals between battles, then grill the meat over fire, using the tops of their shields as a cooking surface. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This, too, is a total fiction. It turns out the story of real Mongolian barbecue—and what it represents for Mongolian Americans looking to connect with their community in the Bay Area today—is far more interesting.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cooking \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">‘American’ Style\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ochirpurev and Sukhbaatar (who now works in construction) meet me near the entrance of Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, a woodsy stretch of the Richmond hills, on a Monday morning armed with a sack of root vegetables and a cooler full of meat. Because of childcare duties, Terbish Erdenechimeg isn’t able to make it, even though Ochirpurev says she’s the real chef of the family. Meanwhile, Ochirpurev’s elderly parents, visiting from Mongolia, join us for the early afternoon khorkhog feast. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915335\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915335\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"An older woman and a man smile, looking down toward the ground in a wooded area.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Altangerel Deleg (left) and her son Battulga Ochirpurev take a break from preparing the khorkhog. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ochirpurev is a rangy, jovial fellow with close-cropped hair, puffy foam slippers and big, good-natured Asian dad energy. “I drank beer for 30 years. I quit for two years,” he tells me, ripping open a variety pack of Jarritos fruit soda to hand me a bottle. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He and his wife got married in Mongolia in 2000, when she was a 19-year-old volleyball champion. The couple moved to the United States a few years later with their three-year-old son, and worked whatever odd jobs they could get—Ochirpurev’s first gig was sweeping floors at a Kmart in Missouri. (Now, he tells me, reaching for a fist bump, that same son attends UC Davis.) Terbish Erdenechimeg, for her part, cooked at a few different restaurants before the couple \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2019/11/19/a-taste-of-mongolia-for-richmond-residents/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">opened their own place in Richmond in 2012.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While it’s hard to get an accurate count, most estimates peg the Mongolian population in Northern California at around \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfexaminer.com/our_sections/forum/mongolians-in-the-bay-area-are-optimistic-about-the-future/article_34cfc134-4488-55ce-ab59-25000109856e.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">8,000 to 10,000\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a tight-knit community, but one that’s too small and dispersed to easily support a business like Dumpling House on its own. Indeed, Ochirpurev estimates that about 70% of his customers are actually Tibetan; the two cuisines share a similar array of dumplings and noodle dishes. But it’s usually only Mongolians who will order khorkhog, Ochirpurev says. No one else knows what it is.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He shows me the weathered, ancient pressure cooker that he’s brought along for the occasion, one of several that he and his wife have collected from flea markets over the years. This particular model was originally used by the American military—“heavy duty,” he tells me, rapping on the lid.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915328\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1853px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915328\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a pot filled with chunks of raw meat and rocks with wisps of smoke rising up.\" width=\"1853\" height=\"1236\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1853w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1853px) 100vw, 1853px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">To assemble the khorkhog, add alternating layers of meat and hot rocks. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ochirpurev describes his method of cooking khorkhog as “American style,” explaining that most people in Mongolia don’t have access to pressure cookers. Back home, the most common way to prepare khorkhog is to cook the meat inside the metallic 40-liter Russian water jugs scattered throughout the countryside—remnants of the Soviet military presence in Mongolia. Crafty home cooks turn these water jugs into makeshift pressure cookers by standing on top of the lid while the meat is cooking, using the full weight of their body to hold it down. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Isn’t that dangerous?” I ask when Ochirpurev shows me a Facebook photo of his cousin doing exactly that, teetering precariously like he’s about to fall off. “It is dangerous!” he says, cackling. “Sometimes they go flying!”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The “American” style of making khorkhog has a kind of improvised, off-the-cuff quality to it, at least as practiced by Ochirpurev and his family on this Monday afternoon. Ochirpurev pours a bag of self-lighting charcoal and piles it at the base of the outdoor grill, then lights up the coals with a flick of his cigarette lighter. (People don’t have much access to charcoal in Mongolia, he explains, so they just use some combination of wood chips and fallen tree branches, which he also applies liberally to feed the flames.) \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traditionally, one of the keys to making proper khorkhog is to gather stones from a nearby river—smooth river stones being the ideal vessel to withstand high heat without cracking or splintering. For his Americanized version, Ochirpurev has brought a large bag of decorative “creek stones,” the kind you can buy at Home Depot or any garden store. After they’ve been buried inside the burning charcoal for about half an hour, the stones are blazing hot. To assemble the khorkhog, Ochirpurev layers the hot rocks with big pieces of freshly butchered lamb from a local halal ranch, alternating layers of lamb and rocks until the pressure cooker is filled to the top. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915337\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915337\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A woman tosses carrots and potatoes into a pot.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Altangerel Deleg adds fresh vegetables to the pot. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Ochirpurev’s mother adds fresh vegetables to the pot: potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage and rutabaga. (Rutabaga is the secret ingredient that makes khorkhog and many other Mongolian dishes taste delicious, Ochirpurev says.) Then come big handfuls of spice, pre-measured by Terbish Erdenechimeg back at the restaurant—a mixture that smells strongly of garlic and onion powder, though it’s mostly just salt, black pepper and bay leaves. Sukhbaatar, the former Oakland restaurant owner, explains that the seasoning is meant to be very simple, in order to bring out the natural flavor of the meat. A little bit of water goes in the pot too, to form the base of a soup.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Really, though, the hot stones inside the pot are what set khorkhog apart from any other slow-cooked stew. Once the pressure cooker is sealed up, Ochirpurev sets it over the fire. About an hour later, we’re ready to open up the pot and dig in.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Father of Khorkhog\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even within Mongolia, khorkhog is very much an evolving tradition. The proliferation of those big Soviet-era water jugs throughout Mongolia is part of the dish’s origin story, according to Shirchin Baatar, a local Mongolian community leader who founded the Bay Area Mongolian Community Association (BAMCA) in 2003. In that sense, the modern form of the dish is a byproduct of Mongolia’s complicated politics in the 20th century—its history as a landlocked buffer zone during various conflicts between China and the USSR and its many decades of Soviet occupation. “Khorkhog was invented during Soviet times,” Baatar says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nevertheless, the dish traces its roots to a much older Mongolian food tradition known as boodog, a dish that Mongolian hunters have prepared for centuries, removing all the bones from a deer, antelope or other wild game in order to form a “bag” out of its skin. Then they’d cut up the meat, put it back inside the skin bag along with hot rocks, and tie it up tight. The whole thing would be cooked over fire, with the skin bag essentially serving as a natural form of “pressure cooker.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Baatar puts it, “Boodog is the father of khorkhog.” The basic principle is the same: The meat gets steamed inside the bag, but it also gets burned by the hot rocks, so you end up with a final product that’s “half steamed, half burned.” That’s the essence of what makes khorkhog taste so good. In that way, it follows the same principle as all great barbecue dishes that combine some form of slow cooking with a scorching flame. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915339\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915339\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"An old-fashioned pressure cooker heated over a fire outdoors.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The hot rocks inside scorch the meat while the fire builds up the steam pressure inside the pot. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But the tastiest part of the boodog, according to Baatar? When you put the skin bag over the fire, all the hair burns off and the skin gets nice and crispy. It’s a cooking vessel you can eat.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baatar says his uncles and grand-uncles in Mongolia still prepare boodog the old-fashioned way when they go hunting in the summer. Even in the United States, if you’re friends with the right Mongolian folks, you might have a chance to experience it. He’s had friends who have cooked wild boars and marmots that way after hunting trips in Colorado or in the Sacramento area. “Marmots are very delicious,” he says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">‘We Have to Have That Kind of Place’\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As extraordinary as an excursion like that sounds, these foodways are largely invisible to the majority of Northern Californians. It’s fairly easy to speculate why Mongolians in the Bay Area don’t have the same kind of visibility as more well-known Asian immigrant groups like the region’s Chinese American and Korean American communities. The population is just much, much smaller, and it isn’t necessarily concentrated in any single ethnic enclave. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s also a relatively new immigrant community, explains Baatar. Mongolians didn’t really start arriving in the Bay Area until the mid-’90s, when a number of them received student visas to study English at a language school in San Francisco. Many of those early arrivals either overstayed their visas or were able to find jobs here, but when Baatar himself arrived in 1998, there were still only about 70 Mongolians in the Bay Area. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s that there were at least a couple thousand Mongolian immigrants living in the region.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sukhbaatar, who only ran his restaurant—Togi’s Mongolian Cuisine—for a couple of years, says the cuisine has had even less visibility because there have never been very many real Mongolian restaurants. Many of that early wave of immigrants worked in restaurants or even opened restaurants of their own—but often they would be Japanese sushi restaurants, or restaurants specializing in other Asian cuisines that seemed more viable from a business perspective. Only in the last few years have there been a greater number of restaurants that put traditional Mongolian food front and center.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915352\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915352\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Ochirpurev Sambuudorj and Altangerel Deleg sit at a picnic table.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ochirpurev Sambuudorj and Altangerel Deleg sit at an outdoor picnic table at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, listening to Mongolian music while they wait for the khorkhog to cook. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baatar and Sukhbaatar say these restaurants are some of the few remaining places where Mongolians can socialize together outside their homes. The pandemic, in particular, has had a pronounced alienating effect on the community. In Oakland, a Mongolian language school for kids, which also taught Mongolian music and dancing, closed down during the pandemic. Each summer, the community usually gathers together to celebrate Naadaam, a traditional festival with wrestling, archery and horse racing. It was canceled the past two years.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13915306,arts_13915387,arts_13904835']Most significant, says Sukhbaatar, was the closure of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/mongol-bar-oakland\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mongol Bar\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a community club and informal bar in downtown Oakland, down the street from his former restaurant, where he used to go after work almost every night. Located above a Thai restaurant on Webster Street, without any sign to mark its existence, the bar was completely invisible to those outside of the local Mongolian community. But inside, it was a lively scene night after night—the one place where Sukhbaatar knew he could always go to hang out with other Mongolians. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beke (who preferred not to give his last name), Mongol Bar’s last owner, says on busy nights there were as many as 100 people packed inside the space, which featured a karaoke room, pool tables and a small dance floor. Some nights would be loud and high-energy, “like we’re in the club,” Beke recalls. Other nights, it would be more low-key—just groups of friends drinking Heinekens, shooting pool and having quiet conversation. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915353\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915353\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Togi Sukhbaatar and Battulga Ochirpurev stand over an outdoor spread of roast meats and vegetables.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Togi Sukhbaatar and Battulga Ochirpurev get ready to dig into their khorkhog feast. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beke closed the bar late in 2019, even before COVID hit, in part because the finances weren’t sustainable, but more so because he was burned out running the place by himself. Many nights he’d keep the place open until 4 or 5am, and he just couldn’t do it anymore.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bay Area Mongolian Americans like Sukhbaatar and Ochirpurev still mourn the loss of the bar. “I was living there for 10 years,” Ochirpurev says. Sukhbaatar says he feels its absence most intensely when he thinks about young people in the Mongolian American community who no longer have many places where they can connect with others who share their culture. “We have to have that kind of place,” he says. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In that context, informal khorkhog gatherings like the ones that Sukhbaatar and Ochirpurev organize take on even greater significance. Where else, after all, are Bay Area Mongolians going to gather? And what better way to do it than over some giant hunks of slow-cooked lamb?\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtqxNcqA1SU\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Eating the Traditional Way\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first thing that hits when you open up the pot of khorkhog is the smell of the lightly charred meat and the sweet soft-cooked cabbage, which is enough to get you salivating straight away. Sukhbaatar and Ochirpurev pile everything onto big plastic platters, the hunks of lamb comically oversized and dripping with juices.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With tongs, they remove the smooth stones, still hot and now fully black, and pass them around for us to hold in our hands, tossing them back and forth like a hot potato. (Just holding the stones is supposed to have health benefits.) \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Ochirpurev has forgotten to bring forks and knives, so we eat our khorkhog in the “really traditional” way: ripping the meat apart with our hands, the juices dripping down our chins. It’s a clean and simple taste, so purely lamb-y and elemental. The vegetables have taken on all the savory flavor of the meat. Sukhbaatar warns me that the soup is a little bit oily, but I love how salty and rich and fortifying it is—the perfect thing to warm us up on a cold, drizzly day.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915349\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13915349 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Man in white T-shirt and blue rubber gloves cuts a piece of lamb with a box cutter.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In lieu of standard utensils, Togi Sukhbaatar uses a box cutter to cut off a slice of lamb. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Every occasion of note in the Bay Area’s Mongolian community has been marked in just this way. Ochirpurev says he still remembers celebrating his youngest son’s traditional first-haircut party, when he turned three years old, in this very same park in the Richmond hills. There were 100 or 200 Mongolians who turned up to offer their congratulations—and, of course, there was plenty of khorkhog for everyone to share.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes, it’s true that the Mongolian community has faced a lot of challenges in the past few years, but it’s hard to feel anything but optimistic with a stomach full of khorkhog. And anyway, 2022 is looking up: The Naadam festival is back in person this year, on July 9 at Alameda Point, with well over 1,000 people expected to attend.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baatar, who’s helping to organize the event, tells me there won’t be khorkhog at the festival; it isn’t easy to make enough to feed thousands. But they’ll serve the fried dumplings known as khuushuur. There will be wrestling and archery demonstrations and Mongolian music. Times are changing, Baatar says. Just like the world at large, some Mongolians are getting together virtually on Zoom more often than they do in person.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“America is a melting pot,” Baatar says. “But we’re trying to keep Mongolian culture the same way as in Mongolia.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915350\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915350\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A plate of khorkhog, or Mongolian-style pressure-cooked lamb.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A single portion of khorkhog, ready to eat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Luke Tsai is KQED’s food editor.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "A search for the true history of the dish—and a lesson in how hot rocks and pressure-cooked lamb bring the Bay Area’s Mongolian community together.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915325\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1911px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13915325 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A metal pot filled with chunks of raw meat sits on an outdoor grill area with wisps of smoke rising up.\" width=\"1911\" height=\"1274\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1911w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/020_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1911px) 100vw, 1911px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">To cook khorkhog outdoors at Richmond’s Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, Battulga Ochirpurev filled a pressure cooker with lamb meat, vegetables and blazing hot stones. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">KQED’s \u003c/i>\u003c/em>BBQ in the Bay\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bbq\">series of stories\u003c/a> exploring the Bay Area’s multicultural barbecue scene. New installments will post every day from June 28–July 1. \u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">L\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>ooking back, it’s a bit embarrassing that I ever believed Mongolian barbecue had anything to do with Mongolia, the country. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I was probably 10 or 11 years old when some distant Canadian cousins introduced me to the pleasures of all-you-can-eat griddle-cooked meats, treating my family to what they’d offered up as a fun and novel lunch option in the Toronto suburbs. There was the buffet line where you could customize your sauce and pile as many thinly sliced meats and vegetables onto your tray as you liked. There were the chefs in paper hats, who’d dump everything onto the sizzling flat-top. There was the giant gong that they would bang, unironically, anytime someone’s order was ready.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Years later, while working as the food critic for the \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">East Bay Express\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, I sheepishly recounted this memory to Togi Sukhbaatar, who ran \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/togis-serves-real-mongolian-food-2-1/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a Mongolian restaurant in downtown Oakland\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at the time. “That isn’t really Mongolian at all, is it?” I asked him. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">No, it is not. As the story goes, Mongolian barbecue was actually invented in the 1950s by a Taiwanese comedian with no connection to Mongolia. Mong gu kao rou, or “Mongolian barbecue,” wasn’t even his first name choice: He would have advertised his restaurant as serving “Beijing barbecue” if it weren’t politically risky in Taiwan to invoke China so directly at that time. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/14/garden/at-the-nation-s-table-appleton-wis.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">By the ’80s\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, kitschy and vaguely Orientalist versions of the restaurant genre had \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://la.eater.com/2018/1/12/16885612/los-angeles-founder-mongolian-bbq-dies\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">become popular\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in much of the United States.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Still, Sukhbaatar said, there \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">was\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a well-loved Mongolian food that better fit the term “Mongolian barbecue”—a slow-cooked lamb or mutton dish known as khorkhog, which Mongolians eat at every birthday, every wedding, every big family gathering. Even here in the Bay Area, almost any time more than 10 or 20 Mongolian Americans get together—say, in a park or in someone’s backyard—they’ll build a fire to prepare a big pot of khorkhog: a sealed vessel, usually a pressure cooker, filled to the brim with the meat from a whole sheep or lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions and blazing hot rocks.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This, Sukhbaatar told me, was the real Mongolian barbecue.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After I learned about khorkhog, I became mildly obsessed with the dish. But it wasn’t easy to track down. There are only a handful of Mongolian restaurants in the Bay Area to begin with, and only the most ambitious of these even list khorkhog on the menu because the process of cooking it is so time-consuming and unwieldy in the context of a restaurant kitchen.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915331\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13915331 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"An old pressure cooking sitting on a grill grate, with trees in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/005_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Most Mongolian American families own at least one old-school pressure cooker like this one, which they use for making the slow-cooked lamb dish known as khorkhog. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After years of searching, I finally stumbled across \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/Dumpling-House-Mongolian-cuisine-111983887822655/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dumpling House Mongolian Cuisine\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a Mongolian restaurant in Richmond that serves khorkhog all the time, as long as you call ahead to give them a couple of hours of advance notice. Finally, then, I’d have a chance to taste khorkhog for myself. Owners Erika Terbish Erdenechimeg and Battulga Ochirpurev even agreed to cook it for me in the traditional way—outdoors, over a blazing fire. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was also a chance to dig deeper into the questions that had bothered me ever since I first learned about khorkhog. Why was it that, while most everyone in the U.S. is familiar with so-called “Mongolian barbecue,” traditional Mongolian foodways seem to have been completely erased? And why had I heard so little about the Bay Area’s Mongolian community to begin with? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marketing copy for the American chain restaurant version of Mongolian barbecue often cites an \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.changsmongoliangrill.com/history/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">origin story\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for the dish in which Genghis Khan’s band of fierce nomadic warriors would hunt animals between battles, then grill the meat over fire, using the tops of their shields as a cooking surface. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This, too, is a total fiction. It turns out the story of real Mongolian barbecue—and what it represents for Mongolian Americans looking to connect with their community in the Bay Area today—is far more interesting.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cooking \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">‘American’ Style\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ochirpurev and Sukhbaatar (who now works in construction) meet me near the entrance of Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, a woodsy stretch of the Richmond hills, on a Monday morning armed with a sack of root vegetables and a cooler full of meat. Because of childcare duties, Terbish Erdenechimeg isn’t able to make it, even though Ochirpurev says she’s the real chef of the family. Meanwhile, Ochirpurev’s elderly parents, visiting from Mongolia, join us for the early afternoon khorkhog feast. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915335\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915335\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"An older woman and a man smile, looking down toward the ground in a wooded area.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/031_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Altangerel Deleg (left) and her son Battulga Ochirpurev take a break from preparing the khorkhog. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ochirpurev is a rangy, jovial fellow with close-cropped hair, puffy foam slippers and big, good-natured Asian dad energy. “I drank beer for 30 years. I quit for two years,” he tells me, ripping open a variety pack of Jarritos fruit soda to hand me a bottle. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He and his wife got married in Mongolia in 2000, when she was a 19-year-old volleyball champion. The couple moved to the United States a few years later with their three-year-old son, and worked whatever odd jobs they could get—Ochirpurev’s first gig was sweeping floors at a Kmart in Missouri. (Now, he tells me, reaching for a fist bump, that same son attends UC Davis.) Terbish Erdenechimeg, for her part, cooked at a few different restaurants before the couple \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2019/11/19/a-taste-of-mongolia-for-richmond-residents/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">opened their own place in Richmond in 2012.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While it’s hard to get an accurate count, most estimates peg the Mongolian population in Northern California at around \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfexaminer.com/our_sections/forum/mongolians-in-the-bay-area-are-optimistic-about-the-future/article_34cfc134-4488-55ce-ab59-25000109856e.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">8,000 to 10,000\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a tight-knit community, but one that’s too small and dispersed to easily support a business like Dumpling House on its own. Indeed, Ochirpurev estimates that about 70% of his customers are actually Tibetan; the two cuisines share a similar array of dumplings and noodle dishes. But it’s usually only Mongolians who will order khorkhog, Ochirpurev says. No one else knows what it is.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He shows me the weathered, ancient pressure cooker that he’s brought along for the occasion, one of several that he and his wife have collected from flea markets over the years. This particular model was originally used by the American military—“heavy duty,” he tells me, rapping on the lid.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915328\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1853px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915328\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a pot filled with chunks of raw meat and rocks with wisps of smoke rising up.\" width=\"1853\" height=\"1236\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1853w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/014_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1853px) 100vw, 1853px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">To assemble the khorkhog, add alternating layers of meat and hot rocks. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ochirpurev describes his method of cooking khorkhog as “American style,” explaining that most people in Mongolia don’t have access to pressure cookers. Back home, the most common way to prepare khorkhog is to cook the meat inside the metallic 40-liter Russian water jugs scattered throughout the countryside—remnants of the Soviet military presence in Mongolia. Crafty home cooks turn these water jugs into makeshift pressure cookers by standing on top of the lid while the meat is cooking, using the full weight of their body to hold it down. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Isn’t that dangerous?” I ask when Ochirpurev shows me a Facebook photo of his cousin doing exactly that, teetering precariously like he’s about to fall off. “It is dangerous!” he says, cackling. “Sometimes they go flying!”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The “American” style of making khorkhog has a kind of improvised, off-the-cuff quality to it, at least as practiced by Ochirpurev and his family on this Monday afternoon. Ochirpurev pours a bag of self-lighting charcoal and piles it at the base of the outdoor grill, then lights up the coals with a flick of his cigarette lighter. (People don’t have much access to charcoal in Mongolia, he explains, so they just use some combination of wood chips and fallen tree branches, which he also applies liberally to feed the flames.) \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traditionally, one of the keys to making proper khorkhog is to gather stones from a nearby river—smooth river stones being the ideal vessel to withstand high heat without cracking or splintering. For his Americanized version, Ochirpurev has brought a large bag of decorative “creek stones,” the kind you can buy at Home Depot or any garden store. After they’ve been buried inside the burning charcoal for about half an hour, the stones are blazing hot. To assemble the khorkhog, Ochirpurev layers the hot rocks with big pieces of freshly butchered lamb from a local halal ranch, alternating layers of lamb and rocks until the pressure cooker is filled to the top. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915337\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915337\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A woman tosses carrots and potatoes into a pot.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/016_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Altangerel Deleg adds fresh vegetables to the pot. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Ochirpurev’s mother adds fresh vegetables to the pot: potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage and rutabaga. (Rutabaga is the secret ingredient that makes khorkhog and many other Mongolian dishes taste delicious, Ochirpurev says.) Then come big handfuls of spice, pre-measured by Terbish Erdenechimeg back at the restaurant—a mixture that smells strongly of garlic and onion powder, though it’s mostly just salt, black pepper and bay leaves. Sukhbaatar, the former Oakland restaurant owner, explains that the seasoning is meant to be very simple, in order to bring out the natural flavor of the meat. A little bit of water goes in the pot too, to form the base of a soup.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Really, though, the hot stones inside the pot are what set khorkhog apart from any other slow-cooked stew. Once the pressure cooker is sealed up, Ochirpurev sets it over the fire. About an hour later, we’re ready to open up the pot and dig in.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Father of Khorkhog\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even within Mongolia, khorkhog is very much an evolving tradition. The proliferation of those big Soviet-era water jugs throughout Mongolia is part of the dish’s origin story, according to Shirchin Baatar, a local Mongolian community leader who founded the Bay Area Mongolian Community Association (BAMCA) in 2003. In that sense, the modern form of the dish is a byproduct of Mongolia’s complicated politics in the 20th century—its history as a landlocked buffer zone during various conflicts between China and the USSR and its many decades of Soviet occupation. “Khorkhog was invented during Soviet times,” Baatar says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nevertheless, the dish traces its roots to a much older Mongolian food tradition known as boodog, a dish that Mongolian hunters have prepared for centuries, removing all the bones from a deer, antelope or other wild game in order to form a “bag” out of its skin. Then they’d cut up the meat, put it back inside the skin bag along with hot rocks, and tie it up tight. The whole thing would be cooked over fire, with the skin bag essentially serving as a natural form of “pressure cooker.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Baatar puts it, “Boodog is the father of khorkhog.” The basic principle is the same: The meat gets steamed inside the bag, but it also gets burned by the hot rocks, so you end up with a final product that’s “half steamed, half burned.” That’s the essence of what makes khorkhog taste so good. In that way, it follows the same principle as all great barbecue dishes that combine some form of slow cooking with a scorching flame. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915339\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915339\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"An old-fashioned pressure cooker heated over a fire outdoors.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/026_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The hot rocks inside scorch the meat while the fire builds up the steam pressure inside the pot. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But the tastiest part of the boodog, according to Baatar? When you put the skin bag over the fire, all the hair burns off and the skin gets nice and crispy. It’s a cooking vessel you can eat.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baatar says his uncles and grand-uncles in Mongolia still prepare boodog the old-fashioned way when they go hunting in the summer. Even in the United States, if you’re friends with the right Mongolian folks, you might have a chance to experience it. He’s had friends who have cooked wild boars and marmots that way after hunting trips in Colorado or in the Sacramento area. “Marmots are very delicious,” he says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">‘We Have to Have That Kind of Place’\u003c/span>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As extraordinary as an excursion like that sounds, these foodways are largely invisible to the majority of Northern Californians. It’s fairly easy to speculate why Mongolians in the Bay Area don’t have the same kind of visibility as more well-known Asian immigrant groups like the region’s Chinese American and Korean American communities. The population is just much, much smaller, and it isn’t necessarily concentrated in any single ethnic enclave. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s also a relatively new immigrant community, explains Baatar. Mongolians didn’t really start arriving in the Bay Area until the mid-’90s, when a number of them received student visas to study English at a language school in San Francisco. Many of those early arrivals either overstayed their visas or were able to find jobs here, but when Baatar himself arrived in 1998, there were still only about 70 Mongolians in the Bay Area. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s that there were at least a couple thousand Mongolian immigrants living in the region.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sukhbaatar, who only ran his restaurant—Togi’s Mongolian Cuisine—for a couple of years, says the cuisine has had even less visibility because there have never been very many real Mongolian restaurants. Many of that early wave of immigrants worked in restaurants or even opened restaurants of their own—but often they would be Japanese sushi restaurants, or restaurants specializing in other Asian cuisines that seemed more viable from a business perspective. Only in the last few years have there been a greater number of restaurants that put traditional Mongolian food front and center.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915352\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915352\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Ochirpurev Sambuudorj and Altangerel Deleg sit at a picnic table.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/037_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ochirpurev Sambuudorj and Altangerel Deleg sit at an outdoor picnic table at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, listening to Mongolian music while they wait for the khorkhog to cook. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baatar and Sukhbaatar say these restaurants are some of the few remaining places where Mongolians can socialize together outside their homes. The pandemic, in particular, has had a pronounced alienating effect on the community. In Oakland, a Mongolian language school for kids, which also taught Mongolian music and dancing, closed down during the pandemic. Each summer, the community usually gathers together to celebrate Naadaam, a traditional festival with wrestling, archery and horse racing. It was canceled the past two years.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Most significant, says Sukhbaatar, was the closure of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/mongol-bar-oakland\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mongol Bar\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a community club and informal bar in downtown Oakland, down the street from his former restaurant, where he used to go after work almost every night. Located above a Thai restaurant on Webster Street, without any sign to mark its existence, the bar was completely invisible to those outside of the local Mongolian community. But inside, it was a lively scene night after night—the one place where Sukhbaatar knew he could always go to hang out with other Mongolians. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beke (who preferred not to give his last name), Mongol Bar’s last owner, says on busy nights there were as many as 100 people packed inside the space, which featured a karaoke room, pool tables and a small dance floor. Some nights would be loud and high-energy, “like we’re in the club,” Beke recalls. Other nights, it would be more low-key—just groups of friends drinking Heinekens, shooting pool and having quiet conversation. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915353\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915353\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Togi Sukhbaatar and Battulga Ochirpurev stand over an outdoor spread of roast meats and vegetables.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/053_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Togi Sukhbaatar and Battulga Ochirpurev get ready to dig into their khorkhog feast. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beke closed the bar late in 2019, even before COVID hit, in part because the finances weren’t sustainable, but more so because he was burned out running the place by himself. Many nights he’d keep the place open until 4 or 5am, and he just couldn’t do it anymore.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bay Area Mongolian Americans like Sukhbaatar and Ochirpurev still mourn the loss of the bar. “I was living there for 10 years,” Ochirpurev says. Sukhbaatar says he feels its absence most intensely when he thinks about young people in the Mongolian American community who no longer have many places where they can connect with others who share their culture. “We have to have that kind of place,” he says. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In that context, informal khorkhog gatherings like the ones that Sukhbaatar and Ochirpurev organize take on even greater significance. Where else, after all, are Bay Area Mongolians going to gather? And what better way to do it than over some giant hunks of slow-cooked lamb?\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/FtqxNcqA1SU'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/FtqxNcqA1SU'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch2>Eating the Traditional Way\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first thing that hits when you open up the pot of khorkhog is the smell of the lightly charred meat and the sweet soft-cooked cabbage, which is enough to get you salivating straight away. Sukhbaatar and Ochirpurev pile everything onto big plastic platters, the hunks of lamb comically oversized and dripping with juices.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With tongs, they remove the smooth stones, still hot and now fully black, and pass them around for us to hold in our hands, tossing them back and forth like a hot potato. (Just holding the stones is supposed to have health benefits.) \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Ochirpurev has forgotten to bring forks and knives, so we eat our khorkhog in the “really traditional” way: ripping the meat apart with our hands, the juices dripping down our chins. It’s a clean and simple taste, so purely lamb-y and elemental. The vegetables have taken on all the savory flavor of the meat. Sukhbaatar warns me that the soup is a little bit oily, but I love how salty and rich and fortifying it is—the perfect thing to warm us up on a cold, drizzly day.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915349\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13915349 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"Man in white T-shirt and blue rubber gloves cuts a piece of lamb with a box cutter.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/044_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In lieu of standard utensils, Togi Sukhbaatar uses a box cutter to cut off a slice of lamb. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Every occasion of note in the Bay Area’s Mongolian community has been marked in just this way. Ochirpurev says he still remembers celebrating his youngest son’s traditional first-haircut party, when he turned three years old, in this very same park in the Richmond hills. There were 100 or 200 Mongolians who turned up to offer their congratulations—and, of course, there was plenty of khorkhog for everyone to share.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes, it’s true that the Mongolian community has faced a lot of challenges in the past few years, but it’s hard to feel anything but optimistic with a stomach full of khorkhog. And anyway, 2022 is looking up: The Naadam festival is back in person this year, on July 9 at Alameda Point, with well over 1,000 people expected to attend.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baatar, who’s helping to organize the event, tells me there won’t be khorkhog at the festival; it isn’t easy to make enough to feed thousands. But they’ll serve the fried dumplings known as khuushuur. There will be wrestling and archery demonstrations and Mongolian music. Times are changing, Baatar says. Just like the world at large, some Mongolians are getting together virtually on Zoom more often than they do in person.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“America is a melting pot,” Baatar says. “But we’re trying to keep Mongolian culture the same way as in Mongolia.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915350\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915350\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A plate of khorkhog, or Mongolian-style pressure-cooked lamb.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/061_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A single portion of khorkhog, ready to eat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Luke Tsai is KQED’s food editor.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "In the Multicultural Bay Area, There Are a Thousand Ways to Barbecue",
"headTitle": "In the Multicultural Bay Area, There Are a Thousand Ways to Barbecue | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">KQED’s \u003c/i>\u003c/em>BBQ in the Bay\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bbq\">series of stories\u003c/a> exploring the Bay Area’s multicultural barbecue scene. New installments will post every day from June 28–July 1. \u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I didn’t exactly grow up on barbecue. At least, not in a traditional sense.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the first 20 or so years of my life, I thought of it mostly as a condiment—the sticky-sweet sauce that sometimes came slathered on chicken legs or a rack of baby back ribs. It was the verb I used when friends wanted to get together and throw a bunch of burgers and hot dogs on the grill. “Yo, let’s all meet up at Roosevelt Park to shoot hoops and barbecue.” It was a type of Korean food, maybe. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But eventually, like nearly every other food-obsessed person in the Bay, I became conversant in Barbecue with a capital “B.” Was indoctrinated into the church of “low and slow.” Watched pitmasters pull wobbly, black-crusted briskets straight out of the smoker. Learned to ask for the sauce on the side. Pretended to know more than I did about what constitutes a proper smoke ring.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I even got pedantic about the topic in the way that only true barbecue geeks can. (“That’s not barbecue; that’s just grilling!” are words that may or may not have come out of my mouth.) And, lest I get mocked online by skeptical Texans or North Carolinians, I learned to preemptively say what I’d become convinced was an unvarnished truth—that the Bay Area really didn’t have much of a barbecue culture to speak of.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\"]“I think about how all the different communities in the multicultural Bay Area gather and celebrate around a giant hunk of slow-cooked (or even not-so-slowly cooked!) meat.”[/pullquote]Lately, though, I’ve started to think about my early, “pre-enlightened” years in a different way. I remember how whenever I had friends over during the summertime when I was a kid, my dad would throw pork chops marinated in soy sauce and garlic on the grill. We would devour these juicy chops, not even bothering with a knife, with freshly buttered corn on the cob and heaping mounds of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://tastecooking.com/jif-peanut-butter-cold-sesame-noodles/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">my mom’s peanut butter cold noodles\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on the side. I think about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897272/bay-area-taiwanese-food-scene-nostalgia\">when I lived in Taiwan during my late 20s\u003c/a>, and my coworkers invited me out to barbecue with them for the Mid-Autumn festival—how we crouched on the sidewalk and cooked meat skewers over charcoal on a makeshift grill grate set up on the rim of a car tire. Somehow, each skewer tasted better to me than the finest wagyu steak. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13915312,arts_13915387,arts_13915489' label='More BBQ']I think about all the times I’ve \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/borinquen-soul-dishes-out-puerto-rican-grandma-food-inside-an-oakland-convenience-store-2-1/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">waited in line for pernil\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at the local Puerto Rican restaurant, or the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/straight-outta-kingston-1/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">big plates of jerk chicken\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I’ve savored at my favorite Jamaican spot. And then I think about how all the different communities in the multicultural Bay Area gather and celebrate around a giant hunk of slow-cooked (or even not-so-slowly cooked!) meat. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, today KQED kicks off a new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bbq\">five-part series about barbecue\u003c/a>. But it isn’t just about a specific cooking technique. Instead, the stories we publish this week will look at all of the different ways that a big, festive centerpiece to a meal—and all of the labor that goes into preparing it—help bring our Bay Area communities together. We’ll visit a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915581/lechon-filipino-american-party-oriental-food-market-concord\">Filipino lechon party\u003c/a> and get a behind-the-scenes peek at an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915646/barbacoa-mejia-richmond-flea-market\">underground barbacoa operation\u003c/a>. We’ll learn about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915312/real-mongolian-barbecue-khorkhog-richmond\">Mongolian barbecue traditions\u003c/a> that don’t have anything to do with buffet-style chain restaurants. And yes, we’ll talk classic brisket and ribs too, but from the perspective of the guy who \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915489/gstacks-smokers-barbecue-welder-american-made\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">builds\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the smokers, and from someone who competes on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915387/amateur-bbq-competition-comic-dentist-pleasant-hill\">amateur circuit\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915379\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915379\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A man lifts up the lid of a pressure cooker to reveal lamb and cabbage inside.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Khorkhog, a Mongolian dish of pressure-cooked lamb, is just one of the many ways that barbecue helps different Bay Area communities come together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Look: Even now, as we’re weighed down by the heaviness of each day’s horrifying news cycle, people are planning cookouts for this weekend. They’re making playlists and mixing spices for dry rubs. They’re selecting whole hogs and threading pieces of meat onto skewers. They’re going to build as big a fire as they need to. Because, especially now, everyone deserves the chance to cherish every last moment of joy with their people. Our hope is that this set of uniquely Bay Area barbecue stories provides inspiration for a few new ways to do just that.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Luke Tsai is KQED’s food editor.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">KQED’s \u003c/i>\u003c/em>BBQ in the Bay\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bbq\">series of stories\u003c/a> exploring the Bay Area’s multicultural barbecue scene. New installments will post every day from June 28–July 1. \u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I didn’t exactly grow up on barbecue. At least, not in a traditional sense.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the first 20 or so years of my life, I thought of it mostly as a condiment—the sticky-sweet sauce that sometimes came slathered on chicken legs or a rack of baby back ribs. It was the verb I used when friends wanted to get together and throw a bunch of burgers and hot dogs on the grill. “Yo, let’s all meet up at Roosevelt Park to shoot hoops and barbecue.” It was a type of Korean food, maybe. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But eventually, like nearly every other food-obsessed person in the Bay, I became conversant in Barbecue with a capital “B.” Was indoctrinated into the church of “low and slow.” Watched pitmasters pull wobbly, black-crusted briskets straight out of the smoker. Learned to ask for the sauce on the side. Pretended to know more than I did about what constitutes a proper smoke ring.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I even got pedantic about the topic in the way that only true barbecue geeks can. (“That’s not barbecue; that’s just grilling!” are words that may or may not have come out of my mouth.) And, lest I get mocked online by skeptical Texans or North Carolinians, I learned to preemptively say what I’d become convinced was an unvarnished truth—that the Bay Area really didn’t have much of a barbecue culture to speak of.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "“I think about how all the different communities in the multicultural Bay Area gather and celebrate around a giant hunk of slow-cooked (or even not-so-slowly cooked!) meat.”",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Lately, though, I’ve started to think about my early, “pre-enlightened” years in a different way. I remember how whenever I had friends over during the summertime when I was a kid, my dad would throw pork chops marinated in soy sauce and garlic on the grill. We would devour these juicy chops, not even bothering with a knife, with freshly buttered corn on the cob and heaping mounds of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://tastecooking.com/jif-peanut-butter-cold-sesame-noodles/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">my mom’s peanut butter cold noodles\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on the side. I think about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897272/bay-area-taiwanese-food-scene-nostalgia\">when I lived in Taiwan during my late 20s\u003c/a>, and my coworkers invited me out to barbecue with them for the Mid-Autumn festival—how we crouched on the sidewalk and cooked meat skewers over charcoal on a makeshift grill grate set up on the rim of a car tire. Somehow, each skewer tasted better to me than the finest wagyu steak. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>I think about all the times I’ve \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/borinquen-soul-dishes-out-puerto-rican-grandma-food-inside-an-oakland-convenience-store-2-1/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">waited in line for pernil\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at the local Puerto Rican restaurant, or the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/straight-outta-kingston-1/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">big plates of jerk chicken\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I’ve savored at my favorite Jamaican spot. And then I think about how all the different communities in the multicultural Bay Area gather and celebrate around a giant hunk of slow-cooked (or even not-so-slowly cooked!) meat. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, today KQED kicks off a new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bbq\">five-part series about barbecue\u003c/a>. But it isn’t just about a specific cooking technique. Instead, the stories we publish this week will look at all of the different ways that a big, festive centerpiece to a meal—and all of the labor that goes into preparing it—help bring our Bay Area communities together. We’ll visit a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915581/lechon-filipino-american-party-oriental-food-market-concord\">Filipino lechon party\u003c/a> and get a behind-the-scenes peek at an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915646/barbacoa-mejia-richmond-flea-market\">underground barbacoa operation\u003c/a>. We’ll learn about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915312/real-mongolian-barbecue-khorkhog-richmond\">Mongolian barbecue traditions\u003c/a> that don’t have anything to do with buffet-style chain restaurants. And yes, we’ll talk classic brisket and ribs too, but from the perspective of the guy who \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915489/gstacks-smokers-barbecue-welder-american-made\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">builds\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the smokers, and from someone who competes on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915387/amateur-bbq-competition-comic-dentist-pleasant-hill\">amateur circuit\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915379\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915379\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg\" alt=\"A man lifts up the lid of a pressure cooker to reveal lamb and cabbage inside.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/038_KQEDArts_MongolianKhorkhog_05092022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Khorkhog, a Mongolian dish of pressure-cooked lamb, is just one of the many ways that barbecue helps different Bay Area communities come together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Look: Even now, as we’re weighed down by the heaviness of each day’s horrifying news cycle, people are planning cookouts for this weekend. They’re making playlists and mixing spices for dry rubs. They’re selecting whole hogs and threading pieces of meat onto skewers. They’re going to build as big a fire as they need to. Because, especially now, everyone deserves the chance to cherish every last moment of joy with their people. Our hope is that this set of uniquely Bay Area barbecue stories provides inspiration for a few new ways to do just that.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Luke Tsai is KQED’s food editor.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Being Black at Chez Panisse: Comfort Collective Returns to Its Roots",
"headTitle": "Being Black at Chez Panisse: Comfort Collective Returns to Its Roots | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s something extra flavorful—and spiritually nourishing—about food that is made from a place of deep love and care. Or, as Sadé Stamps, a co-founder of the pop-up \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eat.drink.comfort/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Comfort Collective\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, used to hear from her mother growing up: “Do not cook my food when you’re angry.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since launching in 2021, the pop-up has stayed true to that philosophy through its focus on Black, trans and queer joy. By creating spaces of safety and inclusion, Stamps and co-founder Christian Washington have gracefully asserted themselves as a rising entity in the Bay Area. Their collective offers glamorous, eclectic dining experiences with themes like “AbunDANCE” (a dance-centric dinner party) and “R&Brunch” (a soulful amalgamation of R&B DJs, booze and grits with greens).\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The events sell out quickly, and Stamps and Washington have already garnered partnerships with esteemed food and entertainment venues around the Bay Area, such as the \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oakland cocktail bar \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/friendsandfamilybar/\">Friends and Family\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. And even though the collective’s pop-ups lean toward a youthful audience and forward-thinking menus, there’s no questioning its kitchen pedigree—Washington got her start working the grill station at Berkeley’s iconic \u003ca href=\"https://www.chezpanisse.com/1/\">Chez Panisse\u003c/a>, widely acknowledged as the birthplace of California cuisine.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, with Pride Week on the horizon, Comfort Collective is returning to where it all started: On Monday, June 27, Stamps and Washington will host a Summer Solstice Supper pop-up at Chez Panisse, which is also where they held their debut event one year ago.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CezWnLXPNFg/?hl=en\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even with their elevated sense of cuisine and style, the two kindred spirits have stayed true to their humble, “dance floor” origins.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I met [Christian] at the club,” laughs Stamps. “That’s how we started. By the grace of community and by the grace of connection.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A former beverage director at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sobremesaoak/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sobre Mesa\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Stamps now operates as Comfort Collective’s “Libation Liaison,” delivering original cocktails born from her love of Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Alice Coltrane. Paired with Washington’s soulful takes on Southern- and Caribbean-inspired foods, the friends are dishing out deliciously good vibes on a wider scale.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The community has supported us, so now we’re passing it back to community,” says Washington. “[We are] feeding and creating a safe space for Black, queer and trans people to have a good time, but also for people in this industry who identify this way and are looking for a safe space to earn a living wage while experiencing joy.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915122\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915122\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens.jpeg\" alt=\"A plate of sautéed greans and beans.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-800x788.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-1020x1005.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-160x158.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-768x757.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-1536x1514.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-1920x1892.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A plate of greens, cooked with Rihanna on the mind. \u003ccite>(Comfort Collective)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The June 27 function will offer a four-course prix-fixe menu, highlighted by Washington’s Rihanna-loving takes on fried green tomatoes, curried goat cheese soufflé, jerk shrimp and scallops, and peach cobbler. In Washington’s words, “\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I don’t know if my pots of greens can come out how I want if I’m not listening to music. I can taste when Rihanna is playing.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stamps’ a la carte cocktail menu will feature \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mommenpop/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mommenpop\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a Napa-based citrus aperitif that was “birthed at Chez Panisse,” according to Stamps—and specialities like a low-ABV pot-liquor martini.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“[Pot liquor is] that really beautiful, tasty, salty brine at the bottom of a pot of greens,” explains Stamps. “I’m mixing that with vermouth, a neutral spirit. Using [these ingredients] in this circuitous way is really special to me.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915123\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915123\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"Colorful cocktails lined up on a bar counter.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2009\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-800x628.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-1020x800.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-160x126.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-768x603.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-1536x1205.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-2048x1607.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-1920x1507.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cocktails courtesy of “Libations Liaison” Sadé Stamps. \u003ccite>(Comfort Collective)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That level of detail defines Comfort Collective’s approach to not only their food, but to the many ways they engage with each space they collaborate with. They “adapt” their own identities and interests to each venue, drawing from a wide spectrum of histories, ingredients and vibrations to create moments of experiential communion.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Their appearance at Chez Panisse is particularly poetic, since it’s where Washington started her career—and also because it brings visibility to marginalized communities at one of California’s most esteemed culinary institutions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Chez being the institution that it is, it’s like a breathing organism,” Washington says. “What we’re doing is focusing on a different diaspora and bringing what we know. We’re adapting their methods and recipes to produce something different. We’re just gonna be Black at Chez Panisse.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13914092,arts_13914400']Rather than offering a ricotta cheese soufflé—a classic dish that’s based on the Italian and French flavor profiles you would typically find at Chez Panisse—Washington is introducing a curry goat cheese. That’s what’s popular in the Caribbean and how their mother would’ve made it, they say.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It’s not going to be a complete 180,” Stamps adds. “We want to align with what [Chez Panisse has] going on already. That happens with a lot of our pop-ups. We don’t pop up somewhere we don’t already love. We work in tandem with what exists in those spaces.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With summer approaching, the collective aims to carry on the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2022/6/6/23156879/comfort-collective-pop-up-christian-washington-sade-stamps\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">lineage of mentorships, family lessons and homestyle loving\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that it’s already been serving up with innovative partners like \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.transgenderdistrictsf.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Transgender District\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fobkitchen.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">FOB Kitchen\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Wherever Comfort Collective goes, they know how to dance in step and spread love.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Washington puts it, “We are at work, yes, but we’re having a good time. ”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915119\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2009px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915119\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Sadé Stamps and Christian Washington hold wine bottles and glasses for a toast outside of the restaurant FOB Kitchen.\" width=\"2009\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-scaled.jpg 2009w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-800x1020.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1020x1300.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-160x204.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-768x979.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1205x1536.jpg 1205w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1607x2048.jpg 1607w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1920x2447.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2009px) 100vw, 2009px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stamps (left) and Washington share a joyful moment outside one of their past pop-up events. \u003ccite>(Comfort Collective)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-12904247 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eatdrinkcomfort.com/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Summer Solstice Supper\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at Chez Panisse (1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley) will take place on Monday, June 27, 6–8 pm. Tickets are $150 per person and require advanced reservations. E-mail reservations@chezpanisse.com to book. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s something extra flavorful—and spiritually nourishing—about food that is made from a place of deep love and care. Or, as Sadé Stamps, a co-founder of the pop-up \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eat.drink.comfort/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Comfort Collective\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, used to hear from her mother growing up: “Do not cook my food when you’re angry.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since launching in 2021, the pop-up has stayed true to that philosophy through its focus on Black, trans and queer joy. By creating spaces of safety and inclusion, Stamps and co-founder Christian Washington have gracefully asserted themselves as a rising entity in the Bay Area. Their collective offers glamorous, eclectic dining experiences with themes like “AbunDANCE” (a dance-centric dinner party) and “R&Brunch” (a soulful amalgamation of R&B DJs, booze and grits with greens).\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The events sell out quickly, and Stamps and Washington have already garnered partnerships with esteemed food and entertainment venues around the Bay Area, such as the \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oakland cocktail bar \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/friendsandfamilybar/\">Friends and Family\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. And even though the collective’s pop-ups lean toward a youthful audience and forward-thinking menus, there’s no questioning its kitchen pedigree—Washington got her start working the grill station at Berkeley’s iconic \u003ca href=\"https://www.chezpanisse.com/1/\">Chez Panisse\u003c/a>, widely acknowledged as the birthplace of California cuisine.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, with Pride Week on the horizon, Comfort Collective is returning to where it all started: On Monday, June 27, Stamps and Washington will host a Summer Solstice Supper pop-up at Chez Panisse, which is also where they held their debut event one year ago.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even with their elevated sense of cuisine and style, the two kindred spirits have stayed true to their humble, “dance floor” origins.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I met [Christian] at the club,” laughs Stamps. “That’s how we started. By the grace of community and by the grace of connection.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A former beverage director at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sobremesaoak/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sobre Mesa\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Stamps now operates as Comfort Collective’s “Libation Liaison,” delivering original cocktails born from her love of Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Alice Coltrane. Paired with Washington’s soulful takes on Southern- and Caribbean-inspired foods, the friends are dishing out deliciously good vibes on a wider scale.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The community has supported us, so now we’re passing it back to community,” says Washington. “[We are] feeding and creating a safe space for Black, queer and trans people to have a good time, but also for people in this industry who identify this way and are looking for a safe space to earn a living wage while experiencing joy.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915122\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915122\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens.jpeg\" alt=\"A plate of sautéed greans and beans.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-800x788.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-1020x1005.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-160x158.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-768x757.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-1536x1514.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_greens-1920x1892.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A plate of greens, cooked with Rihanna on the mind. \u003ccite>(Comfort Collective)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The June 27 function will offer a four-course prix-fixe menu, highlighted by Washington’s Rihanna-loving takes on fried green tomatoes, curried goat cheese soufflé, jerk shrimp and scallops, and peach cobbler. In Washington’s words, “\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I don’t know if my pots of greens can come out how I want if I’m not listening to music. I can taste when Rihanna is playing.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stamps’ a la carte cocktail menu will feature \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mommenpop/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mommenpop\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a Napa-based citrus aperitif that was “birthed at Chez Panisse,” according to Stamps—and specialities like a low-ABV pot-liquor martini.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“[Pot liquor is] that really beautiful, tasty, salty brine at the bottom of a pot of greens,” explains Stamps. “I’m mixing that with vermouth, a neutral spirit. Using [these ingredients] in this circuitous way is really special to me.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915123\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915123\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"Colorful cocktails lined up on a bar counter.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2009\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-800x628.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-1020x800.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-160x126.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-768x603.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-1536x1205.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-2048x1607.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_drinks-1920x1507.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cocktails courtesy of “Libations Liaison” Sadé Stamps. \u003ccite>(Comfort Collective)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That level of detail defines Comfort Collective’s approach to not only their food, but to the many ways they engage with each space they collaborate with. They “adapt” their own identities and interests to each venue, drawing from a wide spectrum of histories, ingredients and vibrations to create moments of experiential communion.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Their appearance at Chez Panisse is particularly poetic, since it’s where Washington started her career—and also because it brings visibility to marginalized communities at one of California’s most esteemed culinary institutions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Chez being the institution that it is, it’s like a breathing organism,” Washington says. “What we’re doing is focusing on a different diaspora and bringing what we know. We’re adapting their methods and recipes to produce something different. We’re just gonna be Black at Chez Panisse.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Rather than offering a ricotta cheese soufflé—a classic dish that’s based on the Italian and French flavor profiles you would typically find at Chez Panisse—Washington is introducing a curry goat cheese. That’s what’s popular in the Caribbean and how their mother would’ve made it, they say.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It’s not going to be a complete 180,” Stamps adds. “We want to align with what [Chez Panisse has] going on already. That happens with a lot of our pop-ups. We don’t pop up somewhere we don’t already love. We work in tandem with what exists in those spaces.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With summer approaching, the collective aims to carry on the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2022/6/6/23156879/comfort-collective-pop-up-christian-washington-sade-stamps\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">lineage of mentorships, family lessons and homestyle loving\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that it’s already been serving up with innovative partners like \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.transgenderdistrictsf.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Transgender District\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fobkitchen.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">FOB Kitchen\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Wherever Comfort Collective goes, they know how to dance in step and spread love.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Washington puts it, “We are at work, yes, but we’re having a good time. ”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915119\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2009px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915119\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Sadé Stamps and Christian Washington hold wine bottles and glasses for a toast outside of the restaurant FOB Kitchen.\" width=\"2009\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-scaled.jpg 2009w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-800x1020.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1020x1300.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-160x204.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-768x979.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1205x1536.jpg 1205w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1607x2048.jpg 1607w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/comfortcollective_toast-1920x2447.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2009px) 100vw, 2009px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stamps (left) and Washington share a joyful moment outside one of their past pop-up events. \u003ccite>(Comfort Collective)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-12904247 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eatdrinkcomfort.com/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Summer Solstice Supper\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at Chez Panisse (1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley) will take place on Monday, June 27, 6–8 pm. Tickets are $150 per person and require advanced reservations. E-mail reservations@chezpanisse.com to book. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "How Alyssa Wang Became the Bay Area’s Queen of Boba",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Every week, I would have piano lessons, and if I did well, my teacher would give me a sticker. If I got a sticker, then my mom would take me to Tapioca Express, ” says Alyssa Wang, who goes by the online name \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/feedmeimei/videos\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Feed Meimei\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. “So I’ve always loved boba since I was a kid.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Asian Americans of a certain generation, this kind of childhood nostalgia is commonplace. But Wang, 27, is one of the only ones who has transformed her boba love into a career. She is the internet’s likely first full-time boba content creator. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Today, Feed Meimei boasts more than 605,000 subscribers on Youtube, 737,000 followers on her Tiktok and 242,000 followers on Instagram. Over the past five years, Wang has made more than 70 Youtube videos documenting her countless visits to Bay Area boba shops. Wang’s favorite boba shop in the Bay Area, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.urbanritualcafe.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Urban Ritual\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, even named a drink after her. The drink is currently one of the store’s top three sellers, according to founder David Zhou. Whenever Wang posts about Urban Ritual, the store usually sees a 10 percent uptick in sales.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In that sense, Wang has become one of the most powerful people in the Bay Area boba scene—a kingmaker of sorts whose videos, many which are filmed inside her car, often wind up having a real impact on a small shop’s business fortunes. It’s a future that Wang never could have imagined when she was a college student posting food recommendations just for fun. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>From Software Engineer to Social Media Creator\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang’s food blogging journey began in 2013 when she was a freshman at UC Davis studying computer science and psychology. As a hobby, she made @davis_eats, an Instagram account documenting her adventures exploring the college town’s food scene. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After graduating, Wang moved back to the Bay Area to live with her parents and began working as a software engineer. While she enjoyed coding, she found that she didn’t like it enough to do it eight hours a day. What she did love was building her food Instagram, which she renamed \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/feedmeimei/?hl=en\">Feed Meimei\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I found myself at work just being like, ‘I really wish I could just keep doing that. I want to go out and be shooting content at restaurants,’” Wang says. “It took months for me to come to terms with the fact that I was going to take this untraditional route. Growing up, I always thought I would be a doctor, lawyer or engineer, the classic jobs that Asian parents want you to do.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915017\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915017\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A woman sits in cafe booth with a huge stack of oversized cups of boba in front of her.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wang is likely the internet’s first full-time boba influencer. \u003ccite>(Alyssa Wang / @feedmeimei)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang decided at the end of 2018 to quit her job in tech to pursue content creation full time, a decision she says was partially inspired by the path of fellow UC Davis grad TJ Lee, known online as \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/cupoftj\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cup of TJ\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Wang had saved up money from her job and didn’t have other major financial responsibilities at the time. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">She hit the ground running in January 2019, churning out two Youtube videos per week and doing everything from storyboarding, preparing drinks and food, shooting and editing. On Instagram, she started making original content six times per week. In June 2019, she \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@feedmeimei?lang=en\">joined TikTok\u003c/a> and started posting there as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I was just like, go, go, go, just put my head down and work,” Wang says. “I was very much in the mindset of like, ‘I’m just going to work, I’m going to upload, and as long as I keep going, then eventually I will be able to succeed.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Combatting Creator Burnout\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was unsustainable. At the end of 2019, she began to question why she was “working so hard towards something that was never going to happen.” So she took a break from content creation, a field where likes and views have made it notoriously easy to compare your own journey to those of others. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then, the pandemic hit. While tinkering with unpublished footage, at first out of sheer boredom, Wang rediscovered her love for making videos about food. She slowly began posting on Youtube again, just once a week. In 2021, she began experimenting with making boba from scratch and forming it into different characters. Those turned out to be her first “viral” moments. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CbeDBwFF_Rw/\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a video with 1.2 million views on TikTok and 5.7 million views on Youtube Shorts, Wang melts down a strawberry Melona bar to make red panda-shaped tapioca pearls inspired by Pixar’s \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turning Red\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. In another TikTok video with 5.9 million views, she makes \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lZ-G3ASbLAc\">cotton-candy pink, Kirby-shaped pearls\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The success has obviously helped, but being a full-time creator for more than three years has also taught Wang the importance of practicing self-care. She has learned to liberally use Youtube’s “don’t recommend channel” feature to prevent its algorithm from displaying other creators’ videos on her feed. It’s nothing personal—she’s ecstatic for their success—“but I also don’t want myself to feel like I’m not doing enough or I’m not happy where I am,” Wang says, “because I am happy.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The other thing that has helped, Wang says, is that family support, particularly from her mom, has remained constant. And that has made all the difference.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang’s mom even \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">makes\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> frequent, highly-requested appearances in videos. (She has been featured in more than 60 of them so far.) The mother and daughter’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyB1W1tgHUw\">matching levels of enthusiasm for food\u003c/a> make for lighthearted entertainment that some viewers have said reminds them of their interactions with their own family. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bGRQJzAKZw\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Coming from an Asian upbringing, usually families aren’t super expressive with their emotions,” Wang says. “But, food, it was always something that could bring us together.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Queen of Many Domains\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While some of Wang’s subscribers may have originally come across her channel due to her viral boba videos, her positivity keeps them coming back for more—no matter the video’s subject. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her well-received forays into making non-boba content are proof. She’s made food guides for the Bay Area, Taiwan, Japan, Toronto, Los Angeles, Hawaii and more. Her recent videos include a taste test and ranking of \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyB1W1tgHUw\">every appetizer, dumpling and noodle dish at chain restaurant Din Tai Fung\u003c/a> alongside her mom. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang speaks to the camera directly, casually, as a friend. Seldom does she offer overt criticism. It’s what sets her, and other food influencers, apart from the professional food critics.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915020\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2048px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915020\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A woman smiles holding a colorful, seven-scoop ice cream cone in each hand.\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1020x1275.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1920x2400.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Feed Meimei has branched out beyond boba to post videos about other food-related topics like soup dumplings and ice cream. \u003ccite>(Alyssa Wang / @feedmeimei)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sbe’s become somewhat of a local star, especially in the Bay Area’s boba scene. Baristas often tell her that customers use her videos as a guide for what to order, she says. She’s not fully used to the attention yet, and still finds it unreal that her subscribers will “sit there and watch me talk about food for, like, 20 minutes.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13904913,arts_13897410,arts_13908947']It’s been a successful endeavor so far, if the Feed Meimei team’s rapid expansion is any indication. In the past month, Wang has taken on a hiring manager, an assistant and a lawyer—a move that she says has been “long overdue.” Soon, she’ll hire another editor and start a new Youtube channel for casual vlogging. She did not delve into specifics of her financial situation, but, like other influencers, she generates income through a combination of brand partnerships, ad revenue, merchandise and collaborations—her Urban Ritual drink included. She makes enough, at least, that she doesn’t need to take on any other day job.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang, a deeply nostalgic person, drew the flavor profile for her “Feed Me Ube” collaboration drink from her childhood. Her voice picks up as she describes the decadent drink, which features ube-flavored crème brûlée pudding, taro chunks, coconut milk and a choice of either rice milk or whole milk: “The rice milk is much lighter and it really lets the flavor of the ube shine through. But you could really taste that coconut-y sweetness with the whole milk.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It was so creamy,” Wang says, with the same enthusiasm she must have had as a kid, collecting stickers to get her weekly boba fix. “A dessert in a cup, basically.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The TikTok boba influencer dishes on nontraditional Asian American career paths, self-care and going 'viral.'",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Every week, I would have piano lessons, and if I did well, my teacher would give me a sticker. If I got a sticker, then my mom would take me to Tapioca Express, ” says Alyssa Wang, who goes by the online name \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/feedmeimei/videos\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Feed Meimei\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. “So I’ve always loved boba since I was a kid.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Asian Americans of a certain generation, this kind of childhood nostalgia is commonplace. But Wang, 27, is one of the only ones who has transformed her boba love into a career. She is the internet’s likely first full-time boba content creator. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Today, Feed Meimei boasts more than 605,000 subscribers on Youtube, 737,000 followers on her Tiktok and 242,000 followers on Instagram. Over the past five years, Wang has made more than 70 Youtube videos documenting her countless visits to Bay Area boba shops. Wang’s favorite boba shop in the Bay Area, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.urbanritualcafe.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Urban Ritual\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, even named a drink after her. The drink is currently one of the store’s top three sellers, according to founder David Zhou. Whenever Wang posts about Urban Ritual, the store usually sees a 10 percent uptick in sales.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In that sense, Wang has become one of the most powerful people in the Bay Area boba scene—a kingmaker of sorts whose videos, many which are filmed inside her car, often wind up having a real impact on a small shop’s business fortunes. It’s a future that Wang never could have imagined when she was a college student posting food recommendations just for fun. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>From Software Engineer to Social Media Creator\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang’s food blogging journey began in 2013 when she was a freshman at UC Davis studying computer science and psychology. As a hobby, she made @davis_eats, an Instagram account documenting her adventures exploring the college town’s food scene. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After graduating, Wang moved back to the Bay Area to live with her parents and began working as a software engineer. While she enjoyed coding, she found that she didn’t like it enough to do it eight hours a day. What she did love was building her food Instagram, which she renamed \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/feedmeimei/?hl=en\">Feed Meimei\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I found myself at work just being like, ‘I really wish I could just keep doing that. I want to go out and be shooting content at restaurants,’” Wang says. “It took months for me to come to terms with the fact that I was going to take this untraditional route. Growing up, I always thought I would be a doctor, lawyer or engineer, the classic jobs that Asian parents want you to do.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915017\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915017\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A woman sits in cafe booth with a huge stack of oversized cups of boba in front of her.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_boba-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wang is likely the internet’s first full-time boba influencer. \u003ccite>(Alyssa Wang / @feedmeimei)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang decided at the end of 2018 to quit her job in tech to pursue content creation full time, a decision she says was partially inspired by the path of fellow UC Davis grad TJ Lee, known online as \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/cupoftj\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cup of TJ\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Wang had saved up money from her job and didn’t have other major financial responsibilities at the time. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">She hit the ground running in January 2019, churning out two Youtube videos per week and doing everything from storyboarding, preparing drinks and food, shooting and editing. On Instagram, she started making original content six times per week. In June 2019, she \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@feedmeimei?lang=en\">joined TikTok\u003c/a> and started posting there as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I was just like, go, go, go, just put my head down and work,” Wang says. “I was very much in the mindset of like, ‘I’m just going to work, I’m going to upload, and as long as I keep going, then eventually I will be able to succeed.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Combatting Creator Burnout\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was unsustainable. At the end of 2019, she began to question why she was “working so hard towards something that was never going to happen.” So she took a break from content creation, a field where likes and views have made it notoriously easy to compare your own journey to those of others. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then, the pandemic hit. While tinkering with unpublished footage, at first out of sheer boredom, Wang rediscovered her love for making videos about food. She slowly began posting on Youtube again, just once a week. In 2021, she began experimenting with making boba from scratch and forming it into different characters. Those turned out to be her first “viral” moments. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a video with 1.2 million views on TikTok and 5.7 million views on Youtube Shorts, Wang melts down a strawberry Melona bar to make red panda-shaped tapioca pearls inspired by Pixar’s \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turning Red\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. In another TikTok video with 5.9 million views, she makes \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lZ-G3ASbLAc\">cotton-candy pink, Kirby-shaped pearls\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The success has obviously helped, but being a full-time creator for more than three years has also taught Wang the importance of practicing self-care. She has learned to liberally use Youtube’s “don’t recommend channel” feature to prevent its algorithm from displaying other creators’ videos on her feed. It’s nothing personal—she’s ecstatic for their success—“but I also don’t want myself to feel like I’m not doing enough or I’m not happy where I am,” Wang says, “because I am happy.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The other thing that has helped, Wang says, is that family support, particularly from her mom, has remained constant. And that has made all the difference.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang’s mom even \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">makes\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> frequent, highly-requested appearances in videos. (She has been featured in more than 60 of them so far.) The mother and daughter’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyB1W1tgHUw\">matching levels of enthusiasm for food\u003c/a> make for lighthearted entertainment that some viewers have said reminds them of their interactions with their own family. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/7bGRQJzAKZw'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/7bGRQJzAKZw'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Coming from an Asian upbringing, usually families aren’t super expressive with their emotions,” Wang says. “But, food, it was always something that could bring us together.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Queen of Many Domains\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While some of Wang’s subscribers may have originally come across her channel due to her viral boba videos, her positivity keeps them coming back for more—no matter the video’s subject. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her well-received forays into making non-boba content are proof. She’s made food guides for the Bay Area, Taiwan, Japan, Toronto, Los Angeles, Hawaii and more. Her recent videos include a taste test and ranking of \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyB1W1tgHUw\">every appetizer, dumpling and noodle dish at chain restaurant Din Tai Fung\u003c/a> alongside her mom. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang speaks to the camera directly, casually, as a friend. Seldom does she offer overt criticism. It’s what sets her, and other food influencers, apart from the professional food critics.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13915020\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2048px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13915020\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A woman smiles holding a colorful, seven-scoop ice cream cone in each hand.\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1020x1275.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feedmeimei_icecream-1920x2400.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Feed Meimei has branched out beyond boba to post videos about other food-related topics like soup dumplings and ice cream. \u003ccite>(Alyssa Wang / @feedmeimei)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sbe’s become somewhat of a local star, especially in the Bay Area’s boba scene. Baristas often tell her that customers use her videos as a guide for what to order, she says. She’s not fully used to the attention yet, and still finds it unreal that her subscribers will “sit there and watch me talk about food for, like, 20 minutes.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>It’s been a successful endeavor so far, if the Feed Meimei team’s rapid expansion is any indication. In the past month, Wang has taken on a hiring manager, an assistant and a lawyer—a move that she says has been “long overdue.” Soon, she’ll hire another editor and start a new Youtube channel for casual vlogging. She did not delve into specifics of her financial situation, but, like other influencers, she generates income through a combination of brand partnerships, ad revenue, merchandise and collaborations—her Urban Ritual drink included. She makes enough, at least, that she doesn’t need to take on any other day job.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wang, a deeply nostalgic person, drew the flavor profile for her “Feed Me Ube” collaboration drink from her childhood. Her voice picks up as she describes the decadent drink, which features ube-flavored crème brûlée pudding, taro chunks, coconut milk and a choice of either rice milk or whole milk: “The rice milk is much lighter and it really lets the flavor of the ube shine through. But you could really taste that coconut-y sweetness with the whole milk.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It was so creamy,” Wang says, with the same enthusiasm she must have had as a kid, collecting stickers to get her weekly boba fix. “A dessert in a cup, basically.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "An Ode to Chef Curry, Who Makes Watching the Warriors Delicious",
"headTitle": "An Ode to Chef Curry, Who Makes Watching the Warriors Delicious | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Stephen Curry has been known to cook defenders. Since entering the league in 2009 as the number seven pick for the Golden State Warriors, the undersized guard has been serving NBA defenses his signature dish: treys a-la-carte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>O.K. Maybe I’m forcing that food angle a bit. But there’s a reason he’s garnered international respect as “The Chef.” And for those of us who’ve been around for his legacy, it’s been delicious to experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13914214,arts_13914585']At the start of 2021—last season—the Warriors began their campaign as non-favorites. Their starting five? James Wiseman, a newbie center who had played a total of seven NBA games; a forward in Kelly Oubre Jr. who began the year with a horrendous 3-point shooting percentage (\u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-kelly-oubre-historically-bad-3-point-shooting-start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">literally the worst to ever start a professional basketball season\u003c/a>); a freshly acquired \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-kelly-oubre-historically-bad-3-point-shooting-start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Wiggins, who was deemed a bust\u003c/a>; a recovering Draymond Green who hadn’t played much due to lingering ailments; and Steph Wardell Curry, the former two-time MVP who had also missed significant playing time from prolonged wrist and ankle injuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No one will remember a game like Jan. 4, 2021, when a depleted Golden State roster faced off against the Sacramento Kings. By halftime, Steph had racked up 23 points, four assists, and three rebounds in 19 minutes—including a sick alley-oop to the rookie, Wiseman. With a victory, the Dubs reached a winning record for the first time since 2019, when they finished with a franchise-low mark of 15 wins and 50 losses. But with Curry back on the team, players like Mark Mulder and Brad Wanamaker (you’ve probably forgotten about them already) were suddenly able to somehow win games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As usual, Dub Nation’s hopes hinged on a miracle recipe that only Steph himself could whip up to get the team back in contention. And he did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914953\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914953\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200.jpg\" alt=\"Basketball players in group photo holding up championship rings\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors celebrate after receiving their 2017–2018 Championship rings. \u003ccite>(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When it comes to superstars lifting up their franchises, it’s part of a gig we’ve seen before. LeBron has done it. Kobe did it. Jordan certainly did it. Magic Johnson. Larry Bird. You name them, they’ve done it. But why is it that some critics still believe Curry is incapable of being among these top chefs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Any longtime Warriors fan knows how much Curry has already done to reach this point—and the fact that he has done it multiple times, across a span of 13 years, is nothing short of otherworldly. He’s been doing it since 2009 at Oracle, when he notched \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDBaDqrWBEI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">his first career triple double\u003c/a>. And in 2012, when he led a six-seed Dubs to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time since 1976. And he continued to do it from 2015 until 2019, when the Warriors went on to become one of the most dominant franchises in NBA history, racking up three championships, the all-time most regular season wins, and five NBA Finals appearances in just as many years—all under his guidance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet, when he introduced a sous chef by the name of Kevin Durant in 2017, \u003ca href=\"https://heavy.com/sports/golden-state-warriors/kevin-durant-step-curry-twitter-drama/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">it ruined the flavors\u003c/a>. It was unforgivable for many, and suddenly, Curry became seen as incapable of running his own kitchen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914954\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914954\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200.jpg\" alt='Curry seen from back with arms outstretched and both hands in \"OK\" signs' width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Curry celebrates a basket during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s time to forget all that noise and fully recognize Curry for what he is: the most distinguished, seasoned athlete of his generation. From a lifetime of watching this ball club, I’m telling you that Steph single-handedly (or single-splashedly?) transformed the aura around the franchise in a way that only the game’s GOATs have ever been capable of doing. Before Steph, the Warriors hadn’t delivered anything except Ls and a second round playoff appearance—and that was once, when Baron Davis led an incredibly charged “We Believe” unit in 2007.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After being dismissed in the draft, Steph gave us hope by proceeding to dismantle defenses with his scrawny stature and sniping his way into sports history, elevating the Warriors to heights not even Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry or Chris Mullin could achieve. Curry fed us that belief. Not KD. Not Steve Kerr. Not my Aquarian brother, Klay Thompson. Not any reason or excuse you can conjure about opposing teams’ injuries, luck or privilege that get mindlessly tossed around to divert attention from Curry’s epic achievements. It has simply been Steph—the original Splash Brother, and the Bay Area’s most improbable Chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through it all, \u003ca href=\"https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/Why-Steph-Curry-Is-Overrated\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he has been slandered as “overrated”\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://theundefeated.com/features/why-is-steph-curry-still-dissed-so-much-he-doesnt-fit-the-stereotype-of-nba-greatness/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dissed for “lacking the prototypical superhero stature.”\u003c/a> I’ve heard everything about Steph’s hairstyle, his height, his skin tone, \u003ca href=\"https://thespun.com/more/top-stories/steph-curry-parents-divorce-dell-sonya-boyfriend-girlfriend-rumors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">his parents’ relationship\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Boston-bar-feuds-with-Currys-17244552.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">even his wife Ayesha’s cooking\u003c/a> (known for her actual cooking skills as an owner of the San Francisco restaurant, \u003ca href=\"https://www.michaelmina.net/restaurants/international-smoke-locations/san-francisco/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">International Smoke\u003c/a>)—irrelevant factors that are used to nitpick at him in ways I’ve never seen directed so obsessively towards any other male athlete. There’s a level of alpha toxicity that permeates those attacks, as if somehow being a humble, smiley, worry-free man makes him incapable of greatness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914955\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914955\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200.jpg\" alt='Curry with towel over head and both arms up in \"huh?\" gesture' width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Curry reacts after teammate Draymond Green shot a free throw during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I’ll admit, Curry isn’t the perfect player. He has struggled in major games at times. He doesn’t show that same “Mamba Mentality” to destroy another person’s soul like Kobe once did; he can’t bulldoze his way through the lane to overpower his defenders like LeBron; and he’s as far as can be from having the pitbullish defense and murderous anger of Jordan. But what those guys didn’t have—besides Steph’s unbelievable shooting ability—was Curry’s finesse. He not only makes the flow of a game fun and playfully light to watch, but gets teammates involved without ever forcing them into submission or fear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the ultra levels of doubt that have always followed Steph—from Davidson, North Carolina, to Oakland and San Francisco, California—he still manages to drop 43-point culinary gems against number-one-ranked defenses like the Boston Celtics in Game Four of a decisive series.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, yes, Curry deserves his flowers because for too long he has been disrespected by salty pundits as a mere product of better players and coaching systems around him. But no one is bailing him out this time, and he doesn’t need it. The Chef himself is cooking yet another round of NBA defenders on his way to an exclamatory—and untouchable—chance at a fourth championship. Win or lose, we’re lucky to have a seat at his table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itDmpH_QCQQ\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "As a lifelong fan, I’m telling you that Steph has single-handedly transformed the aura around the Warriors.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Stephen Curry has been known to cook defenders. Since entering the league in 2009 as the number seven pick for the Golden State Warriors, the undersized guard has been serving NBA defenses his signature dish: treys a-la-carte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>O.K. Maybe I’m forcing that food angle a bit. But there’s a reason he’s garnered international respect as “The Chef.” And for those of us who’ve been around for his legacy, it’s been delicious to experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>At the start of 2021—last season—the Warriors began their campaign as non-favorites. Their starting five? James Wiseman, a newbie center who had played a total of seven NBA games; a forward in Kelly Oubre Jr. who began the year with a horrendous 3-point shooting percentage (\u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-kelly-oubre-historically-bad-3-point-shooting-start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">literally the worst to ever start a professional basketball season\u003c/a>); a freshly acquired \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-kelly-oubre-historically-bad-3-point-shooting-start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Wiggins, who was deemed a bust\u003c/a>; a recovering Draymond Green who hadn’t played much due to lingering ailments; and Steph Wardell Curry, the former two-time MVP who had also missed significant playing time from prolonged wrist and ankle injuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No one will remember a game like Jan. 4, 2021, when a depleted Golden State roster faced off against the Sacramento Kings. By halftime, Steph had racked up 23 points, four assists, and three rebounds in 19 minutes—including a sick alley-oop to the rookie, Wiseman. With a victory, the Dubs reached a winning record for the first time since 2019, when they finished with a franchise-low mark of 15 wins and 50 losses. But with Curry back on the team, players like Mark Mulder and Brad Wanamaker (you’ve probably forgotten about them already) were suddenly able to somehow win games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As usual, Dub Nation’s hopes hinged on a miracle recipe that only Steph himself could whip up to get the team back in contention. And he did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914953\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914953\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200.jpg\" alt=\"Basketball players in group photo holding up championship rings\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Warriors2018Champions_1200-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors celebrate after receiving their 2017–2018 Championship rings. \u003ccite>(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When it comes to superstars lifting up their franchises, it’s part of a gig we’ve seen before. LeBron has done it. Kobe did it. Jordan certainly did it. Magic Johnson. Larry Bird. You name them, they’ve done it. But why is it that some critics still believe Curry is incapable of being among these top chefs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Any longtime Warriors fan knows how much Curry has already done to reach this point—and the fact that he has done it multiple times, across a span of 13 years, is nothing short of otherworldly. He’s been doing it since 2009 at Oracle, when he notched \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDBaDqrWBEI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">his first career triple double\u003c/a>. And in 2012, when he led a six-seed Dubs to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time since 1976. And he continued to do it from 2015 until 2019, when the Warriors went on to become one of the most dominant franchises in NBA history, racking up three championships, the all-time most regular season wins, and five NBA Finals appearances in just as many years—all under his guidance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet, when he introduced a sous chef by the name of Kevin Durant in 2017, \u003ca href=\"https://heavy.com/sports/golden-state-warriors/kevin-durant-step-curry-twitter-drama/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">it ruined the flavors\u003c/a>. It was unforgivable for many, and suddenly, Curry became seen as incapable of running his own kitchen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914954\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914954\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200.jpg\" alt='Curry seen from back with arms outstretched and both hands in \"OK\" signs' width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/CurryBack_1200-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Curry celebrates a basket during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s time to forget all that noise and fully recognize Curry for what he is: the most distinguished, seasoned athlete of his generation. From a lifetime of watching this ball club, I’m telling you that Steph single-handedly (or single-splashedly?) transformed the aura around the franchise in a way that only the game’s GOATs have ever been capable of doing. Before Steph, the Warriors hadn’t delivered anything except Ls and a second round playoff appearance—and that was once, when Baron Davis led an incredibly charged “We Believe” unit in 2007.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After being dismissed in the draft, Steph gave us hope by proceeding to dismantle defenses with his scrawny stature and sniping his way into sports history, elevating the Warriors to heights not even Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry or Chris Mullin could achieve. Curry fed us that belief. Not KD. Not Steve Kerr. Not my Aquarian brother, Klay Thompson. Not any reason or excuse you can conjure about opposing teams’ injuries, luck or privilege that get mindlessly tossed around to divert attention from Curry’s epic achievements. It has simply been Steph—the original Splash Brother, and the Bay Area’s most improbable Chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through it all, \u003ca href=\"https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/Why-Steph-Curry-Is-Overrated\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he has been slandered as “overrated”\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://theundefeated.com/features/why-is-steph-curry-still-dissed-so-much-he-doesnt-fit-the-stereotype-of-nba-greatness/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dissed for “lacking the prototypical superhero stature.”\u003c/a> I’ve heard everything about Steph’s hairstyle, his height, his skin tone, \u003ca href=\"https://thespun.com/more/top-stories/steph-curry-parents-divorce-dell-sonya-boyfriend-girlfriend-rumors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">his parents’ relationship\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Boston-bar-feuds-with-Currys-17244552.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">even his wife Ayesha’s cooking\u003c/a> (known for her actual cooking skills as an owner of the San Francisco restaurant, \u003ca href=\"https://www.michaelmina.net/restaurants/international-smoke-locations/san-francisco/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">International Smoke\u003c/a>)—irrelevant factors that are used to nitpick at him in ways I’ve never seen directed so obsessively towards any other male athlete. There’s a level of alpha toxicity that permeates those attacks, as if somehow being a humble, smiley, worry-free man makes him incapable of greatness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914955\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914955\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200.jpg\" alt='Curry with towel over head and both arms up in \"huh?\" gesture' width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/StephTowel_1200-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Curry reacts after teammate Draymond Green shot a free throw during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I’ll admit, Curry isn’t the perfect player. He has struggled in major games at times. He doesn’t show that same “Mamba Mentality” to destroy another person’s soul like Kobe once did; he can’t bulldoze his way through the lane to overpower his defenders like LeBron; and he’s as far as can be from having the pitbullish defense and murderous anger of Jordan. But what those guys didn’t have—besides Steph’s unbelievable shooting ability—was Curry’s finesse. He not only makes the flow of a game fun and playfully light to watch, but gets teammates involved without ever forcing them into submission or fear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the ultra levels of doubt that have always followed Steph—from Davidson, North Carolina, to Oakland and San Francisco, California—he still manages to drop 43-point culinary gems against number-one-ranked defenses like the Boston Celtics in Game Four of a decisive series.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, yes, Curry deserves his flowers because for too long he has been disrespected by salty pundits as a mere product of better players and coaching systems around him. But no one is bailing him out this time, and he doesn’t need it. The Chef himself is cooking yet another round of NBA defenders on his way to an exclamatory—and untouchable—chance at a fourth championship. Win or lose, we’re lucky to have a seat at his table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "In a World of Flashy IPAs, the Humble Lager Gets Its Due",
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"content": "\u003cp>In the bitter, hop-heavy world of American craft beer, Richmond’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbrotherbeer.com/home-1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">East Brother Beer Company\u003c/a> has always been a bit of an outlier. Its most popular beers are its lighter, more refreshing brews—its lagers, its Bohemian-style pilsner. Meanwhile, co-founder Rob Lightner says, if you go to any random brewery in any major metropolitan area in the United States, it’s almost shocking if the place doesn’t have a dozen IPAs on tap. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In that sense, East Brother has zigged while many others zagged. Now, the brewery has created a new beer festival that is a manifesto of sorts. On Saturday, June 18, it will host its first lager festival, dubbed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbrotherbeer.com/beerfestival\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pride + Purpose Beer Festival\u003c/a>—to Lightner’s knowledge, the first-ever Bay Area beer festival specifically focused on lagers. It’ll be a day-long celebration of the style, with 25 Northern California breweries on hand to show off their version of what Lightner calls the quintessential “working person’s beer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13914400,arts_13902507']To be clear, Lightner says, East Brother sells IPAs, too, and it’s not a mystery why breweries carry so many of them: “People love them.” The craft beer movement itself started largely as a sort of reaction to the watery mass-market lagers from companies like Coors and Anheuser-Busch. But as much as Lightner appreciates the hoppy, intensely flavorful—and often bitter—IPAs that dominate the craft beer market, he and the rest of the East Brother staff have always loved drinking a crisp, classic lager. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, East Brother’s bestsellers are its Vienna-style red lager and its Bohemian pilsner (another light, crisp style). The brewery also has an ongoing seasonal lager series, introducing a new variation every three months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The appeal of a lager is manyfold: Its lighter flavor and lower alcohol content tends to complement different types of food instead of competing with them. Lagers aren’t precious in the same way that a lot of craft beer culture can be—people don’t come to East Brother to “discuss” the beer. And it’s for good reason, Lightner says, that lagers have long been the beer of choice for working-class people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It starts with economics, right?” Lightner says, pointing out that a four-pack of a trendy double hazy IPA might sell for $25 at the grocery store. Lagers, as a general rule, are more affordable. And then there’s the idea of what kind of beer a person is going to want to drink after a long day doing manual labor or any kind of hard work. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you want something thirst-quenching, what are you going to choose? A drinkable, crisp lager that’s 4.5% ABV or a double-hopped IPA that’s 8.5%?” Lightner says. “I think [a lager] just lends itself more to work—and the rewards of work.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914897\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager.jpg\" alt='Man pours beer into a glass from a can; the beer label reads \"Sixth & Canal.\"' width=\"1800\" height=\"1013\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914897\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Sixth & Canal, a collaborative beer between East Brother Beer Co. and Fieldworks Brewing, will be one of more than 30 lagers that will be poured at this weekend’s Pride + Purpose Beer Festival. \u003ccite>(East Brother Beer Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Of course, East Brother isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel here. Lightner estimates that 85 to 90% of the beer that’s sold around the world consists of lagers. People in India and Japan are mostly drinking lagers. The world’s best-selling beer by far—China’s \u003ca href=\"https://vinepair.com/articles/10-biggest-beer-brands-world-2018/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Snow\u003c/a>—is a lager. And now that American craft breweries are starting to take lagers more seriously, it seemed like the perfect time to put together a festival that would give the beer style its due. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attendees at Saturday’s festival will have access to all the lagers they can drink from 25 different Northern California breweries, which run the gamut from big names like Drake’s, Trumer Pils and Russian River Brewing to a handful of lesser known \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pride-purpose-beer-festival-tickets-313778007467\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">local favorites\u003c/a>. There will be food, too, courtesy of food trucks like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cevicheandco/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ceviche & Co\u003c/a>, Crack Crab and the birria specialist \u003ca href=\"https://www.la-santa-torta.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">La Santa Torta\u003c/a>. And VIP ticket holders will also have access to a couple of different discussion panels, including one that digs deeper into the lager’s history as a working person’s beer. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even the festival’s charitable cause will tie into that labor theme: All profits will support Richmond’s \u003ca href=\"https://rosietheriveter.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rosie the Riveter Trust\u003c/a>, a nonprofit that builds on the legacy of the original “Rosies”—the diverse group of women who worked together in shipyards and factories on the American home front during World War II. Today, the organization focuses on \u003ca href=\"https://rosietheriveter.org/pages/youth-education-programs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">outdoor education and building career skills for girls and transgender and non-binary youth\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The Rosies] kind of represent all that’s good—coming together for a cause, overcoming racial and gender discrimination,” Lightner says. A few of the original Rosies, who are now in their 90s, will be on hand to meet and greet lager festival attendees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Pride + Purpose Beer Festival takes place on Saturday, June 18, from 1–5 pm at East Brother Beer Company (1001 Canal Blvd., #C2, Richmond). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pride-purpose-beer-festival-tickets-313778007467\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tickets\u003c/a> are $60 and include unlimited beer tastings.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In the bitter, hop-heavy world of American craft beer, Richmond’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbrotherbeer.com/home-1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">East Brother Beer Company\u003c/a> has always been a bit of an outlier. Its most popular beers are its lighter, more refreshing brews—its lagers, its Bohemian-style pilsner. Meanwhile, co-founder Rob Lightner says, if you go to any random brewery in any major metropolitan area in the United States, it’s almost shocking if the place doesn’t have a dozen IPAs on tap. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In that sense, East Brother has zigged while many others zagged. Now, the brewery has created a new beer festival that is a manifesto of sorts. On Saturday, June 18, it will host its first lager festival, dubbed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbrotherbeer.com/beerfestival\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pride + Purpose Beer Festival\u003c/a>—to Lightner’s knowledge, the first-ever Bay Area beer festival specifically focused on lagers. It’ll be a day-long celebration of the style, with 25 Northern California breweries on hand to show off their version of what Lightner calls the quintessential “working person’s beer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>To be clear, Lightner says, East Brother sells IPAs, too, and it’s not a mystery why breweries carry so many of them: “People love them.” The craft beer movement itself started largely as a sort of reaction to the watery mass-market lagers from companies like Coors and Anheuser-Busch. But as much as Lightner appreciates the hoppy, intensely flavorful—and often bitter—IPAs that dominate the craft beer market, he and the rest of the East Brother staff have always loved drinking a crisp, classic lager. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, East Brother’s bestsellers are its Vienna-style red lager and its Bohemian pilsner (another light, crisp style). The brewery also has an ongoing seasonal lager series, introducing a new variation every three months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The appeal of a lager is manyfold: Its lighter flavor and lower alcohol content tends to complement different types of food instead of competing with them. Lagers aren’t precious in the same way that a lot of craft beer culture can be—people don’t come to East Brother to “discuss” the beer. And it’s for good reason, Lightner says, that lagers have long been the beer of choice for working-class people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It starts with economics, right?” Lightner says, pointing out that a four-pack of a trendy double hazy IPA might sell for $25 at the grocery store. Lagers, as a general rule, are more affordable. And then there’s the idea of what kind of beer a person is going to want to drink after a long day doing manual labor or any kind of hard work. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you want something thirst-quenching, what are you going to choose? A drinkable, crisp lager that’s 4.5% ABV or a double-hopped IPA that’s 8.5%?” Lightner says. “I think [a lager] just lends itself more to work—and the rewards of work.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914897\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager.jpg\" alt='Man pours beer into a glass from a can; the beer label reads \"Sixth & Canal.\"' width=\"1800\" height=\"1013\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914897\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/eastbrother_lager-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Sixth & Canal, a collaborative beer between East Brother Beer Co. and Fieldworks Brewing, will be one of more than 30 lagers that will be poured at this weekend’s Pride + Purpose Beer Festival. \u003ccite>(East Brother Beer Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Of course, East Brother isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel here. Lightner estimates that 85 to 90% of the beer that’s sold around the world consists of lagers. People in India and Japan are mostly drinking lagers. The world’s best-selling beer by far—China’s \u003ca href=\"https://vinepair.com/articles/10-biggest-beer-brands-world-2018/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Snow\u003c/a>—is a lager. And now that American craft breweries are starting to take lagers more seriously, it seemed like the perfect time to put together a festival that would give the beer style its due. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attendees at Saturday’s festival will have access to all the lagers they can drink from 25 different Northern California breweries, which run the gamut from big names like Drake’s, Trumer Pils and Russian River Brewing to a handful of lesser known \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pride-purpose-beer-festival-tickets-313778007467\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">local favorites\u003c/a>. There will be food, too, courtesy of food trucks like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cevicheandco/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ceviche & Co\u003c/a>, Crack Crab and the birria specialist \u003ca href=\"https://www.la-santa-torta.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">La Santa Torta\u003c/a>. And VIP ticket holders will also have access to a couple of different discussion panels, including one that digs deeper into the lager’s history as a working person’s beer. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even the festival’s charitable cause will tie into that labor theme: All profits will support Richmond’s \u003ca href=\"https://rosietheriveter.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rosie the Riveter Trust\u003c/a>, a nonprofit that builds on the legacy of the original “Rosies”—the diverse group of women who worked together in shipyards and factories on the American home front during World War II. Today, the organization focuses on \u003ca href=\"https://rosietheriveter.org/pages/youth-education-programs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">outdoor education and building career skills for girls and transgender and non-binary youth\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The Rosies] kind of represent all that’s good—coming together for a cause, overcoming racial and gender discrimination,” Lightner says. A few of the original Rosies, who are now in their 90s, will be on hand to meet and greet lager festival attendees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Pride + Purpose Beer Festival takes place on Saturday, June 18, from 1–5 pm at East Brother Beer Company (1001 Canal Blvd., #C2, Richmond). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pride-purpose-beer-festival-tickets-313778007467\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tickets\u003c/a> are $60 and include unlimited beer tastings.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "A New Filipino American Play Asks: Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Lechon?",
"headTitle": "A New Filipino American Play Asks: Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Lechon? | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Oliver Saria knows about the glory of a lechon—the crunch and crackle when you cut into the pig’s fat-rendered skin, the juicy succulence of its slow-roasted flesh. The San Francisco-based playwright grew up eating enormous portions of whole pig lechon at big Filipino family gatherings, and he says the dish came to symbolize all of the joy and abundance of Filipino food culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nothing says fiesta like lechon,” says Saria, the managing director at San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bindlestiffstudio.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bindlestiff Studio\u003c/a>, which touts itself as the only black box theater in the United States dedicated to showcasing Filipino American performing arts. “There was not a full celebration if you didn’t have a lechon.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the last few years caused Saria to rethink his relationship to Filipino food, especially as several members of the local Filipino American artistic community died young due to complications from diabetes and heart disease. Then the pandemic happened, and people who were laid off from their jobs were left with no safety net. Saria had to drive one Bindlestiff staff member to the emergency room because he had lost his health insurance and was rationing his diabetes medication. “He likely could have died that night,” Saria recalls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914755\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914755\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Playwright Oliver Saria posing for a headshot wearing a red and black checkered shirt.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Oliver Saria wrote ‘Inay Dalisay’ as a way for Filipino Americans to start a conversation about their foodways. \u003ccite>(Paciano Triunfo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Saria looked at data showing that Filipino Americans have some of the highest rates of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. “Growing up as a Filipino American, I realized a lot of that was rooted in the food we ate,” he says. “It’s a lot of meat and rice.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Is there such a thing, then, as \u003ci>too much\u003c/i> lechon? Saria’s new play, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bindlestiffstudio.org/inay-dalisay\" target=\"_blanl\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003ci>Inay Dalisay’s World Famous Lechon\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, takes on that question. Directed by Aureen Almario, the play will make its world debut this week at Bindlestiff, in the heart of the SoMa neighborhood’s Filipino cultural district, with a two-weekend run June 16–25. It’s the theater’s first full-length stage production since before the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The play is set in the Labis family’s “dirty kitchen,” a fully decked out backyard kitchen where the characters gather together for a series of big family meals—and where they dive into some of these broader questions about health, diet and traditional Filipino foodways. It’s all meant to be handled with a light touch. (\u003ci>Inay Dalisay\u003c/i> is being marketed as a “raucous comedy,” after all.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The play isn’t about denigrating Filipino food or only talking about how unhealthy it is,” Saria stresses. “But it is trying to bring up the topic in the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inay Dalisay is the mother of one of the characters in the play, and her legendary lechon recipe serves as one of the play’s recurring motifs. But a vegan, fake-meat lechon also makes an appearance—a nod, in part, to the large number of Filipino vegans that Bindlestiff itself has on staff. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, vegan Filipino chefs like the Bay Area’s own \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/10/26/21531184/nicks-on-mission-nicks-on-grand-closed-vegan-filipino-chef-reina-montenegro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reina Montenegro\u003c/a>, who was a consultant on the play, have faced pushback from Filipino Americans who question the authenticity of their food. It’s a complicated issue, Saria acknowledges—one that isn’t as simple as saying that Filipinos just need to stop eating meat. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t really replace the taste of lechon,” he says. “I say it in the play: It’s like the purest expression of pork. Vegan food cannot be an ersatz substitute if the exact flavor is what you’re looking for.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13913828,arts_13912001']For Saria, part of the answer lies in really embracing the healthy dishes and fresh ingredients that already exist in Filipino cuisine. “Vegetables are not often thought of as celebratory food. The play makes a case for celebrating those often-ignored ingredients,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What \u003ci>Inay Dalisay’s World Famous Lechon\u003c/i> attempts to do, then, is straddle a tricky line—to ask audience members to reexamine their own foodways, but to do it in a culturally appropriate way. And it’s not something that only applies to Filipino Americans. Many Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities are also dealing with similar health crises, Saria points out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do we adopt new customs without losing our identity?” Saria says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>‘Inay Dalisay’s World Famous Lechon’ is playing at Bindlestiff Studio on Thursdays and Saturdays at 8pm, June 16–25, with an additional 4pm matinee on Saturday, June 18. Tickets are $30 ($20 for students and seniors). \u003ca href=\"https://www.bindlestiffstudio.org/inay-dalisay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Oliver Saria knows about the glory of a lechon—the crunch and crackle when you cut into the pig’s fat-rendered skin, the juicy succulence of its slow-roasted flesh. The San Francisco-based playwright grew up eating enormous portions of whole pig lechon at big Filipino family gatherings, and he says the dish came to symbolize all of the joy and abundance of Filipino food culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nothing says fiesta like lechon,” says Saria, the managing director at San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bindlestiffstudio.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bindlestiff Studio\u003c/a>, which touts itself as the only black box theater in the United States dedicated to showcasing Filipino American performing arts. “There was not a full celebration if you didn’t have a lechon.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the last few years caused Saria to rethink his relationship to Filipino food, especially as several members of the local Filipino American artistic community died young due to complications from diabetes and heart disease. Then the pandemic happened, and people who were laid off from their jobs were left with no safety net. Saria had to drive one Bindlestiff staff member to the emergency room because he had lost his health insurance and was rationing his diabetes medication. “He likely could have died that night,” Saria recalls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914755\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914755\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Playwright Oliver Saria posing for a headshot wearing a red and black checkered shirt.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/1.Bindlestiff_Inay-Dalisay_Playwright-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Oliver Saria wrote ‘Inay Dalisay’ as a way for Filipino Americans to start a conversation about their foodways. \u003ccite>(Paciano Triunfo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Saria looked at data showing that Filipino Americans have some of the highest rates of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. “Growing up as a Filipino American, I realized a lot of that was rooted in the food we ate,” he says. “It’s a lot of meat and rice.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Is there such a thing, then, as \u003ci>too much\u003c/i> lechon? Saria’s new play, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bindlestiffstudio.org/inay-dalisay\" target=\"_blanl\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003ci>Inay Dalisay’s World Famous Lechon\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, takes on that question. Directed by Aureen Almario, the play will make its world debut this week at Bindlestiff, in the heart of the SoMa neighborhood’s Filipino cultural district, with a two-weekend run June 16–25. It’s the theater’s first full-length stage production since before the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The play is set in the Labis family’s “dirty kitchen,” a fully decked out backyard kitchen where the characters gather together for a series of big family meals—and where they dive into some of these broader questions about health, diet and traditional Filipino foodways. It’s all meant to be handled with a light touch. (\u003ci>Inay Dalisay\u003c/i> is being marketed as a “raucous comedy,” after all.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The play isn’t about denigrating Filipino food or only talking about how unhealthy it is,” Saria stresses. “But it is trying to bring up the topic in the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inay Dalisay is the mother of one of the characters in the play, and her legendary lechon recipe serves as one of the play’s recurring motifs. But a vegan, fake-meat lechon also makes an appearance—a nod, in part, to the large number of Filipino vegans that Bindlestiff itself has on staff. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, vegan Filipino chefs like the Bay Area’s own \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/10/26/21531184/nicks-on-mission-nicks-on-grand-closed-vegan-filipino-chef-reina-montenegro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reina Montenegro\u003c/a>, who was a consultant on the play, have faced pushback from Filipino Americans who question the authenticity of their food. It’s a complicated issue, Saria acknowledges—one that isn’t as simple as saying that Filipinos just need to stop eating meat. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t really replace the taste of lechon,” he says. “I say it in the play: It’s like the purest expression of pork. Vegan food cannot be an ersatz substitute if the exact flavor is what you’re looking for.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>For Saria, part of the answer lies in really embracing the healthy dishes and fresh ingredients that already exist in Filipino cuisine. “Vegetables are not often thought of as celebratory food. The play makes a case for celebrating those often-ignored ingredients,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What \u003ci>Inay Dalisay’s World Famous Lechon\u003c/i> attempts to do, then, is straddle a tricky line—to ask audience members to reexamine their own foodways, but to do it in a culturally appropriate way. And it’s not something that only applies to Filipino Americans. Many Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities are also dealing with similar health crises, Saria points out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do we adopt new customs without losing our identity?” Saria says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>‘Inay Dalisay’s World Famous Lechon’ is playing at Bindlestiff Studio on Thursdays and Saturdays at 8pm, June 16–25, with an additional 4pm matinee on Saturday, June 18. Tickets are $30 ($20 for students and seniors). \u003ca href=\"https://www.bindlestiffstudio.org/inay-dalisay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a weekly conversation with Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary culture through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the Oakland Athletics’ losing record and a ruthless cycle of bashing the team’s paltry stadium this season in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/15/sports/baseball/oakland-athletics-attendance.html\">national\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2022/06/01/cat-feces-cobwebs-moths-oakland-as-complain-about-coliseum-conditions/\">local media outlets \u003c/a>(sorry, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, but you’ve been out-bashed), there’s at least one statistic where the A’s remain undefeated: hot dogs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because the A’s, who can’t seem to win back their fans, are currently being sustained by Hal Gordon, an all-star hot dog vendor with an entire lineup of nicknames. He’s Hal the Pal, Hal the Hot Dog Guy and Hal the Hot Dog Economist—\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/AsHotDog/status/1519352157308293121\">he even has a set of trading cards\u003c/a> and sponsored pins he signs and gives out to fans. It’s no stretch to say this red-and-white-stripe uniformed food purveyor is more popular than the current players on the field. \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/AsHotDog/status/1529963148492476416\">Hal even brings his own extra condiments\u003c/a> like jalapeño mustard and capers to serve fans, since they aren’t provided otherwise, making him a beloved fixture with A’s diehards and first-timers alike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101889374/for-oakland-as-fans-its-not-been-a-field-of-dreams\">Hal recently appeared with me as a guest on \u003ci>Forum\u003c/i>, hosted by KQED’s Alexis Madrigal\u003c/a>, to speak with baseball experts and fans about the team’s dire situation. (He is a PhD student at UC Berkeley studying economics, after all). But besides the drama surrounding this team, there’s a playfulness to Hal and what he delivers—and it’s served from a 53-pound steamer he lugs around for approximately 8,340 steps each game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I caught up with him while the Boston Red Sox were in town to discuss his favorite style of dogs and his love for Bay Area food. Here’s what baseball’s celebrity food slinger had to say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KQED: What are your early memories of hot dogs at baseball games?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m from Chicago, so I remember being a kid at Wrigley Field. There are weird rules around hot dogs [in Chicago]. Kids are allowed to have ketchup on the hot dog. But once you turn 13, you’re supposed to get rid of the ketchup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914588\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13914588 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-800x1067.jpg\" alt=\"woman holds a hot dog with jalapenos, onions, and ketchup at a baseball game\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Oakland A’s fan shows off her hot dog with speciality toppings like capers, mayonnaise and more \u003ccite>(Briana Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What differentiates your hot dogs from the concession stands?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The hot dog itself starts the same. But when it’s delivered in the steamer, the hot dogs are plumper than when you cook them. Steaming allows water to get into the hot dog and puffs it up as opposed to grilling it. When most people vend hot dogs, they are already pre-rolled. The hot dog is in a bun and rolled up in foil. Those lose their temperature, and the buns also get soggy. Besides that, the differences are mostly the condiments I offer. And bringing the service right to your seat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hear Hal the Hot Dog Guy in action:\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003caudio controls=\"controls\">\u003c/audio>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Can you list off each condiment and topping you offer? How many varieties of hot dogs can you prepare? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve got ketchup, mustard, relish, mayo, Sriracha, onions, sauerkraut, jalapeños [and] capers. Of the mustards, I have four right now. Regular yellow, golden brown, and on the super secret menu I have two more—one is a hot jalapeño mustard, and the other is called Coney Island mustard, which is honey mustard with chunks of onions and tomatoes. That last one is shipped from Oregon. Oh, and I have sweet relish and dill relish. That’s 13 different condiments. That’s about [\u003cem>takes a long pause, mumbles calculations\u003c/em>] 8,192 ways to serve a hot dog. Right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You bring your own condiments to the games. How did that start?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I started out, I used whatever the Coliseum had. We had yellow and brown mustard, ketchup, sweet relish, sauerkraut, jalapeño and onions. I added some mustards for variety, and one day someone asked for mayo, so I brought that. It grew from there. Last year when COVID hit, the Coliseum wasn’t able to provide any condiments, so I wanted to make sure the fans got what they need. The vending company reimburses me, so it’s not exactly on my dime. But I go to the restaurant supply stores myself and bring big cases of condiments myself. At the beginning of the last homestand I ran out of some ingredients, so I grabbed my backpacking backpack and filled it with the giant gallon bottles of sauerkraut and took BART.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are some of the less popular hot dog styles you’ve dished out?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rarest thing is when someone only orders toppings and no sauce. Someone once asked me to pile on onions only, all my onions. Another guy only orders the spicy items: Sriracha, jalapeños, jalapeño mustard, with extra of each. One fan brings her own gluten-free buns because she’s gluten intolerant. She’ll pull out a sandwich baggie with a bun and hand it to me. Some of the hot dog pros will ask me to put the condiments first and the dog on top. There’s less spillage. I know when someone knows their way around a hot dog when they ask for that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/AsHotDog/status/1529963148492476416\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re famously vegetarian. Why don’t you serve veggie dogs?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m hoping to get veggie dogs soon. The problem is the steamer; it’s a pan with a small flame beneath it and about an inch of water. The steam water gets meaty, full of dissolved hot dog fat. If you put a veggie dog in the same steamer, it would get covered in animal fat. Recently, I’ve been working with a welder to try and design a pan that has a water tight divider. Normally, I can fit 40 hot dogs in my steamer. In this pan we’re designing, I could fit maybe 35 regulars and 5 veggies, with a separate compartment. I’m hoping that I’ll have that pan sometime in the next month. In the Bay Area, I bet I could sell a couple a game. I’d like to offer that because I myself am vegetarian, but also, the whole idea of my existence as the hot dog guy is that this is a fan service. It’s a fan-centered experience. When they ask for something, it becomes my goal to provide it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Where do you go to get the best veggie dogs in the Bay Area?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://topdoghotdogs.com/\">Top Dog\u003c/a> in Berkeley. Instead of a bun, it’s served on a French loaf. That’s such a great touch. They also have at least 10 other types of sausages and dogs and a huge condiment bar. As someone who grew up in Chicago with the dogs there and all the condiments on a Chicago dog, it really taught me that hot dogs aren’t just good, but what’s most fun about the food is that it becomes a canvas for whatever flavors you want. I also want to say: I don’t eat bacon-wrapped Mission dogs because of the meat, but whether you get them near the BART or in San Francisco, it’s great to see. Shout out to all those vendors who work with those flat tops making fresh bacon dogs. It’s a good hustle. It just ticks me off when I see stories about the cops harassing those guys. That’s part of the Bay Area culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Besides hot dogs, what do you most appreciate from the Bay Area’s food spectrum?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13914042,arts_13913985']The burrito is the best food here. Growing up in Chicago, getting a burrito for me meant going to Taco Bell. And I can still remember the first time they opened a Chipotle in my suburb. I haven’t been to a Chipotle since moving here. Fifty years ago, if you were to say what’s the iconic American food, you’d probably say the hot dog or maybe the cheeseburger. But now, honestly, I think there’s an argument to be made that a burrito from the Mission is a more iconic American food. Vallarta in the Mission has a killer eggplant or nopal veggie burrito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What do you enjoy about serving hot dogs at baseball games?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Going to sporting events is so evocative of all our childhoods. It’s about remembering what we remembered as kids and getting excited about it. A while back there were only two vendors: hot dogs and beer. The steamer I use, it’s definitely older than me. I actually tried looking it up before, and it’s made somewhere in New Jersey; I can’t find any evidence of that company even existing anymore. That makes it fun. It used to be how hot dogs were sold decades ago in this Coliseum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I almost forgot to ask: ketchup or mustard only?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Listen, like any self-respecting Chicagoan, I don’t put ketchup on my hot dog. But like any good server, there’s no judgment from me. Like I said, what’s nice about ordering a hot dog is that you’re always in the driver’s seat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/AsHotDog/status/1525329866698027008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Find Hal yelling and chanting his way around Ring Central Coliseum on 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. Check \u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/athletics/schedule/2022-06\">the A’s schedule\u003c/a> for home games.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a weekly conversation with Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary culture through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the Oakland Athletics’ losing record and a ruthless cycle of bashing the team’s paltry stadium this season in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/15/sports/baseball/oakland-athletics-attendance.html\">national\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2022/06/01/cat-feces-cobwebs-moths-oakland-as-complain-about-coliseum-conditions/\">local media outlets \u003c/a>(sorry, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, but you’ve been out-bashed), there’s at least one statistic where the A’s remain undefeated: hot dogs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because the A’s, who can’t seem to win back their fans, are currently being sustained by Hal Gordon, an all-star hot dog vendor with an entire lineup of nicknames. He’s Hal the Pal, Hal the Hot Dog Guy and Hal the Hot Dog Economist—\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/AsHotDog/status/1519352157308293121\">he even has a set of trading cards\u003c/a> and sponsored pins he signs and gives out to fans. It’s no stretch to say this red-and-white-stripe uniformed food purveyor is more popular than the current players on the field. \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/AsHotDog/status/1529963148492476416\">Hal even brings his own extra condiments\u003c/a> like jalapeño mustard and capers to serve fans, since they aren’t provided otherwise, making him a beloved fixture with A’s diehards and first-timers alike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101889374/for-oakland-as-fans-its-not-been-a-field-of-dreams\">Hal recently appeared with me as a guest on \u003ci>Forum\u003c/i>, hosted by KQED’s Alexis Madrigal\u003c/a>, to speak with baseball experts and fans about the team’s dire situation. (He is a PhD student at UC Berkeley studying economics, after all). But besides the drama surrounding this team, there’s a playfulness to Hal and what he delivers—and it’s served from a 53-pound steamer he lugs around for approximately 8,340 steps each game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I caught up with him while the Boston Red Sox were in town to discuss his favorite style of dogs and his love for Bay Area food. Here’s what baseball’s celebrity food slinger had to say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KQED: What are your early memories of hot dogs at baseball games?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m from Chicago, so I remember being a kid at Wrigley Field. There are weird rules around hot dogs [in Chicago]. Kids are allowed to have ketchup on the hot dog. But once you turn 13, you’re supposed to get rid of the ketchup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914588\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13914588 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-800x1067.jpg\" alt=\"woman holds a hot dog with jalapenos, onions, and ketchup at a baseball game\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/hotdoghal_dog-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Oakland A’s fan shows off her hot dog with speciality toppings like capers, mayonnaise and more \u003ccite>(Briana Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What differentiates your hot dogs from the concession stands?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The hot dog itself starts the same. But when it’s delivered in the steamer, the hot dogs are plumper than when you cook them. Steaming allows water to get into the hot dog and puffs it up as opposed to grilling it. When most people vend hot dogs, they are already pre-rolled. The hot dog is in a bun and rolled up in foil. Those lose their temperature, and the buns also get soggy. Besides that, the differences are mostly the condiments I offer. And bringing the service right to your seat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hear Hal the Hot Dog Guy in action:\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003caudio controls=\"controls\">\u003c/audio>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Can you list off each condiment and topping you offer? How many varieties of hot dogs can you prepare? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve got ketchup, mustard, relish, mayo, Sriracha, onions, sauerkraut, jalapeños [and] capers. Of the mustards, I have four right now. Regular yellow, golden brown, and on the super secret menu I have two more—one is a hot jalapeño mustard, and the other is called Coney Island mustard, which is honey mustard with chunks of onions and tomatoes. That last one is shipped from Oregon. Oh, and I have sweet relish and dill relish. That’s 13 different condiments. That’s about [\u003cem>takes a long pause, mumbles calculations\u003c/em>] 8,192 ways to serve a hot dog. Right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You bring your own condiments to the games. How did that start?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I started out, I used whatever the Coliseum had. We had yellow and brown mustard, ketchup, sweet relish, sauerkraut, jalapeño and onions. I added some mustards for variety, and one day someone asked for mayo, so I brought that. It grew from there. Last year when COVID hit, the Coliseum wasn’t able to provide any condiments, so I wanted to make sure the fans got what they need. The vending company reimburses me, so it’s not exactly on my dime. But I go to the restaurant supply stores myself and bring big cases of condiments myself. At the beginning of the last homestand I ran out of some ingredients, so I grabbed my backpacking backpack and filled it with the giant gallon bottles of sauerkraut and took BART.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are some of the less popular hot dog styles you’ve dished out?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rarest thing is when someone only orders toppings and no sauce. Someone once asked me to pile on onions only, all my onions. Another guy only orders the spicy items: Sriracha, jalapeños, jalapeño mustard, with extra of each. One fan brings her own gluten-free buns because she’s gluten intolerant. She’ll pull out a sandwich baggie with a bun and hand it to me. Some of the hot dog pros will ask me to put the condiments first and the dog on top. There’s less spillage. I know when someone knows their way around a hot dog when they ask for that.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re famously vegetarian. Why don’t you serve veggie dogs?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m hoping to get veggie dogs soon. The problem is the steamer; it’s a pan with a small flame beneath it and about an inch of water. The steam water gets meaty, full of dissolved hot dog fat. If you put a veggie dog in the same steamer, it would get covered in animal fat. Recently, I’ve been working with a welder to try and design a pan that has a water tight divider. Normally, I can fit 40 hot dogs in my steamer. In this pan we’re designing, I could fit maybe 35 regulars and 5 veggies, with a separate compartment. I’m hoping that I’ll have that pan sometime in the next month. In the Bay Area, I bet I could sell a couple a game. I’d like to offer that because I myself am vegetarian, but also, the whole idea of my existence as the hot dog guy is that this is a fan service. It’s a fan-centered experience. When they ask for something, it becomes my goal to provide it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Where do you go to get the best veggie dogs in the Bay Area?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://topdoghotdogs.com/\">Top Dog\u003c/a> in Berkeley. Instead of a bun, it’s served on a French loaf. That’s such a great touch. They also have at least 10 other types of sausages and dogs and a huge condiment bar. As someone who grew up in Chicago with the dogs there and all the condiments on a Chicago dog, it really taught me that hot dogs aren’t just good, but what’s most fun about the food is that it becomes a canvas for whatever flavors you want. I also want to say: I don’t eat bacon-wrapped Mission dogs because of the meat, but whether you get them near the BART or in San Francisco, it’s great to see. Shout out to all those vendors who work with those flat tops making fresh bacon dogs. It’s a good hustle. It just ticks me off when I see stories about the cops harassing those guys. That’s part of the Bay Area culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Besides hot dogs, what do you most appreciate from the Bay Area’s food spectrum?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The burrito is the best food here. Growing up in Chicago, getting a burrito for me meant going to Taco Bell. And I can still remember the first time they opened a Chipotle in my suburb. I haven’t been to a Chipotle since moving here. Fifty years ago, if you were to say what’s the iconic American food, you’d probably say the hot dog or maybe the cheeseburger. But now, honestly, I think there’s an argument to be made that a burrito from the Mission is a more iconic American food. Vallarta in the Mission has a killer eggplant or nopal veggie burrito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What do you enjoy about serving hot dogs at baseball games?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Going to sporting events is so evocative of all our childhoods. It’s about remembering what we remembered as kids and getting excited about it. A while back there were only two vendors: hot dogs and beer. The steamer I use, it’s definitely older than me. I actually tried looking it up before, and it’s made somewhere in New Jersey; I can’t find any evidence of that company even existing anymore. That makes it fun. It used to be how hot dogs were sold decades ago in this Coliseum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I almost forgot to ask: ketchup or mustard only?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Listen, like any self-respecting Chicagoan, I don’t put ketchup on my hot dog. But like any good server, there’s no judgment from me. Like I said, what’s nice about ordering a hot dog is that you’re always in the driver’s seat.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Find Hal yelling and chanting his way around Ring Central Coliseum on 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. Check \u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/athletics/schedule/2022-06\">the A’s schedule\u003c/a> for home games.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Richmond’s Hottest Taqueria Is Turning Mangonadas Into Beer",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though often operating under the radar—inside discreet flea markets, word-of-mouth backyards and literal garages—Richmond has quietly risen into the top tier of Bay Area food and beverage destinations.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether it’s a lager at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eastbrotherbeer/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">East Brother Beer Co.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913355/guatemalan-rice-tamales-antojitos-guatemaltecos-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Guatemalan rice tamal at Antojitos Guatemaltecos\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, or \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913985/hot-cheeto-burrito-taqueria-el-mezcal-richard-montanez-san-pablo\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a Hot Cheetos burrito at Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the area’s rich culinary scene—influenced by the diverse presence of Black, immigrant and working-class families—is worth a trip. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The latest offering that speaks to that creativity? A mangonada-inspired beer created by \u003ca href=\"http://www.armisticebrewing.com/\">Armistice Brewing\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">El Garage\u003c/a>—two heavyweights in the Richmond food and beverage game.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Very few residents exemplify the area’s success more than El Garage co-founder Viviana Montano. A born-and-raised Rich City business owner, Montano and her family opened their wildly popular taqueria in 2019, when it operated as a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">pop-up inside the family’s garage\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Since then, El Garage has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/7/9/21319032/quesabirria-tacos-el-garage-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">expanded into a premier downtown location\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and garnered attention from every taco lover in the region, including \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887986/exploring-richmonds-taco-corridor-and-more-with-luke-tsai\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED’s own food editor, Luke Tsai, who spoke with Montano about her favorite hometown spots to grub\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914417\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914417\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Two tacos topped with beef birria and melted cheese, with sliced cucumbers and radishes on the side.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Garage’s signature quesabirria is revered by East Bay taco lovers. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But before all that taco glory, Montano started out as a bartender for Armistice Brewing Company, back when the brewery first opened in 2017. At the time, the craft brewhouse, owned by siblings Greg and Alex Zobel, was among the early wavemakers to move in along Richmond’s changing waterfront. They have since outlasted COVID to become one of the city’s flagship breweries with prime real estate in the marina. And though Montano left Armistice in 2019 to pursue her own ventures, she loved her time there and took a newfound interest in beer that she never anticipated.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I knew nothing about beer,” she admits. “But working there gave me experience with seeing how a business runs. I definitely started liking beer after that.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914416\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914416\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Woman in green sweatshirt stands in front of a large metal kettle for brewing beer.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Before Viviana Montano opened a taqueria, she dipped her toes in the beer business at Armistice Brewing. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now, Montano is collaborating with Armistice again on the brewery’s belated “Four Once More” block party, a fourth-anniversary celebration initially scheduled for 2021 but delayed due to COVID-related safety. The June 11 day party will feature live DJs, a free photo booth, family friendly activities and food served by Rocky Island Oyster Co., Curbside Kitchen and, of course, El Garage.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most enticingly, Armistice will be releasing a line of special beers, headlined by their partnership with El Garage’s Montano, who has taken the lead on her own unique creation: a mangonada “smoothie ale” called the Feliz Sábado.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you don’t know what a mangonada is, it’s a juicy mango party inside your cup. Usually, the summery treat consists of some variety of mango-flavored sorbet, fresh mango puree, salsa and chile. There are lime and orange variations as well, and they’re all typically served in the form of a colossal smoothie or spritzer. Drinking one is a common way to cool off in parts of Latin America.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turning all that into a beer isn’t exactly the norm, but it’s Montano’s way of showing love to the many influences and flavors that have shaped who she has become in her own community. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Being from Richmond, I always wanted places like El Garage,” says Montano. “Places to hang out, drink a beer, have fun, with a Latinx experience for the community. That’s our goal: to embrace Richmond.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914413\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13914413 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg\" alt='Four cans of beer with an orange and red label; the text on the can reads \"Feliz Sabado\" and \"Armistice + El Garage\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once they have their beer and wine license, the El Garage team hopes to serve the “Feliz Sábado” at the taqueria. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13902507,arts_13895488']Made with “pounds and pounds” of mangoes, chile piquín and milk sugar (an ingredient that helps to prevent the loss of sugar during the highest temperatures of the brewing process, allowing the beer to retain a sweet thickness reminiscent of a smoothie), Montano’s playful tribute will debut at the Armistice “Four Once More” block party.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eventually, Montano hopes to feature the beer at El Garage, which is currently in the process of securing a liquor license (as well as some old-school pinball machines). The taqueria and brewery are also in talks about another collaboration for Armistice’s next anniversary, which is scheduled for later this year on August 6—National IPA Day—to properly celebrate its fifth year of brewing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Who knows? Maybe we’ll get some rendition of a Quesa-Beer-IPA then? Or not. I’ll leave that to the pros to decide.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The “Four Once More” block party will happen on Saturday, June 11, from 1 to 8 pm, at Armistice Brewing Company, 845 Marina Bay Parkway, Suite 1, Richmond. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-anniversary-block-party-at-armistice-brewing-company-tickets-337405317387\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$10 tickets include first beer\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Children with guardian are free.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though often operating under the radar—inside discreet flea markets, word-of-mouth backyards and literal garages—Richmond has quietly risen into the top tier of Bay Area food and beverage destinations.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether it’s a lager at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eastbrotherbeer/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">East Brother Beer Co.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913355/guatemalan-rice-tamales-antojitos-guatemaltecos-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Guatemalan rice tamal at Antojitos Guatemaltecos\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, or \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913985/hot-cheeto-burrito-taqueria-el-mezcal-richard-montanez-san-pablo\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a Hot Cheetos burrito at Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the area’s rich culinary scene—influenced by the diverse presence of Black, immigrant and working-class families—is worth a trip. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The latest offering that speaks to that creativity? A mangonada-inspired beer created by \u003ca href=\"http://www.armisticebrewing.com/\">Armistice Brewing\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">El Garage\u003c/a>—two heavyweights in the Richmond food and beverage game.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Very few residents exemplify the area’s success more than El Garage co-founder Viviana Montano. A born-and-raised Rich City business owner, Montano and her family opened their wildly popular taqueria in 2019, when it operated as a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">pop-up inside the family’s garage\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Since then, El Garage has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/7/9/21319032/quesabirria-tacos-el-garage-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">expanded into a premier downtown location\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and garnered attention from every taco lover in the region, including \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887986/exploring-richmonds-taco-corridor-and-more-with-luke-tsai\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED’s own food editor, Luke Tsai, who spoke with Montano about her favorite hometown spots to grub\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914417\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914417\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Two tacos topped with beef birria and melted cheese, with sliced cucumbers and radishes on the side.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Garage’s signature quesabirria is revered by East Bay taco lovers. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But before all that taco glory, Montano started out as a bartender for Armistice Brewing Company, back when the brewery first opened in 2017. At the time, the craft brewhouse, owned by siblings Greg and Alex Zobel, was among the early wavemakers to move in along Richmond’s changing waterfront. They have since outlasted COVID to become one of the city’s flagship breweries with prime real estate in the marina. And though Montano left Armistice in 2019 to pursue her own ventures, she loved her time there and took a newfound interest in beer that she never anticipated.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I knew nothing about beer,” she admits. “But working there gave me experience with seeing how a business runs. I definitely started liking beer after that.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914416\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914416\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Woman in green sweatshirt stands in front of a large metal kettle for brewing beer.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Before Viviana Montano opened a taqueria, she dipped her toes in the beer business at Armistice Brewing. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now, Montano is collaborating with Armistice again on the brewery’s belated “Four Once More” block party, a fourth-anniversary celebration initially scheduled for 2021 but delayed due to COVID-related safety. The June 11 day party will feature live DJs, a free photo booth, family friendly activities and food served by Rocky Island Oyster Co., Curbside Kitchen and, of course, El Garage.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most enticingly, Armistice will be releasing a line of special beers, headlined by their partnership with El Garage’s Montano, who has taken the lead on her own unique creation: a mangonada “smoothie ale” called the Feliz Sábado.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you don’t know what a mangonada is, it’s a juicy mango party inside your cup. Usually, the summery treat consists of some variety of mango-flavored sorbet, fresh mango puree, salsa and chile. There are lime and orange variations as well, and they’re all typically served in the form of a colossal smoothie or spritzer. Drinking one is a common way to cool off in parts of Latin America.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turning all that into a beer isn’t exactly the norm, but it’s Montano’s way of showing love to the many influences and flavors that have shaped who she has become in her own community. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Being from Richmond, I always wanted places like El Garage,” says Montano. “Places to hang out, drink a beer, have fun, with a Latinx experience for the community. That’s our goal: to embrace Richmond.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914413\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13914413 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg\" alt='Four cans of beer with an orange and red label; the text on the can reads \"Feliz Sabado\" and \"Armistice + El Garage\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once they have their beer and wine license, the El Garage team hopes to serve the “Feliz Sábado” at the taqueria. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Made with “pounds and pounds” of mangoes, chile piquín and milk sugar (an ingredient that helps to prevent the loss of sugar during the highest temperatures of the brewing process, allowing the beer to retain a sweet thickness reminiscent of a smoothie), Montano’s playful tribute will debut at the Armistice “Four Once More” block party.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eventually, Montano hopes to feature the beer at El Garage, which is currently in the process of securing a liquor license (as well as some old-school pinball machines). The taqueria and brewery are also in talks about another collaboration for Armistice’s next anniversary, which is scheduled for later this year on August 6—National IPA Day—to properly celebrate its fifth year of brewing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Who knows? Maybe we’ll get some rendition of a Quesa-Beer-IPA then? Or not. I’ll leave that to the pros to decide.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The “Four Once More” block party will happen on Saturday, June 11, from 1 to 8 pm, at Armistice Brewing Company, 845 Marina Bay Parkway, Suite 1, Richmond. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-anniversary-block-party-at-armistice-brewing-company-tickets-337405317387\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$10 tickets include first beer\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Children with guardian are free.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Taqueria El Mezcal's Hot Cheetos Burrito Is Endorsed by Chester Cheetah",
"headTitle": "Taqueria El Mezcal’s Hot Cheetos Burrito Is Endorsed by Chester Cheetah | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen it comes to Mexican American junk foods—those hybridized flavors that aren’t fully Mexican or American, but exist somewhere in a middling borderland—nothing is more representative than an iconic bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With its artificial red 40 food coloring, monosodium glutamate and other ingredients I can’t confidently pronounce, the enriched cornmeal munchie has become the embodiment of a fuego emoji—not only for Latinx teenagers and food vloggers, but for American pop culture at large. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">From \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.mountaindew.com/products/mtn-dew-flamin-hot/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/katy-perry-is-a-hot-745481/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Katy Perry donning an adult-sized Flamin’ Hot Cheetos outfit\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the years-long craze has totally consumed the mainstream.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nowadays, you can find Hot Cheetos just about anywhere. In fact, they’re so prevalent that I can even get them by rolling past the drive-through window at my neighborhood taqueria, where the workers serve them in a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, with said Cheetos stuffed inside a carne asada burrito.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd5zZR0AK5_/\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most recently, the product appears in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ChesterCheetah/status/1526334576951447553\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a new ad campaign with Bad Bunny\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, where the Puerto Rican reggaeton sensation coolly struts down city streets while transforming any surface he touches into a bursting combustion of red. (Bad Bunny’s co-star, Chester Cheetah, uses the cameo as an opportunity to change his social media name to Bad Cheetah. Nicely played, animal kingdom).\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The commercial is a tantalizing promise that Frito-Lay has been enticing customers with since first launching their brand in the summer of 1990: that Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are more than a red-fingered trend; they’re a lifestyle.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yet when the rest of us not named Bad Bunny touch anything with our red hands, we don’t change the world; instead, we just leave hard-to-remove splotches. Over my lifetime, I’ve accidentally stained countless white tees and fitted caps with red powder—or worse, I’ve mistakenly rubbed my eyes with the spicy residue that lingers uncomfortably long, like too much chile on an unprepared tongue. But even then, I always go back for the sting. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So how did this junk food with dubious origins reach the top of our cultural food pyramid? You can thank Richard Montañez. He’s the man who famously claims to have invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A former janitor whose parents worked in a migrant labor camp, Montañez has authored two books, including his latest memoir, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Flamin’ Hot: The Incredible True Story of One Man’s Rise from Janitor to Top Executive\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. He documents how he went on to become the Vice President of Multicultural Sales and Community Promotions for PepsiCo, with a net worth of $10 million.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\"]“The enriched cornmeal munchie has become the embodiment of a fuego emoji—not only for Latinx teenagers and food vloggers, but for American pop culture at large.”[/pullquote]\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In what has since become a publicly disputed firestorm\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—creating a rift \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101883550/la-times-flamin-hot-cheetos-expose-hits-a-nerve-with-latinos\">in the Latinx community\u003c/a>—Montañez states that he first pitched Frito-Lay’s executives on the idea of “Hispanic branding” as part of their “method-improvement program” decades ago. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkFGUimJfzM\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Montañez tells the story\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, he came up with his legendary creation one day when he took home a bunch of regularly-flavored Cheetos bags from his workplace after a vending machine broke, then seasoned them with spices reminiscent of Mexican street corn.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s a lovable narrative that Frito-Lay never denied… until 2021, when the company declared it had \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez\">no record of Montañez’s involvement with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos\u003c/a>. This set off a chain of events in which internet sleuths, \u003ca href=\"https://knock-la.com/hot-cheetos-los-angeles-richard-montanez/\">community advocates and foodies defended Montañez\u003c/a>, declaring that his erasure was an act of racism—pressure that \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/05/20/origin-flamin-hot-cheetos-might-be-hot-lie-millions-will-still-gobble-it-up-anyway/\">led Frito-Lay to backtrack \u003c/a>while still not crediting Montañez as the snack’s sole inventor. It’s a hot topic that has yet to be fully resolved.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m not here to defend, deny or corroborate any of Montañez’s spicy revelations. All I know is that Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are devoutly beloved and have been a legitimate source of sustenance at any house party or after-school hangout, especially for Mexican Americans like me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914283\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914283\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior.jpg\" alt=\"A view of Taqueria El Mezcal's facade from the parking lot.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taqueria El Mezcal’s San Pablo location is especially popular among high schoolers. The small East Bay chain also has locations in Hayward and San Lorenzo. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maybe that’s why Jesús Sepulvera, the owner of Taqueria El Mezcal, recited Montañez’s story to me when we met. As I sat inside the San Pablo location of the taco chain—which Sepulvera originally opened in San Lorenzo in 2008—I ate a Hot Cheetos burrito and listened to him tell me about the inspiration for his own creation.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Similar to Montañez, Sepulvera is of Mexican heritage, with roots in Jalisco, and has worked his way into a successful position after an entry-level start. In Sepulvera’s case, he needed a menu item to attract more customers to his business during the pandemic slowdown. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s when Sepulvera decided to access the bursting mine of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Sepulvera started pouring bags of the neon snacks inside burritos, along with carne asada, gooey nacho cheese and french fries. As I munched on one of these burritos, the trademark taste of the Hot Cheetos was overpowered by the meat and nacho cheese, but I was left with a satisfyingly soft crunch in between each bite. The teenager in me could’ve eaten a few—they’re smaller than you might expect—but my adult stomach reached capacity after one order with a side of tortilla chips and a Jarritos.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/B4yOLGuBavc/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The flavorful burrito’s creativity has attracted praise from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cheetos/\">Chester Cheetah’s official Instagram account\u003c/a>—and, according to Sepulvera, even got the nod of approval from Montañez himself. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sepulvera is not the original Da Vinci of this masterpiece, though. He credits a trip to San Diego as his muse and is happy that the Hot Cheetos burrito has brought in new waves of customers—most of them between the ages of 12 to 35, he says—to consume what is now the most popular dish on the menu.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With the help of Instagram and TikTok, the Hot Cheetos burrito has helped the neighborhood taqueria stay afloat amid a series of nearby closures. It’s especially popular with youth from schools in the surrounding area, whom Sepulvera acknowledges as being largely responsible for his business’s success.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914284\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914284\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes.jpg\" alt=\"Two youngsters show off milkshakes loaded with sweet toppings.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In addition to its selection of Flamin’ Hot entrees, El Mezcal is also known for milkshakes with Mexican-inspired flavors. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">During my visit, high schoolers were lined up at the register, jostling with excitement over a Hot Cheetos calorie bomb with a side of extra sugar—such as one of the taqueria’s attention-grabbing flan, churro, or mazapan (Mexican peanut candy) milkshakes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13913201,arts_13895488']“You can find regular burritos and tacos anywhere, but this is something different,” Sepulvera tells me in Spanish. “The young people love sweets, food that is a little more greasy. [This burrito] has more calories, but they seem to love it.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos loyalist and burrito lover myself, I’m forever thankful I found El Mezcal’s Monday burrito specials, when you can get this divine item for just $7. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Those who like variety can also order a “Hot Cheetos Crunchwrap” off the taqueria’s secret menu or a classic Mexican food item like a shrimp cocktail from its mariscos (seafood) selection.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whatever you do, make sure to indulge while there, since indulgence is the truest indicator of any taqueria worth its spice—no matter how red or artificial it may seem.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elmezcalsanpablo/?hl=en\">Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/a> is open 10 am–9 pm daily at 14260 San Pablo Ave. in San Pablo. The East Bay chain also has locations in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/taqueriaelmezcal/?hl=en\">Hayward\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elmezcalhesperian/?hl=en\">San Lorenzo\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">W\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>hen it comes to Mexican American junk foods—those hybridized flavors that aren’t fully Mexican or American, but exist somewhere in a middling borderland—nothing is more representative than an iconic bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With its artificial red 40 food coloring, monosodium glutamate and other ingredients I can’t confidently pronounce, the enriched cornmeal munchie has become the embodiment of a fuego emoji—not only for Latinx teenagers and food vloggers, but for American pop culture at large. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">From \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.mountaindew.com/products/mtn-dew-flamin-hot/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/katy-perry-is-a-hot-745481/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Katy Perry donning an adult-sized Flamin’ Hot Cheetos outfit\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the years-long craze has totally consumed the mainstream.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nowadays, you can find Hot Cheetos just about anywhere. In fact, they’re so prevalent that I can even get them by rolling past the drive-through window at my neighborhood taqueria, where the workers serve them in a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, with said Cheetos stuffed inside a carne asada burrito.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most recently, the product appears in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ChesterCheetah/status/1526334576951447553\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a new ad campaign with Bad Bunny\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, where the Puerto Rican reggaeton sensation coolly struts down city streets while transforming any surface he touches into a bursting combustion of red. (Bad Bunny’s co-star, Chester Cheetah, uses the cameo as an opportunity to change his social media name to Bad Cheetah. Nicely played, animal kingdom).\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The commercial is a tantalizing promise that Frito-Lay has been enticing customers with since first launching their brand in the summer of 1990: that Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are more than a red-fingered trend; they’re a lifestyle.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yet when the rest of us not named Bad Bunny touch anything with our red hands, we don’t change the world; instead, we just leave hard-to-remove splotches. Over my lifetime, I’ve accidentally stained countless white tees and fitted caps with red powder—or worse, I’ve mistakenly rubbed my eyes with the spicy residue that lingers uncomfortably long, like too much chile on an unprepared tongue. But even then, I always go back for the sting. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So how did this junk food with dubious origins reach the top of our cultural food pyramid? You can thank Richard Montañez. He’s the man who famously claims to have invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A former janitor whose parents worked in a migrant labor camp, Montañez has authored two books, including his latest memoir, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Flamin’ Hot: The Incredible True Story of One Man’s Rise from Janitor to Top Executive\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. He documents how he went on to become the Vice President of Multicultural Sales and Community Promotions for PepsiCo, with a net worth of $10 million.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "“The enriched cornmeal munchie has become the embodiment of a fuego emoji—not only for Latinx teenagers and food vloggers, but for American pop culture at large.”",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In what has since become a publicly disputed firestorm\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—creating a rift \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101883550/la-times-flamin-hot-cheetos-expose-hits-a-nerve-with-latinos\">in the Latinx community\u003c/a>—Montañez states that he first pitched Frito-Lay’s executives on the idea of “Hispanic branding” as part of their “method-improvement program” decades ago. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkFGUimJfzM\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Montañez tells the story\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, he came up with his legendary creation one day when he took home a bunch of regularly-flavored Cheetos bags from his workplace after a vending machine broke, then seasoned them with spices reminiscent of Mexican street corn.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s a lovable narrative that Frito-Lay never denied… until 2021, when the company declared it had \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez\">no record of Montañez’s involvement with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos\u003c/a>. This set off a chain of events in which internet sleuths, \u003ca href=\"https://knock-la.com/hot-cheetos-los-angeles-richard-montanez/\">community advocates and foodies defended Montañez\u003c/a>, declaring that his erasure was an act of racism—pressure that \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/05/20/origin-flamin-hot-cheetos-might-be-hot-lie-millions-will-still-gobble-it-up-anyway/\">led Frito-Lay to backtrack \u003c/a>while still not crediting Montañez as the snack’s sole inventor. It’s a hot topic that has yet to be fully resolved.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m not here to defend, deny or corroborate any of Montañez’s spicy revelations. All I know is that Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are devoutly beloved and have been a legitimate source of sustenance at any house party or after-school hangout, especially for Mexican Americans like me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914283\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914283\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior.jpg\" alt=\"A view of Taqueria El Mezcal's facade from the parking lot.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taqueria El Mezcal’s San Pablo location is especially popular among high schoolers. The small East Bay chain also has locations in Hayward and San Lorenzo. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maybe that’s why Jesús Sepulvera, the owner of Taqueria El Mezcal, recited Montañez’s story to me when we met. As I sat inside the San Pablo location of the taco chain—which Sepulvera originally opened in San Lorenzo in 2008—I ate a Hot Cheetos burrito and listened to him tell me about the inspiration for his own creation.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Similar to Montañez, Sepulvera is of Mexican heritage, with roots in Jalisco, and has worked his way into a successful position after an entry-level start. In Sepulvera’s case, he needed a menu item to attract more customers to his business during the pandemic slowdown. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s when Sepulvera decided to access the bursting mine of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Sepulvera started pouring bags of the neon snacks inside burritos, along with carne asada, gooey nacho cheese and french fries. As I munched on one of these burritos, the trademark taste of the Hot Cheetos was overpowered by the meat and nacho cheese, but I was left with a satisfyingly soft crunch in between each bite. The teenager in me could’ve eaten a few—they’re smaller than you might expect—but my adult stomach reached capacity after one order with a side of tortilla chips and a Jarritos.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The flavorful burrito’s creativity has attracted praise from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cheetos/\">Chester Cheetah’s official Instagram account\u003c/a>—and, according to Sepulvera, even got the nod of approval from Montañez himself. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sepulvera is not the original Da Vinci of this masterpiece, though. He credits a trip to San Diego as his muse and is happy that the Hot Cheetos burrito has brought in new waves of customers—most of them between the ages of 12 to 35, he says—to consume what is now the most popular dish on the menu.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With the help of Instagram and TikTok, the Hot Cheetos burrito has helped the neighborhood taqueria stay afloat amid a series of nearby closures. It’s especially popular with youth from schools in the surrounding area, whom Sepulvera acknowledges as being largely responsible for his business’s success.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914284\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914284\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes.jpg\" alt=\"Two youngsters show off milkshakes loaded with sweet toppings.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elmezcal_shakes-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In addition to its selection of Flamin’ Hot entrees, El Mezcal is also known for milkshakes with Mexican-inspired flavors. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">During my visit, high schoolers were lined up at the register, jostling with excitement over a Hot Cheetos calorie bomb with a side of extra sugar—such as one of the taqueria’s attention-grabbing flan, churro, or mazapan (Mexican peanut candy) milkshakes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“You can find regular burritos and tacos anywhere, but this is something different,” Sepulvera tells me in Spanish. “The young people love sweets, food that is a little more greasy. [This burrito] has more calories, but they seem to love it.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos loyalist and burrito lover myself, I’m forever thankful I found El Mezcal’s Monday burrito specials, when you can get this divine item for just $7. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Those who like variety can also order a “Hot Cheetos Crunchwrap” off the taqueria’s secret menu or a classic Mexican food item like a shrimp cocktail from its mariscos (seafood) selection.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whatever you do, make sure to indulge while there, since indulgence is the truest indicator of any taqueria worth its spice—no matter how red or artificial it may seem.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elmezcalsanpablo/?hl=en\">Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/a> is open 10 am–9 pm daily at 14260 San Pablo Ave. in San Pablo. The East Bay chain also has locations in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/taqueriaelmezcal/?hl=en\">Hayward\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elmezcalhesperian/?hl=en\">San Lorenzo\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>For the past several years, Selasie Dotse has worked at acclaimed fine dining restaurants like Lazy Bear, Avery, SPQR—a parade of Bay Area Michelin star contenders. \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/21372187/bay-area-fine-dining-restaurants-racism-as-a-black-chef\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Most of the time, she’s been the only Black chef in the kitchen\u003c/a>. The only Black woman. The only African.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And so it has been both a challenge—and a personal mission—for Dotse to carve out a space for herself and for other Black folks who aspire to make a name for themselves in this most rarefied sector of the dining scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914101\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1179px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914101\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot.jpg\" alt=\"A smiling chef wearing a baseball cap and apron sits at a wood table inside a restaurant.\" width=\"1179\" height=\"1766\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot.jpg 1179w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-800x1198.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-1020x1528.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-768x1150.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-1025x1536.jpg 1025w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1179px) 100vw, 1179px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">At all of the Bay Area fine dining restaurants where Dotse has worked, she has been one of the only Black chefs in the kitchen. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Copas)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The goal is just to be like, ‘We’re here,’ Dotse says. “I want to find ways to let the Bay Area know that there are Black chefs, that there are African chefs. It’s not all white chefs doing Asian techniques.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of how she’s done that? Through pop-ups. This Sunday, May 29, she’ll launch her latest, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elade_tk/\">Elade Test Kitchen\u003c/a>, a culinary exploration of Dotse’s own Ghanaian heritage, but done through the lens of modern fine dining techniques and presentation. As such, it’ll almost certainly be a meal unlike any that most diners will have ever experienced. The dinner is part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CdyiH56psoS/\">Sunday Supper series\u003c/a> at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/copasonmarket/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Copas\u003c/a>, the Northern California-inflected Spanish-Mexican restaurant on Market Street in San Francisco, where Dotse is the sous chef and pastry chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this weekend’s pop-up, Dotse plans to take the handful of West African dishes that diners may have experienced—suya, jollof rice and plantains—and remix them in new and exciting ways. So, she’ll do a version of jollof rice, that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13896069/jolly-jolly-nigerian-restaurant-west-oakland-jollof-rice-indomie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">savory, tomato-tinged staple\u003c/a>. But she’s going to make it with rice grits (cooked pieces of broken rice) and then serve it stuffed inside a fried chicken wing glazed with shitor, an umami-packed Ghanaian chile sauce that she makes from scratch. (“It’s one of the best hot sauces, in my opinion,” Dotse says.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’ll serve seared scallops in a creamy palm nut soup. She’ll do a take on suya, the famously beloved well-spiced meat skewers, but she’ll do it as a single cut of grilled steak served with roasted plantains and a plantain barbecue sauce—a modern spin on a classic combination. All told, Dotse says, there will be about nine courses, including a dessert of bruléed crepes and Milo ice cream (a nod to a favorite childhood \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIzy31ES0Fo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ghanaian breakfast\u003c/a>), and an optional wine pairing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Dotse, Elade Test Kitchen presents an opportunity to go even deeper in exploring her heritage. She’d done an earlier version of the pop-up under the name “Sankofa,” a Ghanaian word for the idea of using your past experiences to help you grow in the future. It was a term she felt resonated with her cooking philosophy. But as Dotse researched her family history, she learned that “sankofa” is actually a term used by Ghana’s Akan ethnic group, whereas her family is a part of the Ewe ethnic group based in Ghana’s Volta River region. She has spent the past year really trying to reconnect with those roots, taking drumming lessons with a local Ewe musician and adopting a new Ewe name for her pop-up: “Elade” means “tasty” or “appealing to the tongue” in the Ewe language, Dotse explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914108\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914108\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp and okra in a pool of thick red-orange sauce, served on a crystal platter.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An early test version of a Ghanaian-style okra soup that Dotse would like to serve at her pop-up. \u003ccite>(Selasie Dotse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In future editions of the pop-up, she’ll dig into the nuances of those cultural distinctions, serving more dishes that are specific to the Ewe people. For instance, she’d like to make a viscous okra soup known as fetri detsi, which Dotse’s family always loaded with fresh seafood like crab and shrimp, serving it with a fermented corn dough called akple for dipping and scooping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13896069,arts_13910410']\u003c/span>Dotse’s hope is that other Black chefs who are frustrated by the lack of opportunities in the Bay Area fine dining scene will be able to look to her pop-ups as a model and a source of hope. She says chefs like her are tired of waiting for their white colleagues to drastically change the culture inside fine dining kitchens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s part of the reason Dotse is actually leaving her current job to take on a new role: Starting in July, she’ll be a sous chef at \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2022/4/5/23011862/hi-felicia-new-restaurant-oakland-open-imana-fine-dining\">Hi Felicia\u003c/a>, a Black-owned fine dining restaurant in Oakland with a Black head chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If these spaces aren’t going to make space for us, and try and make us feel welcome, we’re just going to have to create our own spaces,” Dotse says. “The only people who are going to look out for us are us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elade_tk/\">Elade Test Kitchen\u003c/a> pop-up will take place on Sunday, May 29, from 5–8pm, at Copas at 2223 Market St. in San Francisco. The cost of the tasting menu is $84 a person, not including the optional wine pairing. To reserve a seat during that block of time, visit \u003ca href=\"https://resy.com/cities/sf/copas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Resy\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For the past several years, Selasie Dotse has worked at acclaimed fine dining restaurants like Lazy Bear, Avery, SPQR—a parade of Bay Area Michelin star contenders. \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/21372187/bay-area-fine-dining-restaurants-racism-as-a-black-chef\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Most of the time, she’s been the only Black chef in the kitchen\u003c/a>. The only Black woman. The only African.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And so it has been both a challenge—and a personal mission—for Dotse to carve out a space for herself and for other Black folks who aspire to make a name for themselves in this most rarefied sector of the dining scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914101\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1179px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914101\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot.jpg\" alt=\"A smiling chef wearing a baseball cap and apron sits at a wood table inside a restaurant.\" width=\"1179\" height=\"1766\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot.jpg 1179w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-800x1198.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-1020x1528.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-768x1150.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/selasie-headshot-1025x1536.jpg 1025w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1179px) 100vw, 1179px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">At all of the Bay Area fine dining restaurants where Dotse has worked, she has been one of the only Black chefs in the kitchen. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Copas)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The goal is just to be like, ‘We’re here,’ Dotse says. “I want to find ways to let the Bay Area know that there are Black chefs, that there are African chefs. It’s not all white chefs doing Asian techniques.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of how she’s done that? Through pop-ups. This Sunday, May 29, she’ll launch her latest, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elade_tk/\">Elade Test Kitchen\u003c/a>, a culinary exploration of Dotse’s own Ghanaian heritage, but done through the lens of modern fine dining techniques and presentation. As such, it’ll almost certainly be a meal unlike any that most diners will have ever experienced. The dinner is part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CdyiH56psoS/\">Sunday Supper series\u003c/a> at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/copasonmarket/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Copas\u003c/a>, the Northern California-inflected Spanish-Mexican restaurant on Market Street in San Francisco, where Dotse is the sous chef and pastry chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this weekend’s pop-up, Dotse plans to take the handful of West African dishes that diners may have experienced—suya, jollof rice and plantains—and remix them in new and exciting ways. So, she’ll do a version of jollof rice, that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13896069/jolly-jolly-nigerian-restaurant-west-oakland-jollof-rice-indomie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">savory, tomato-tinged staple\u003c/a>. But she’s going to make it with rice grits (cooked pieces of broken rice) and then serve it stuffed inside a fried chicken wing glazed with shitor, an umami-packed Ghanaian chile sauce that she makes from scratch. (“It’s one of the best hot sauces, in my opinion,” Dotse says.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’ll serve seared scallops in a creamy palm nut soup. She’ll do a take on suya, the famously beloved well-spiced meat skewers, but she’ll do it as a single cut of grilled steak served with roasted plantains and a plantain barbecue sauce—a modern spin on a classic combination. All told, Dotse says, there will be about nine courses, including a dessert of bruléed crepes and Milo ice cream (a nod to a favorite childhood \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIzy31ES0Fo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ghanaian breakfast\u003c/a>), and an optional wine pairing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Dotse, Elade Test Kitchen presents an opportunity to go even deeper in exploring her heritage. She’d done an earlier version of the pop-up under the name “Sankofa,” a Ghanaian word for the idea of using your past experiences to help you grow in the future. It was a term she felt resonated with her cooking philosophy. But as Dotse researched her family history, she learned that “sankofa” is actually a term used by Ghana’s Akan ethnic group, whereas her family is a part of the Ewe ethnic group based in Ghana’s Volta River region. She has spent the past year really trying to reconnect with those roots, taking drumming lessons with a local Ewe musician and adopting a new Ewe name for her pop-up: “Elade” means “tasty” or “appealing to the tongue” in the Ewe language, Dotse explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914108\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914108\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp and okra in a pool of thick red-orange sauce, served on a crystal platter.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/elade_okra-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An early test version of a Ghanaian-style okra soup that Dotse would like to serve at her pop-up. \u003ccite>(Selasie Dotse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In future editions of the pop-up, she’ll dig into the nuances of those cultural distinctions, serving more dishes that are specific to the Ewe people. For instance, she’d like to make a viscous okra soup known as fetri detsi, which Dotse’s family always loaded with fresh seafood like crab and shrimp, serving it with a fermented corn dough called akple for dipping and scooping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>Dotse’s hope is that other Black chefs who are frustrated by the lack of opportunities in the Bay Area fine dining scene will be able to look to her pop-ups as a model and a source of hope. She says chefs like her are tired of waiting for their white colleagues to drastically change the culture inside fine dining kitchens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s part of the reason Dotse is actually leaving her current job to take on a new role: Starting in July, she’ll be a sous chef at \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2022/4/5/23011862/hi-felicia-new-restaurant-oakland-open-imana-fine-dining\">Hi Felicia\u003c/a>, a Black-owned fine dining restaurant in Oakland with a Black head chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If these spaces aren’t going to make space for us, and try and make us feel welcome, we’re just going to have to create our own spaces,” Dotse says. “The only people who are going to look out for us are us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elade_tk/\">Elade Test Kitchen\u003c/a> pop-up will take place on Sunday, May 29, from 5–8pm, at Copas at 2223 Market St. in San Francisco. The cost of the tasting menu is $84 a person, not including the optional wine pairing. To reserve a seat during that block of time, visit \u003ca href=\"https://resy.com/cities/sf/copas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Resy\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "smax-okonomiyaki-chopped-cheese-asian-american-pop-up-vallejo-san-francisco",
"title": "At Roving Pop-Up SMAX, the Okonomiyaki Comes Animal Style—and Yes, It Smacks",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a weekly conversation with Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary culture through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When it comes to local food and culture, there are certain rules and codes that Baydestrians abide by.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The DO’s: Share the love. In the words of rising Vallejo rapper, LaRussell, the Bay is a place where we \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/cook-together-eat-together-larussels-latest-album-harkens-back-to-bay-area-tradition-while-shining-a-light-on-the-future-with-a-passed-torch/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cook Together, Eat Together\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Around here, it’s all about breaking bread with your folks and feeding your kin.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The DON’T’s: Do not say “food slaps.” As the Yay Area’s leading chef, E-40, made clear on his Verzuz appearance with Too $hort, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13908052/food-doesnt-slap\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“food don’t slap”\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a mantra which \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13908052/food-doesnt-slap\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fellow KQED writer Pendarvis Harshaw\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> emphatically supports.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instead, Bay Area food “smacks,” “shhhhmacks” or “SMAX.” And when done right, it’s something we can all appreciate.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Such is the art of delivering delicious cuisine—and teaching proper Bay Area slanguage—at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/that_smax/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">SMAX, a pop-up and test kitchen\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that focuses on creatively assembled sandwiches and treats served by Paris and Joog, two friends from San Francisco and Vallejo, respectively. Usually posted up at events like \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13911888/415-day-san-francisco-rap-rbl-posse-stunnaman02-fillmore-hunters-point\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">District Six’s 415 Day\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, you’ll find P running the kitchen and Joog overseeing operations and management.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Together, the duo draws from their Asian American upbringing and nostalgia to provide a rotating menu of wildly reimagined flavors. Their foods are artfully expressive creations in which identity, dreams, culture, friendship and flavor mingle in each bite.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A beefy, bodega-certified chopped cheese? Got that. Guava BBQ chicken banh mi made with freshly whipped fruits? You already know. And perhaps the most inventive of their ideas, honey walnut shrimp like you can only find at your neighborhood Chinese joint, now reincarnated as a katsu sandwich? Smackin’.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914044\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13914044\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A sandwich with spam, American cheese, egg, and mac salad, being served on a food tray\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Island Boi features house-made spam, American cheese and mac salad on a sweet pineapple bun. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you’re looking for more than a flavorful sando, they don’t just stack bread at this roving pop-up; they also dish up savory plates and sugary desserts while providing \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://thatsmax.bigcartel.com/product/smax-chili-oil-og-not-spicy\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">take-home sauces\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://thatsmax.bigcartel.com/product/fooddontslap\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">merch\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">They’ve experimented with an “Oko scallion pancake”—a Chinese-style green onion pancake topped with Japanese okonomiyaki ingredients such as cabbage, thick-cut bacon, mayonnaise and a fried egg.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">They’ve also messed around with pastrami fried rice—a New York City twist on the Chinese food staple, fueled by their summer trips to the East Coast after late-night DJ runs at the club. (In true Bay fashion, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://soundcloud.com/djjoog\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">DJ Joog has a music side hustle\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.) Oh, and you can’t forget their orange creamsicle cookies to cap off your culinary nostalgia, like a late-night liquor store run.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personally, I came for the “Animal Style” okonomiyaki—a version of the traditional Japanese hotcakes made with In-N-Out style dressing and bacon—and “The Island Boi”—a Hawaiian-inspired sandwich with house-made Spam, melted American cheese, egg and mac salad between chewy Hong Kong-style pineapple buns. I paired that with a sweet, sesame-filled ube mochi.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I slid by \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thisisbabas.house/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baba’s House\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a restaurant and specialty Asian snack store that doubles as one of SMAX’s temporary locations in the East Bay—where I had the privilege to taste these delicacies that the friends have been offering for the past five years.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">********\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KQED: How would you describe the food at SMAX?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">PARIS: We make specialty sandwiches that are rooted in the nostalgic dishes we really enjoy eating or that we grew up on. We talk about what we used to eat around the neighborhood, and that inspires us for our new dishes. We want to bring folks back to better times, when we were all younger, and we just package that all in our food with new ideas.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914045\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13914045\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Two young men, Paris and Joog, stand in front of Baba's House Kitchen. Joog is wearing a shirt that says "food don't slap" while P is beside him, pointing at the shirt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joog (left) and P (right) stand in front of Baba’s House, rocking a “Food Don’t Slap” tee available on their site. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>With such a vast rotating menu, what’s been your most popular item?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">JOOG: We’re constantly shifting and experimenting. One [item] that got the best reviews is the “chopped cheese.” We plan to do that more regularly with rotating specials. It was a new way to present a New York burger that people in the Bay haven’t seen before. We love that sandwich.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: Chopped cheese, for sure. But all around, people have been fucking with all our crazy creations. People get excited for the new things we create. We like to get feedback and see how people interact with a new sandwich, but then we might only do it once and keep inventing new things.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How does your food reflect the Bay Area you grew up in?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: I’m from Vallejo. We always want it to be accessible to our folks, to serve the communities that we care about. That shows up in our food because we’re always looking to serve other creative independent people, anyone trying to just do something on their own. It’s hard to be financially independent in the Bay. But we want to provide that community and good feeling for folks without ever seeming exclusive. Whoever is doing their own hustle and doing their thing, that’s inspiring. Whether it’s art, music or organizing the community. Those are all valid and influence how we cook because those are the people we serve.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: I’m from San Francisco. It’s just about looking out for others here. We might not be available for a pop up, but we’ll hook someone up with another person who is. Artists, vendors, DJs, it’s all a big community of putting each other on so we can all eat. Meeting new creatives and finding new products that local people sell is dope, and we strive to make those connections with others, especially since we’re all from the same soil here.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CbDSCMll08O/\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s been the biggest challenge in being a pop-up over the past half decade?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: It’s hard to keep up with overhead and set our roots down as an independent business in the Bay. It’s almost impossible to buy a house or have property. We’ve always wanted a place to permanently be in, but it’s really hard to make that transition from mobile to having our own spot. We’ve been in this for so long and have hella experience, but [running a business like this] is a lot harder because we’re in the Bay Area. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: Our food menus are a form of creative expression. That’s why we switch it up. If you miss an item, you might not see it again. It’s our artistic expression in the moment. But we also realize we need to have some idea or main menu item that folks can hold on to as well. We need to provide consistent service but express ourselves as chefs. It’s a slower route for us to convince folks because we might switch it up. It’s a challenge, but people seem to enjoy trying our new stuff.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are your thoughts on the whole “slaps” versus “smacks” food war?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13913592,arts_13908052']P: Food definitely smacks. We wanted a name that was fun and encapsulated our energy and the vibe we were going for. What’s a word that people out here really connect with, especially with food? Smacks. The funny thing is that at first we were actually called “Slaps and Smacks” because we did events with DJs at first, too.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: We broke away from the “Slaps” part and stopped having DJs, and we just became “Smacks.” After a few years, we wanted our own personality to stand out so we changed the spelling to “SMAX.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: Now, we see more and more pop-ups with smacks in the name, so I’m kinda glad we pivoted and changed up the spelling early on.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: At the end of the day, we want our food to be rooted in the Bay. We can do that because we’re from out here, and we will always push that culture. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914046\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13914046\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A cartoon mural of an Asian cat wearing a beanie, sunglasses, and holding chopsticks. The mural is located inside Baba's House Kitchen restuarant.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Illuminaries mural provides authentic Bay vibes inside Baba’s House. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Upcoming events: June 5 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/birdhausbeergarden/?hl=en\">Birdhaus Beer Garden\u003c/a>, 3821 Smith St., Union City from 11 am to 4 pm. June 12th at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJT4stFZOB/\">Grow Off Market\u003c/a>, 400 Contra Costa St., Vallejo from 10 am to 4 pm. For future updates, follow \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/that_smax/?hl=en\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">SMAX on Instagram\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "At Roving Pop-Up SMAX, the Okonomiyaki Comes Animal Style—and Yes, It Smacks | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a weekly conversation with Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary culture through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When it comes to local food and culture, there are certain rules and codes that Baydestrians abide by.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The DO’s: Share the love. In the words of rising Vallejo rapper, LaRussell, the Bay is a place where we \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/cook-together-eat-together-larussels-latest-album-harkens-back-to-bay-area-tradition-while-shining-a-light-on-the-future-with-a-passed-torch/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cook Together, Eat Together\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Around here, it’s all about breaking bread with your folks and feeding your kin.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The DON’T’s: Do not say “food slaps.” As the Yay Area’s leading chef, E-40, made clear on his Verzuz appearance with Too $hort, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13908052/food-doesnt-slap\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“food don’t slap”\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a mantra which \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13908052/food-doesnt-slap\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fellow KQED writer Pendarvis Harshaw\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> emphatically supports.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instead, Bay Area food “smacks,” “shhhhmacks” or “SMAX.” And when done right, it’s something we can all appreciate.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Such is the art of delivering delicious cuisine—and teaching proper Bay Area slanguage—at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/that_smax/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">SMAX, a pop-up and test kitchen\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that focuses on creatively assembled sandwiches and treats served by Paris and Joog, two friends from San Francisco and Vallejo, respectively. Usually posted up at events like \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13911888/415-day-san-francisco-rap-rbl-posse-stunnaman02-fillmore-hunters-point\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">District Six’s 415 Day\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, you’ll find P running the kitchen and Joog overseeing operations and management.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Together, the duo draws from their Asian American upbringing and nostalgia to provide a rotating menu of wildly reimagined flavors. Their foods are artfully expressive creations in which identity, dreams, culture, friendship and flavor mingle in each bite.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A beefy, bodega-certified chopped cheese? Got that. Guava BBQ chicken banh mi made with freshly whipped fruits? You already know. And perhaps the most inventive of their ideas, honey walnut shrimp like you can only find at your neighborhood Chinese joint, now reincarnated as a katsu sandwich? Smackin’.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914044\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13914044\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A sandwich with spam, American cheese, egg, and mac salad, being served on a food tray\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_islandboi2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Island Boi features house-made spam, American cheese and mac salad on a sweet pineapple bun. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you’re looking for more than a flavorful sando, they don’t just stack bread at this roving pop-up; they also dish up savory plates and sugary desserts while providing \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://thatsmax.bigcartel.com/product/smax-chili-oil-og-not-spicy\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">take-home sauces\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://thatsmax.bigcartel.com/product/fooddontslap\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">merch\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">They’ve experimented with an “Oko scallion pancake”—a Chinese-style green onion pancake topped with Japanese okonomiyaki ingredients such as cabbage, thick-cut bacon, mayonnaise and a fried egg.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">They’ve also messed around with pastrami fried rice—a New York City twist on the Chinese food staple, fueled by their summer trips to the East Coast after late-night DJ runs at the club. (In true Bay fashion, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://soundcloud.com/djjoog\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">DJ Joog has a music side hustle\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.) Oh, and you can’t forget their orange creamsicle cookies to cap off your culinary nostalgia, like a late-night liquor store run.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personally, I came for the “Animal Style” okonomiyaki—a version of the traditional Japanese hotcakes made with In-N-Out style dressing and bacon—and “The Island Boi”—a Hawaiian-inspired sandwich with house-made Spam, melted American cheese, egg and mac salad between chewy Hong Kong-style pineapple buns. I paired that with a sweet, sesame-filled ube mochi.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I slid by \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thisisbabas.house/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baba’s House\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—a restaurant and specialty Asian snack store that doubles as one of SMAX’s temporary locations in the East Bay—where I had the privilege to taste these delicacies that the friends have been offering for the past five years.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">********\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KQED: How would you describe the food at SMAX?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">PARIS: We make specialty sandwiches that are rooted in the nostalgic dishes we really enjoy eating or that we grew up on. We talk about what we used to eat around the neighborhood, and that inspires us for our new dishes. We want to bring folks back to better times, when we were all younger, and we just package that all in our food with new ideas.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914045\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13914045\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Two young men, Paris and Joog, stand in front of Baba's House Kitchen. Joog is wearing a shirt that says "food don't slap" while P is beside him, pointing at the shirt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax_chefs.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joog (left) and P (right) stand in front of Baba’s House, rocking a “Food Don’t Slap” tee available on their site. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>With such a vast rotating menu, what’s been your most popular item?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">JOOG: We’re constantly shifting and experimenting. One [item] that got the best reviews is the “chopped cheese.” We plan to do that more regularly with rotating specials. It was a new way to present a New York burger that people in the Bay haven’t seen before. We love that sandwich.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: Chopped cheese, for sure. But all around, people have been fucking with all our crazy creations. People get excited for the new things we create. We like to get feedback and see how people interact with a new sandwich, but then we might only do it once and keep inventing new things.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How does your food reflect the Bay Area you grew up in?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: I’m from Vallejo. We always want it to be accessible to our folks, to serve the communities that we care about. That shows up in our food because we’re always looking to serve other creative independent people, anyone trying to just do something on their own. It’s hard to be financially independent in the Bay. But we want to provide that community and good feeling for folks without ever seeming exclusive. Whoever is doing their own hustle and doing their thing, that’s inspiring. Whether it’s art, music or organizing the community. Those are all valid and influence how we cook because those are the people we serve.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: I’m from San Francisco. It’s just about looking out for others here. We might not be available for a pop up, but we’ll hook someone up with another person who is. Artists, vendors, DJs, it’s all a big community of putting each other on so we can all eat. Meeting new creatives and finding new products that local people sell is dope, and we strive to make those connections with others, especially since we’re all from the same soil here.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s been the biggest challenge in being a pop-up over the past half decade?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: It’s hard to keep up with overhead and set our roots down as an independent business in the Bay. It’s almost impossible to buy a house or have property. We’ve always wanted a place to permanently be in, but it’s really hard to make that transition from mobile to having our own spot. We’ve been in this for so long and have hella experience, but [running a business like this] is a lot harder because we’re in the Bay Area. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: Our food menus are a form of creative expression. That’s why we switch it up. If you miss an item, you might not see it again. It’s our artistic expression in the moment. But we also realize we need to have some idea or main menu item that folks can hold on to as well. We need to provide consistent service but express ourselves as chefs. It’s a slower route for us to convince folks because we might switch it up. It’s a challenge, but people seem to enjoy trying our new stuff.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are your thoughts on the whole “slaps” versus “smacks” food war?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>P: Food definitely smacks. We wanted a name that was fun and encapsulated our energy and the vibe we were going for. What’s a word that people out here really connect with, especially with food? Smacks. The funny thing is that at first we were actually called “Slaps and Smacks” because we did events with DJs at first, too.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: We broke away from the “Slaps” part and stopped having DJs, and we just became “Smacks.” After a few years, we wanted our own personality to stand out so we changed the spelling to “SMAX.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">P: Now, we see more and more pop-ups with smacks in the name, so I’m kinda glad we pivoted and changed up the spelling early on.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">J: At the end of the day, we want our food to be rooted in the Bay. We can do that because we’re from out here, and we will always push that culture. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914046\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13914046\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A cartoon mural of an Asian cat wearing a beanie, sunglasses, and holding chopsticks. The mural is located inside Baba's House Kitchen restuarant.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/smax-yee.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Illuminaries mural provides authentic Bay vibes inside Baba’s House. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Upcoming events: June 5 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/birdhausbeergarden/?hl=en\">Birdhaus Beer Garden\u003c/a>, 3821 Smith St., Union City from 11 am to 4 pm. June 12th at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJT4stFZOB/\">Grow Off Market\u003c/a>, 400 Contra Costa St., Vallejo from 10 am to 4 pm. For future updates, follow \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/that_smax/?hl=en\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">SMAX on Instagram\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
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"meta": {
"site": "radio",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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}
},
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
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"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
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"id": "here-and-now",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
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"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
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},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
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"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
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"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
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}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
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},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
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"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
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