window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"arts_13982242": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13982242",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13982242",
"found": true
},
"title": "531F4329-7D4E-4E40-B137-8316736F9CE1",
"publishDate": 1759958836,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13982236,
"modified": 1759958996,
"caption": "Simon (left) and Eric Cheung pose for a portrait in front of their Bernal Heights restaurant, Go Duck Yourself. The brothers' new Chinese barbecue deli in the Tenderloin is expected to open in October 2025.",
"credit": "Courtesy of Go Duck Yourself",
"altTag": "Two Asian men in black stand in front of a restaurant. The sign in the window reads, \"Go Duck Yourself.\"",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/531F4329-7D4E-4E40-B137-8316736F9CE1-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/531F4329-7D4E-4E40-B137-8316736F9CE1-768x576.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/531F4329-7D4E-4E40-B137-8316736F9CE1-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/531F4329-7D4E-4E40-B137-8316736F9CE1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/531F4329-7D4E-4E40-B137-8316736F9CE1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/531F4329-7D4E-4E40-B137-8316736F9CE1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13957311": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13957311",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13957311",
"found": true
},
"parent": 13957305,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1440
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice-1020x765.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 765
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1152
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice-800x600.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 600
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/duan-chun-zhen_fried-rice-768x576.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
}
},
"publishDate": 1715036256,
"modified": 1715036331,
"caption": "Duan Chun Zhen will have a booth at this year's festival. Pictured here is the Cupertino restaurant's fried rice with pork chop.",
"description": null,
"title": "duan chun zhen_fried rice",
"credit": "Luke Tsai",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A bowl of egg fried rice topped with fried chop.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13982100": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13982100",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13982100",
"found": true
},
"title": "ClubWaziema-crop",
"publishDate": 1759450997,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13982096,
"modified": 1759451115,
"caption": "In a former life, Club Waziema was a legendary jazz club called Club Morocco.",
"credit": "Thien Pham",
"altTag": "Illustration: Exterior of a bar with a crowd of people outside. The sign says, \"Cocktails\".",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-crop-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-crop-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-crop-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-crop-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-crop-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-crop.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13981582": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13981582",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981582",
"found": true
},
"title": "250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02223_TV-KQEd",
"publishDate": 1758561043,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1759282127,
"caption": "Kylie Didrickson sews part of her dress at Oakland School for the Arts on Sept. 18, 2025. Students at the Oakland charter school partnered with 11 of the city’s top chefs to design original couture garments inspired by the chefs’ flavors, ingredients and personal stories.",
"credit": "Tâm Vũ/KQED",
"altTag": "Close-up photo of a teenage girl concentrating as she leans over a sewing machine, hemming a piece of fabric.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02223_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02223_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02223_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02223_TV-KQEd-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02223_TV-KQEd-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02223_TV-KQEd.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13981937": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13981937",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981937",
"found": true
},
"title": "Aleena Thomas pouring a meter chai",
"publishDate": 1759260331,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13981935,
"modified": 1759280759,
"caption": "Chayakada owner Aleena Thomas pours a cup of traditional Kerala-style meter chai. Thomas' San Jose shop claims to be the first Kerala-style chai cafe in the United States.",
"credit": "Octavio Peña",
"altTag": "Woman in a red t-shirt prepares a cup of chai, a thin stream of the milky tea pouring into the cup from a great height.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-pouring-a-meter-chai-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-pouring-a-meter-chai-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-pouring-a-meter-chai-1536x865.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 865,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-pouring-a-meter-chai-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-pouring-a-meter-chai-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-pouring-a-meter-chai.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1126
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13981638": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13981638",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981638",
"found": true
},
"title": "250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-11-KQED-5-2",
"publishDate": 1758644604,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1758644618,
"caption": "Sonoma City Council Member Jack Ding examines a set of photos by Eadweard Muybridge entitled \"Vintage in California\" hanging on a wall at Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma on Sept. 5, 2025.",
"credit": "Martin do Nascimento/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-11-KQED-5-2-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-11-KQED-5-2-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-11-KQED-5-2-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-11-KQED-5-2-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-11-KQED-5-2-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-11-KQED-5-2.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13981442": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13981442",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981442",
"found": true
},
"title": "dabao chicken rice",
"publishDate": 1758140307,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13981432,
"modified": 1758140481,
"caption": "Dabao Singapore's take on Hainan chicken rice. The San Francisco restaurant will be one of 10 food vendors featured in an ad hoc Singaporean-style hawker center at the inaugural Singapore Festival in San Mateo on Sept. 21, 2025.",
"credit": "Courtesy of Dabao Singapore",
"altTag": "Plate of poached chicken over rice, with a bowl of broth on the side.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-chicken-rice-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-chicken-rice-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-chicken-rice-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-chicken-rice-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-chicken-rice-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-chicken-rice.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13981437": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13981437",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981437",
"found": true
},
"title": "Ben & Jerry's Police Reform",
"publishDate": 1758138806,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13981431,
"modified": 1758138922,
"caption": "Jerry Greenfield speaking during an event on police reform in 2021. The ice cream company he co-founded has long aligned itself with social justice issues. ",
"credit": "Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jerry-g-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jerry-g-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jerry-g-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jerry-g-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jerry-g-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jerry-g.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13980879": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13980879",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13980879",
"found": true
},
"title": "250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00765_TV-KQED",
"publishDate": 1756829570,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1758147744,
"caption": "Tam Welch, co-founder of Bitter Cotyledons, poses for a portrait with the Japanese buckwheat plant in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. Bitter Cotyledons strives to build a community for queer and Asian individuals to connect with their culture through gardening and food.",
"credit": "Tâm Vũ/KQED",
"altTag": "A person of Asian descent poses for a portrait among buckwheat plants in a garden.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00765_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00765_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00765_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00765_TV-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00765_TV-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00765_TV-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13981321": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13981321",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981321",
"found": true
},
"title": "jaybaba kitchen festival",
"publishDate": 1757631916,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13981316,
"modified": 1757632086,
"caption": "JayBaba's Kitchen was one of the most popular stands at the inaugural Bay Area African Restaurant Week Festival, held at For the Culture in Oakland in September 2024. This year's restaurant week festivities will run from Sept. 12–21.",
"credit": "Courtesy of JayBaba's Kitchen",
"altTag": "A food stand at a festival serves meat skewers and trays of rice.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-kitchen-festival-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-kitchen-festival-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-kitchen-festival-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-kitchen-festival-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-kitchen-festival-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-kitchen-festival.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13981230": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13981230",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981230",
"found": true
},
"title": "ocic_jeepeezee_final-116-crop",
"publishDate": 1757455463,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13981218,
"modified": 1757455509,
"caption": "A street vendor at the 2024 inaugural Oakland Chinatown Night Market. This year's edition will feature more food vendors from within the neighborhood. ",
"credit": "Gianpaolo Pabros, courtesy of OCIC",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-116-crop-160x110.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 110,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-116-crop-768x528.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 528,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-116-crop-1536x1056.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1056,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-116-crop-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-116-crop-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-116-crop.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1375
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13964299": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13964299",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13964299",
"found": true
},
"title": "El Grito de Independencia de México in San Francisco",
"publishDate": 1726515713,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1757371329,
"caption": "Asociacion Mayab performs at the \"El Grito de Independencia de México\" celebration at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.",
"credit": "Estefany Gonzalez for KQED",
"altTag": "two dancers in colorful traditional costumes with sashes across chests",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_007.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_arts_13981793": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_arts_13981793",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_arts_13981793",
"name": "Julie Zigoris",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_arts_13981431": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_arts_13981431",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_arts_13981431",
"name": "Michelle Chapman, Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_arts_13981369": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_arts_13981369",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_arts_13981369",
"name": "Nicole J. Caruth",
"isLoading": false
},
"btorres": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11666",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11666",
"found": true
},
"name": "Blanca Torres",
"firstName": "Blanca",
"lastName": "Torres",
"slug": "btorres",
"email": "btorres@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Producer, Forum",
"bio": "Blanca Torres brings sharp news judgement and keen sense of lively conversation to her work as producer for Forum. She loves producing shows that leave listeners feeling like they heard distinctive voices, learned something new and gained a fresh perspective.\r\n\r\nShe joined KQED in January of 2020 after 16 years of working as a newspaper reporter most recently at the \u003cem>San Francisco Business Times,\u003c/em> where she wrote about real estate and economic development. Before that, she covered a variety of beats including crime, education, retail, workplace, the economy, consumer issues, and small business for the \u003cem>Contra Costa Times, Baltimore Sun\u003c/em> and\u003cem> The Seattle Times\u003c/em>. In addition to reporting, she worked as an editorial writer and columnist for the \u003cem>Seattle Times\u003c/em>. From 2017 to 2020, Blanca won a total of ten awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors and won first place for land use reporting from the California News Publishers Association two years in a row. She is also a member and former board member for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.\r\n\r\nA native of the Pacific Northwest, Blanca earned her bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville and a master's in fine arts in creative writing at Mills College. She lives in the East Bay with her family.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/50b49d19b14a1eed34f26ebf4681152cdd81574ed21851100871ccd29e578cdc?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "@blancawrites",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Blanca Torres | KQED",
"description": "Producer, Forum",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/50b49d19b14a1eed34f26ebf4681152cdd81574ed21851100871ccd29e578cdc?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/50b49d19b14a1eed34f26ebf4681152cdd81574ed21851100871ccd29e578cdc?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/btorres"
},
"ltsai": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11743",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11743",
"found": true
},
"name": "Luke Tsai",
"firstName": "Luke",
"lastName": "Tsai",
"slug": "ltsai",
"email": "ltsai@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Food Editor",
"bio": "Luke Tsai is KQED's food editor and resident stinky tofu connoisseur. Prior to KQED, he was an editor at Eater SF, \u003cem>San Francisco \u003c/em>magazine, and the \u003cem>East Bay Express\u003c/em>, and his work has also appeared in TASTE, the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>, and the \u003cem>Best Food Writing\u003c/em> anthology. When he isn't writing or editing, you'll find him eating most everything he can get his hands on.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1e59b45bf191526e7339d6ba46e33a57b2030d25c27660ecc64ea3cb863e34f7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "theluketsai",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor",
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Luke Tsai | KQED",
"description": "Food Editor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1e59b45bf191526e7339d6ba46e33a57b2030d25c27660ecc64ea3cb863e34f7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1e59b45bf191526e7339d6ba46e33a57b2030d25c27660ecc64ea3cb863e34f7?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ltsai"
},
"tpham": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11753",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11753",
"found": true
},
"name": "Thien Pham",
"firstName": "Thien",
"lastName": "Pham",
"slug": "tpham",
"email": "thiendog@gmail.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5b4729969ad46d88e7b9ec9dd4f3fa6af84dd0fa8fa91f01d8d9481694999bc?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Thien Pham | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5b4729969ad46d88e7b9ec9dd4f3fa6af84dd0fa8fa91f01d8d9481694999bc?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5b4729969ad46d88e7b9ec9dd4f3fa6af84dd0fa8fa91f01d8d9481694999bc?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/tpham"
},
"opena": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11903",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11903",
"found": true
},
"name": "Octavio Peña",
"firstName": "Octavio",
"lastName": "Peña",
"slug": "opena",
"email": "octaviopenagutierrez@gmail.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/62850791380238ea3945ee72a3d56056477904792b41daaf11effa8780bab75d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Octavio Peña | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/62850791380238ea3945ee72a3d56056477904792b41daaf11effa8780bab75d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/62850791380238ea3945ee72a3d56056477904792b41daaf11effa8780bab75d?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/opena"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"arts_category_food": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_12276",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "12276",
"score": 11.429423
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Explore the Bay Area culinary scene through KQED's food stories, recipes, dining experiences, and stories from the diverse tastemakers that define the Bay's cuisines.",
"title": "Bay Area Food Archives, Articles, News, and Reviews | KQED",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 12288,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Food",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "arts",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 8
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/arts?category=food",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 8
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"arts_13982236": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13982236",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13982236",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1759959782000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "hing-lung-new-chinese-barbecue-roast-duck-tenderloin-quack-house-chinatown",
"title": "A Quintessential SF Chinatown Barbecue Shop Moves to the Tenderloin",
"publishDate": 1759959782,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A Quintessential SF Chinatown Barbecue Shop Moves to the Tenderloin | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>For more than four decades, Hing Lung Company was one of the crown jewels of San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/chinatown\">Chinatown\u003c/a>. The cramped, slightly dingy, old-school Cantonese butcher shop consistently cranked out some of the juiciest roast duck and crispiest-skinned siu yuk (roast pork belly) in town. Because the shop didn’t have any seating to speak of, popping open a takeout carton of its luscious, wonderfully fatty roast duck in your parked car, or huddled on the sidewalk, was one of those quintessential San Francisco dining experiences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was the end of an era, then, when Hing Lung \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/hing-lung-chinatown-moving-19387517.php\">shuttered its Stockton Street storefront\u003c/a> last April, citing long, drawn-out rent negotiations with the landlord that fell through in the end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The closure was especially bittersweet as it came right when brothers Eric and Simon Cheung were poised to bring the legacy business — which they \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Brothers-reinvent-their-father-s-meat-shop-in-12375005.php\">took over from their father, Wing, a decade ago\u003c/a> — to a new level of mainstream success. That same month, the Cheung brothers opened Go Duck Yourself, a swanky sit-down Chinese barbecue restaurant in Bernal Heights, to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13968986/best-dishes-bay-area-2024\">rave\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/go-duck-yourself-chinatown-19797728.php\">reviews\u003c/a>. And if all goes according to plan, the newest addition to the brothers’ roast meats empire will open in the Tenderloin in the next couple of weeks: a casual deli-style barbecue counter called Quack House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968998\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968998\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck.jpg\" alt=\"A plate of Cantonese roast duck.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Go Duck Yourself’s signature Cantonese roast duck. At Quack House, the duck will also be available as a to-go rice plate. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Just like the old Hing Lung, Quack House won’t have any dine-in seating and will focus exclusively on quick-service to-go items — barbecue rice plates, whole ducks and chickens, and other Cantonese-style roast meats and charcuterie sold by the pound.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patricia Tien — Eric’s wife and a spokesperson for the business — acknowledges that it was sad to leave Chinatown behind. The Cheung brothers’ father passed away three years ago, and the Stockton Street storefront was really his legacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t abandon you,” she says, addressing Hing Lung’s longtime customers directly. “We fought really hard to make Chinatown work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, Tien says, the building was just in too poor physical condition to justify the rent the landlords were demanding. “Every time it rained outside, it would rain in our kitchen. It would drip down into the oil pot, and you would get burned,” she recalls. “We worked like that for five or six years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982243\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982243\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1.jpg\" alt=\"A plate of crispy roast pork belly, cut into slics and packed in a to-go container.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A siu yuk, or crispy-skinned pork belly, rice plate packed for takeout. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Go Duck Yourself)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In many ways, though, Quack House will mark a return to those old Hing Lung roots. The new brick-lined Tenderloin location — former home of the upscale \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/BqlMRaVH95d/?hl=en\">Meraki Market\u003c/a> — will be more modern-looking than the Stockton Street butcher shop and will rely on tablet stations instead of having customers line up at the counter to order deli-style. But customers who complained that you couldn’t grab a quick, affordable meal for one person at the sit-down restaurant in Bernal Heights will be heartened by the return of those rice plates, which will be priced at $18–$20 for rice, greens and a quarter pound of meat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13976695,arts_13981793,arts_13968986']Home cooks will also be able to buy a variety of Chinese cured sausages, Chinese bacon and pressed salted duck, just like they could in the old Hing Lung days. And there will be some more modern twists as well, including a pork jerky sandwich the chefs are working on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The more central Tenderloin location will also allow Quack House to offer delivery service further into the Richmond and Sunset districts, where a lot of Hing Lung’s customers live. And of course it also won’t be too far away from Chinatown either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tien says that many of Hing Lung’s old customers have already trekked out to Bernal Heights to visit Go Duck Yourself at least once or twice. “When they come, we get two different reactions. One is that the prices are really high compared to what we had in Chinatown,” Tien says. “But we also have another reaction, which is, ‘Good for you guys.’ This kind of food \u003ci>should\u003c/i> be praised more, and you should really promote this to the Western world.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tien says most of the old Chinatown customers wind up feeling happy with their Go Duck Yourself experience — happy, she says, that the restaurant didn’t “white down the food.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982244\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982244\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9.jpg\" alt=\"Two chefs work in a busy Chinese restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1271\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9-768x488.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9-1536x976.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Cheung brothers at work in the kitchen at their Bernal Heights restaurant. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Go Duck Yourself)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For now, the Cheung brothers are retiring the Hing Lung name — in part to mark a new beginning, and also because there are so many other Chinese businesses called “Hing Lung” (meaning “prosperous”) in the Bay Area. But the new restaurant will be an homage to the original Hing Lung in many ways, including the (newly restored) original signage and a display of old photos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Cheungs also haven’t ruled out the possibility of opening a new shop in Chinatown at some point in the future. If they do? They might just have to roll out the Hing Lung name once again.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Quack House is located at 927 Post St. in San Francisco. The owners hope to open sometime in October 2025. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Quack House is the newest addition to the Hing Lung Co. roast duck empire.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1759959782,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 932
},
"headData": {
"title": "Hing Lung Owners Open New Chinese BBQ Shop in the Tenderloin | KQED",
"description": "Quack House is the newest addition to the Hing Lung Co. roast duck empire.",
"ogTitle": "A Quintessential SF Chinatown Barbecue Shop Moves to the Tenderloin",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "A Quintessential SF Chinatown Barbecue Shop Moves to the Tenderloin",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Hing Lung Owners Open New Chinese BBQ Shop in the Tenderloin %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A Quintessential SF Chinatown Barbecue Shop Moves to the Tenderloin",
"datePublished": "2025-10-08T14:43:02-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-10-08T14:43:02-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"source": "Food",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13982236",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13982236/hing-lung-new-chinese-barbecue-roast-duck-tenderloin-quack-house-chinatown",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For more than four decades, Hing Lung Company was one of the crown jewels of San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/chinatown\">Chinatown\u003c/a>. The cramped, slightly dingy, old-school Cantonese butcher shop consistently cranked out some of the juiciest roast duck and crispiest-skinned siu yuk (roast pork belly) in town. Because the shop didn’t have any seating to speak of, popping open a takeout carton of its luscious, wonderfully fatty roast duck in your parked car, or huddled on the sidewalk, was one of those quintessential San Francisco dining experiences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was the end of an era, then, when Hing Lung \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/hing-lung-chinatown-moving-19387517.php\">shuttered its Stockton Street storefront\u003c/a> last April, citing long, drawn-out rent negotiations with the landlord that fell through in the end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The closure was especially bittersweet as it came right when brothers Eric and Simon Cheung were poised to bring the legacy business — which they \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Brothers-reinvent-their-father-s-meat-shop-in-12375005.php\">took over from their father, Wing, a decade ago\u003c/a> — to a new level of mainstream success. That same month, the Cheung brothers opened Go Duck Yourself, a swanky sit-down Chinese barbecue restaurant in Bernal Heights, to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13968986/best-dishes-bay-area-2024\">rave\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/go-duck-yourself-chinatown-19797728.php\">reviews\u003c/a>. And if all goes according to plan, the newest addition to the brothers’ roast meats empire will open in the Tenderloin in the next couple of weeks: a casual deli-style barbecue counter called Quack House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968998\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968998\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck.jpg\" alt=\"A plate of Cantonese roast duck.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/go-duck-yourself-duck-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Go Duck Yourself’s signature Cantonese roast duck. At Quack House, the duck will also be available as a to-go rice plate. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Just like the old Hing Lung, Quack House won’t have any dine-in seating and will focus exclusively on quick-service to-go items — barbecue rice plates, whole ducks and chickens, and other Cantonese-style roast meats and charcuterie sold by the pound.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patricia Tien — Eric’s wife and a spokesperson for the business — acknowledges that it was sad to leave Chinatown behind. The Cheung brothers’ father passed away three years ago, and the Stockton Street storefront was really his legacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t abandon you,” she says, addressing Hing Lung’s longtime customers directly. “We fought really hard to make Chinatown work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, Tien says, the building was just in too poor physical condition to justify the rent the landlords were demanding. “Every time it rained outside, it would rain in our kitchen. It would drip down into the oil pot, and you would get burned,” she recalls. “We worked like that for five or six years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982243\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982243\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1.jpg\" alt=\"A plate of crispy roast pork belly, cut into slics and packed in a to-go container.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/CE7F71C2-DF88-40EC-971B-CA7A80189AE1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A siu yuk, or crispy-skinned pork belly, rice plate packed for takeout. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Go Duck Yourself)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In many ways, though, Quack House will mark a return to those old Hing Lung roots. The new brick-lined Tenderloin location — former home of the upscale \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/BqlMRaVH95d/?hl=en\">Meraki Market\u003c/a> — will be more modern-looking than the Stockton Street butcher shop and will rely on tablet stations instead of having customers line up at the counter to order deli-style. But customers who complained that you couldn’t grab a quick, affordable meal for one person at the sit-down restaurant in Bernal Heights will be heartened by the return of those rice plates, which will be priced at $18–$20 for rice, greens and a quarter pound of meat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13976695,arts_13981793,arts_13968986",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Home cooks will also be able to buy a variety of Chinese cured sausages, Chinese bacon and pressed salted duck, just like they could in the old Hing Lung days. And there will be some more modern twists as well, including a pork jerky sandwich the chefs are working on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The more central Tenderloin location will also allow Quack House to offer delivery service further into the Richmond and Sunset districts, where a lot of Hing Lung’s customers live. And of course it also won’t be too far away from Chinatown either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tien says that many of Hing Lung’s old customers have already trekked out to Bernal Heights to visit Go Duck Yourself at least once or twice. “When they come, we get two different reactions. One is that the prices are really high compared to what we had in Chinatown,” Tien says. “But we also have another reaction, which is, ‘Good for you guys.’ This kind of food \u003ci>should\u003c/i> be praised more, and you should really promote this to the Western world.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tien says most of the old Chinatown customers wind up feeling happy with their Go Duck Yourself experience — happy, she says, that the restaurant didn’t “white down the food.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982244\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982244\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9.jpg\" alt=\"Two chefs work in a busy Chinese restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1271\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9-768x488.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/946D1353-A981-43FC-8BF2-B826D21A6BB9-1536x976.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Cheung brothers at work in the kitchen at their Bernal Heights restaurant. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Go Duck Yourself)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For now, the Cheung brothers are retiring the Hing Lung name — in part to mark a new beginning, and also because there are so many other Chinese businesses called “Hing Lung” (meaning “prosperous”) in the Bay Area. But the new restaurant will be an homage to the original Hing Lung in many ways, including the (newly restored) original signage and a display of old photos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Cheungs also haven’t ruled out the possibility of opening a new shop in Chinatown at some point in the future. If they do? They might just have to roll out the Hing Lung name once again.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Quack House is located at 927 Post St. in San Francisco. The owners hope to open sometime in October 2025. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13982236/hing-lung-new-chinese-barbecue-roast-duck-tenderloin-quack-house-chinatown",
"authors": [
"11743"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276"
],
"tags": [
"arts_13831",
"arts_2654",
"arts_21727",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1297",
"arts_1146",
"arts_1020"
],
"featImg": "arts_13982242",
"label": "source_arts_13982236"
},
"arts_13982137": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13982137",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13982137",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1759780333000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "best-deals-cupertino-restaurant-week-chinese-taiwanese-food",
"title": "Love Asian Food? The First Cupertino Restaurant Week Is Your Treasure Trove",
"publishDate": 1759780333,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Love Asian Food? The First Cupertino Restaurant Week Is Your Treasure Trove | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Techie \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/cupertino\">Cupertino\u003c/a> doesn’t \u003ci>usually\u003c/i> register in the San Francisco- and Oakland-centric discussions of top Bay Area food cities — unless, of course, you’re a hardcore Asian food connoisseur. In that case, you probably already know that Cupertino’s suburban strip malls are home to some of the Bay Area’s finest noodle shops, jook joints and hot pot emporiums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13897830,arts_13957666']If that’s your comfort food sweet spot, you may want to check out Cupertino’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cupertino.gov/Your-City/Divisions/Economic-Development/Restaurant-Week\">first ever restaurant week\u003c/a>, which the city is hosting to celebrate its 70th anniversary. The weeklong extravaganza of discounted meal deals from more than 20 participating restaurants will run Oct. 6–12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cupertino is the beating heart of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897830/taiwanese-restaurants-silicon-valley-cupertino-tech\">South Bay’s vibrant Taiwanese food scene\u003c/a>, so it’s no surprise that the cuisine is well represented in this promotion. Duan’s Kitchen, one of the area’s better beef noodle soup shops, is offering free items for customers who spend at least $25 (fried fishcake) or $50 (one of the better Taiwanese-style pork chops around). And Chicha San Chen, probably the trendiest among the city’s roughly five bajillion \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13957666/best-boba-shops-bay-area-berkeley-cupertino-sf\">boba shops\u003c/a>, will host free Lishan oolong tea tastings for customers who \u003ca href=\"https://chichasanchennorcal.com/reservation/ola/services/lishan-oolong-tea-tasting\">sign up in advance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957736\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957736\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop.jpg\" alt=\"Two boba drinks on a park bench.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cupertino’s Chicha San Chen is the current title holder for buzziest boba shop in the Bay. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If hot pot is more your speed, the Cupertino branch of HaiDiLao — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13970445/haidilao-hot-pot-fremont-late-night\">glitzy hot pot mega-chain\u003c/a> — and individual mini-pot specialist \u003ca href=\"https://www.homeeat.com/cupertino\">Home Eat\u003c/a> will both offer discounted meals this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bargain hunters craving something other than East Asian cuisine will have plenty of options too — say, Aqui Cal-Mex’s $3 appetizer sampler or the 25% discount on all of the Indian pizzas at Curry Pizza House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See the Cupertino Restaurant Week \u003ca href=\"https://www.cupertino.gov/Your-City/Divisions/Economic-Development/Restaurant-Week\">promotion page\u003c/a> for a complete list of participating restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The Silicon Valley suburb celebrates its 70th anniversary with a weeklong feast.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1759780333,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 8,
"wordCount": 332
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Best Deals of Cupertino Restaurant Week | KQED",
"description": "The Silicon Valley suburb celebrates its 70th anniversary with a weeklong feast.",
"ogTitle": "Love Asian Food? The First Cupertino Restaurant Week Is Your Treasure Trove",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "Love Asian Food? The First Cupertino Restaurant Week Is Your Treasure Trove",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "The Best Deals of Cupertino Restaurant Week %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Love Asian Food? The First Cupertino Restaurant Week Is Your Treasure Trove",
"datePublished": "2025-10-06T12:52:13-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-10-06T12:52:13-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13982137",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13982137/best-deals-cupertino-restaurant-week-chinese-taiwanese-food",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Techie \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/cupertino\">Cupertino\u003c/a> doesn’t \u003ci>usually\u003c/i> register in the San Francisco- and Oakland-centric discussions of top Bay Area food cities — unless, of course, you’re a hardcore Asian food connoisseur. In that case, you probably already know that Cupertino’s suburban strip malls are home to some of the Bay Area’s finest noodle shops, jook joints and hot pot emporiums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13897830,arts_13957666",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If that’s your comfort food sweet spot, you may want to check out Cupertino’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cupertino.gov/Your-City/Divisions/Economic-Development/Restaurant-Week\">first ever restaurant week\u003c/a>, which the city is hosting to celebrate its 70th anniversary. The weeklong extravaganza of discounted meal deals from more than 20 participating restaurants will run Oct. 6–12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cupertino is the beating heart of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897830/taiwanese-restaurants-silicon-valley-cupertino-tech\">South Bay’s vibrant Taiwanese food scene\u003c/a>, so it’s no surprise that the cuisine is well represented in this promotion. Duan’s Kitchen, one of the area’s better beef noodle soup shops, is offering free items for customers who spend at least $25 (fried fishcake) or $50 (one of the better Taiwanese-style pork chops around). And Chicha San Chen, probably the trendiest among the city’s roughly five bajillion \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13957666/best-boba-shops-bay-area-berkeley-cupertino-sf\">boba shops\u003c/a>, will host free Lishan oolong tea tastings for customers who \u003ca href=\"https://chichasanchennorcal.com/reservation/ola/services/lishan-oolong-tea-tasting\">sign up in advance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957736\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957736\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop.jpg\" alt=\"Two boba drinks on a park bench.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/chicha-san-chen_crop-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cupertino’s Chicha San Chen is the current title holder for buzziest boba shop in the Bay. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If hot pot is more your speed, the Cupertino branch of HaiDiLao — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13970445/haidilao-hot-pot-fremont-late-night\">glitzy hot pot mega-chain\u003c/a> — and individual mini-pot specialist \u003ca href=\"https://www.homeeat.com/cupertino\">Home Eat\u003c/a> will both offer discounted meals this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bargain hunters craving something other than East Asian cuisine will have plenty of options too — say, Aqui Cal-Mex’s $3 appetizer sampler or the 25% discount on all of the Indian pizzas at Curry Pizza House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See the Cupertino Restaurant Week \u003ca href=\"https://www.cupertino.gov/Your-City/Divisions/Economic-Development/Restaurant-Week\">promotion page\u003c/a> for a complete list of participating restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13982137/best-deals-cupertino-restaurant-week-chinese-taiwanese-food",
"authors": [
"11743"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_21727",
"arts_6902",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1297",
"arts_3001",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13957311",
"label": "source_arts_13982137"
},
"arts_13982096": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13982096",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13982096",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1759451501000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "club-waziema-ethiopian-dive-bar-san-francisco-all-you-can-eat-veggie-combo-late-night",
"title": "This Ethiopian Dive Bar’s Most Surprising Hit Is Its All-You-Can-Eat Veggie Combo",
"publishDate": 1759451501,
"format": "aside",
"headTitle": "This Ethiopian Dive Bar’s Most Surprising Hit Is Its All-You-Can-Eat Veggie Combo | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"term": 22316,
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982101\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982101\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men sit at a bar counter devouring plates of Ethiopian food.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mostly known as a friendly neighborhood dive bar, Club Waziema also serves solid Ethiopian food — including an all-you-can-eat veggie combo. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>You wouldn’t think \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/clubwaziema/?hl=en\">Club Waziema\u003c/a> even serves \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/food\">food\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We rolled up to the ancient Divisadero Street watering hole at a little past nine o’clock on a Friday night, drawn by Waziema’s reputation as San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/club-waziema-dive-bar-19473205.php\">best and only Ethiopian dive bar\u003c/a>. Inside the crowded, dimly lit room, the jukebox blared the opening chords of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” while a gaggle of half-tipsy twentysomethings ordered “whatever red wine” and three vodka cranberries at the long, curved bar. (“Perfect order,” the bartender quipped.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The place has that homey, lived-in quality that all the best dive bars have, with its gorgeous, red-velvet damask wallpaper, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/Club-Waziema-San-Francisco-s-finest-Ethiopian-13207234.php\">rumored to date back to the 1940s\u003c/a>. Framed photos of legends like Louis Armstrong and Marvin Gaye who played there during the bar’s heyday as a jazz club in the ’60s and ’70s, when it was called Club Morocco, line the walls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, Club Waziema isn’t really a jazz club anymore (though it does host a lot of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/clubwaziema/?hl=en\">trendy underground DJ shows\u003c/a>). A busy pool table occupies the elevated stage area where B.B. King once sang the blues. But like a proper neighborhood dive, the whole place buzzes with laughter and loud conversation, everyone throwing back Red Stripes and decently cheap cocktails.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only when we looked carefully did we notice that a handful of customers were bent over heaping mounds of Ethiopian food, served, charmingly, on those red, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/chinese-plate-design-history\">swirly-patterned melamine plates\u003c/a> you can find in every Chinese American household.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, as it turns out, Waziema is also one of the best-loved Ethiopian restaurants in the city, though it doesn’t much advertise that fact. There’s no obvious signage — no mention of food on the chalkboard drinks menu. But if you ask about it, a bartender will hand you a laminated menu, noting helpfully that the last call for food is at 10 p.m. (The bar itself stays open until 2 a.m.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About that food menu: It’s probably the most concise that I’ve encountered in the Bay Area’s venerable \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978846/new-ethiopian-eritrean-restaurants-bay-area-san-francisco-oakland\">Ethiopian restaurant scene\u003c/a> — but also, to be fair, the most extensive Ethiopian menu I’ve seen at a dive bar. All told, there are nine dishes listed, but it’s really more like four, since the entire vegetarian side of the menu comes included in the $18 veggie combo. It’s hard to see why you wouldn’t just order that — \u003ci>especially\u003c/i> since it turns out to be ALL YOU CAN EAT. (Though again, there’s nothing on the menu to indicate this.) We ordered one of those and one meat combo — which came with our choice of two out of three meat offerings — and we’d essentially ordered the entire menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982103\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982103\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema.jpg\" alt='Illustration: Exterior of a bar with a crowd of people outside. The sign says, \"Cocktails\".' width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In a former life, Club Waziema was a legendary jazz club called Club Morocco. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Our favorite was the berbere-tinged beef stew (aka sega wot), which was wonderfully tender and rich. There was also a solid version of lamb tibs, that killer combination of seared lamb and sauteed onions that goes so perfectly with soft, tangy injera. On the veggie combo side, we loved the atakilt wat, listed on the menu as “veggie stew,” even though it was all potatoes; somehow the cabbage and carrots had gone missing. What amazing potatoes, though — perfectly cooked, sauce-slicked, incredibly tasty. We also loved the softly stewed red lentils (misir wot), which was the most spice-forward and aggressively seasoned dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Look, you can find Ethiopian food in Oakland or San Jose that has brighter flavors and more intense, intricate spicing. The kitchen definitely goes easy on the heat, even in that misir wot, to keep things accessible for Club Waziema’s multiethnic, largely non-Ethiopian crowd.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13981034,arts_13977177,arts_13972197']\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>\u003c/span>But the food is \u003ci>good\u003c/i>, and not just unexpectedly good for what you can get at a dive bar at 10 o’clock at night, though it certainly is that. The stews come out piping hot, piled atop a half-round of house-made injera on one of those Chinese plates. The extra injera on the side is fresh and still slightly warm, not cold and clammy like you get sometimes even at much fancier Ethiopian restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than anything, the spread reminded me of home food — the kind of casual, generous plate an auntie might hand you when you visit her at her house, a bottle of honey wine already uncorked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got even more of that home feeling when we asked for seconds — because again, that veggie combo is \u003ci>all you can eat\u003c/i>. When the owner, Nebiat, came over to check on us toward the end of the night, we asked if we could have some more of the red lentils and the potatoes we’d so thoroughly enjoyed. When she came back, she apologized that they were already all out of the potatoes, but she’d ladled an extra-large scoop of lentils onto our plate — something cozy and belly-warming to fill us up before we headed back out into the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/clubwaziema/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Club Waziema\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is open Tuesday through Saturday, 6 p.m.–2 a.m., at 543 Divisadero St. in San Francisco. Last call for food is at 10 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Club Waziema is one of SF’s classic neighborhood dives — and serves great misir wat and beef stew too.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1759547485,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 15,
"wordCount": 947
},
"headData": {
"title": "Club Waziema's Late-Night AYCE Ethiopian Veggie Combo in SF | KQED",
"description": "Club Waziema is one of SF’s classic neighborhood dives — and serves great misir wat and beef stew too.",
"ogTitle": "This Ethiopian Dive Bar’s Most Surprising Hit Is Its All-You-Can-Eat Veggie Combo",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "This Ethiopian Dive Bar’s Most Surprising Hit Is Its All-You-Can-Eat Veggie Combo",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Club Waziema's Late-Night AYCE Ethiopian Veggie Combo in SF %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "This Ethiopian Dive Bar’s Most Surprising Hit Is Its All-You-Can-Eat Veggie Combo",
"datePublished": "2025-10-02T17:31:41-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-10-03T20:11:25-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13982096",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13982096/club-waziema-ethiopian-dive-bar-san-francisco-all-you-can-eat-veggie-combo-late-night",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982101\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982101\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men sit at a bar counter devouring plates of Ethiopian food.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mostly known as a friendly neighborhood dive bar, Club Waziema also serves solid Ethiopian food — including an all-you-can-eat veggie combo. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>You wouldn’t think \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/clubwaziema/?hl=en\">Club Waziema\u003c/a> even serves \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/food\">food\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We rolled up to the ancient Divisadero Street watering hole at a little past nine o’clock on a Friday night, drawn by Waziema’s reputation as San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/club-waziema-dive-bar-19473205.php\">best and only Ethiopian dive bar\u003c/a>. Inside the crowded, dimly lit room, the jukebox blared the opening chords of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” while a gaggle of half-tipsy twentysomethings ordered “whatever red wine” and three vodka cranberries at the long, curved bar. (“Perfect order,” the bartender quipped.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The place has that homey, lived-in quality that all the best dive bars have, with its gorgeous, red-velvet damask wallpaper, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/Club-Waziema-San-Francisco-s-finest-Ethiopian-13207234.php\">rumored to date back to the 1940s\u003c/a>. Framed photos of legends like Louis Armstrong and Marvin Gaye who played there during the bar’s heyday as a jazz club in the ’60s and ’70s, when it was called Club Morocco, line the walls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, Club Waziema isn’t really a jazz club anymore (though it does host a lot of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/clubwaziema/?hl=en\">trendy underground DJ shows\u003c/a>). A busy pool table occupies the elevated stage area where B.B. King once sang the blues. But like a proper neighborhood dive, the whole place buzzes with laughter and loud conversation, everyone throwing back Red Stripes and decently cheap cocktails.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only when we looked carefully did we notice that a handful of customers were bent over heaping mounds of Ethiopian food, served, charmingly, on those red, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/chinese-plate-design-history\">swirly-patterned melamine plates\u003c/a> you can find in every Chinese American household.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, as it turns out, Waziema is also one of the best-loved Ethiopian restaurants in the city, though it doesn’t much advertise that fact. There’s no obvious signage — no mention of food on the chalkboard drinks menu. But if you ask about it, a bartender will hand you a laminated menu, noting helpfully that the last call for food is at 10 p.m. (The bar itself stays open until 2 a.m.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About that food menu: It’s probably the most concise that I’ve encountered in the Bay Area’s venerable \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978846/new-ethiopian-eritrean-restaurants-bay-area-san-francisco-oakland\">Ethiopian restaurant scene\u003c/a> — but also, to be fair, the most extensive Ethiopian menu I’ve seen at a dive bar. All told, there are nine dishes listed, but it’s really more like four, since the entire vegetarian side of the menu comes included in the $18 veggie combo. It’s hard to see why you wouldn’t just order that — \u003ci>especially\u003c/i> since it turns out to be ALL YOU CAN EAT. (Though again, there’s nothing on the menu to indicate this.) We ordered one of those and one meat combo — which came with our choice of two out of three meat offerings — and we’d essentially ordered the entire menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13982103\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13982103\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema.jpg\" alt='Illustration: Exterior of a bar with a crowd of people outside. The sign says, \"Cocktails\".' width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/ClubWaziema-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In a former life, Club Waziema was a legendary jazz club called Club Morocco. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Our favorite was the berbere-tinged beef stew (aka sega wot), which was wonderfully tender and rich. There was also a solid version of lamb tibs, that killer combination of seared lamb and sauteed onions that goes so perfectly with soft, tangy injera. On the veggie combo side, we loved the atakilt wat, listed on the menu as “veggie stew,” even though it was all potatoes; somehow the cabbage and carrots had gone missing. What amazing potatoes, though — perfectly cooked, sauce-slicked, incredibly tasty. We also loved the softly stewed red lentils (misir wot), which was the most spice-forward and aggressively seasoned dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Look, you can find Ethiopian food in Oakland or San Jose that has brighter flavors and more intense, intricate spicing. The kitchen definitely goes easy on the heat, even in that misir wot, to keep things accessible for Club Waziema’s multiethnic, largely non-Ethiopian crowd.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13981034,arts_13977177,arts_13972197",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>\u003c/span>But the food is \u003ci>good\u003c/i>, and not just unexpectedly good for what you can get at a dive bar at 10 o’clock at night, though it certainly is that. The stews come out piping hot, piled atop a half-round of house-made injera on one of those Chinese plates. The extra injera on the side is fresh and still slightly warm, not cold and clammy like you get sometimes even at much fancier Ethiopian restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than anything, the spread reminded me of home food — the kind of casual, generous plate an auntie might hand you when you visit her at her house, a bottle of honey wine already uncorked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got even more of that home feeling when we asked for seconds — because again, that veggie combo is \u003ci>all you can eat\u003c/i>. When the owner, Nebiat, came over to check on us toward the end of the night, we asked if we could have some more of the red lentils and the potatoes we’d so thoroughly enjoyed. When she came back, she apologized that they were already all out of the potatoes, but she’d ladled an extra-large scoop of lentils onto our plate — something cozy and belly-warming to fill us up before we headed back out into the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/clubwaziema/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Club Waziema\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is open Tuesday through Saturday, 6 p.m.–2 a.m., at 543 Divisadero St. in San Francisco. Last call for food is at 10 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13982096/club-waziema-ethiopian-dive-bar-san-francisco-all-you-can-eat-veggie-combo-late-night",
"authors": [
"11743",
"11753"
],
"series": [
"arts_22316"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22245",
"arts_22438",
"arts_21761",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1297",
"arts_8805",
"arts_22437",
"arts_1146",
"arts_21928"
],
"featImg": "arts_13982100",
"label": "arts_22316"
},
"arts_13981914": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981914",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981914",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1759330850000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "oakland-osa-fashion-show-cuisine-and-couture-restaurants-food",
"title": "Plantain Peels, Sugar and Style: Oakland Teens Weave Food Into Fashion",
"publishDate": 1759330850,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "Plantain Peels, Sugar and Style: Oakland Teens Weave Food Into Fashion | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Two o’clock in the afternoon is a cursed hour at most high schools in America — a time when tired teenagers mentally check out, eager to be anywhere but a classroom. But on a recent Thursday afternoon, Stephanie Verrières’ fashion design class at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland-school-for-the-arts\">Oakland School for the Arts\u003c/a> (OSA) is a vision of happy, controlled chaos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside a crowded art studio, clusters of teens drape dresses onto mannequins and hand-sew intricate beadwork onto bodices. Student designers talk shop over the rat-a-tat of multiple sewing machines. Sprawled on the sidewalk just outside the school, girls dye swatches of fabric by dunking them into a bucket of red wine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the chef at one of Oakland’s trendiest restaurants has dropped in for a visit. He checks in with a student, musing how they might run plantain peels through a tortilla press — and then \u003cem>braid \u003c/em>them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this productive energy is in service of the students’ first big project of the year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/event/cuisine-and-couture-%7C-oakland-style/34241/\">Cuisine and Couture\u003c/a>, a collaboration between OSA — a public charter school for grades 6–12 located inside the Fox Theater building in downtown Oakland — and Visit Oakland, the city’s tourism bureau. Verrières paired her 20 high school students with 11 of Oakland’s top chefs representing the city’s diverse culinary scene, from trendy, big-name restaurants like Popoca and Parche to longtime community staples like El Huarache Azteca.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The students’ task? To create a food-themed high-fashion outfit inspired by their chef’s restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981871\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981871\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fashion design teacher Stephanie Verrières poses for a portrait in her classroom at the Oakland School for the Arts . \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Oct. 12, Cuisine and Couture will cap off the third annual \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/oakland-style/\">Oakland Style Week\u003c/a> with a fashion show in the Oakland Museum of California’s outdoor garden, featuring OSA student models walking the runway to show off each designer’s work. The chefs will be on hand, too, plying guests with dishes created especially for the occasion. And the tables will be adorned with miniature dresses designed by OSA middle school students, inspired by the participating restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The runway show will conclude weeks of close collaboration between the students and the chefs — of stories, ingredients and even baby photos shared. All told, the event is meant to be a love letter to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967120/oakland-best-food-city-america-chef-responses\">Oakland’s much-vaunted food scene\u003c/a> and a celebration of the Town’s talented young artists. For many of them, the project has been a way to dive deeply into someone else’s culture — and, in many cases, to make a much deeper connection to their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A delicious idea\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Cuisine and Couture project came about when Visit Oakland PR director Renee Roberts approached Verrières with the idea of OSA putting on a fashion show at a food event. As it turns out, Verrières remembered taking part in something similar when she was just starting out as a designer — a 2007 \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/style/article/Fundraiser-turns-foodies-into-fashionistas-2537728.php\">fundraising gala\u003c/a> where the runway looks were inspired by some of San Francisco’s most famous restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paired with legendary French chef Hubert Keller, Verrières and her design partner created an elaborate evening gown with black-eyed peas and red peppercorns on the bodice, as an homage to Keller’s now-closed flagship restaurant, Fleur de Lys. To represent the tequila lounge Tres Agaves (which has also since closed), they designed a cocktail dress made out of lime rinds and tequila labels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981591\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981591\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Verrières supervises students \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Isadora Oznowicz (left) and Sadie McMahon\u003c/span> as they use red wine to dye fabric. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“For me as a designer, it was such a great opportunity to get out of my own world and get into someone else’s,” Verrières recalls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Verrières pitched an Oakland-centric version of the event featuring designs by OSA students, Roberts was sold — and so were all of the chefs she spoke to. Within a day, she lined up all 11 restaurants to participate. “That moment for the designers to see their fashion parading down that runway is going to be magical,” she says. “People not from Oakland will see it and fall in love with Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now in her third year at OSA, Verrières first pursued a career in fashion in the early aughts. \u003ca href=\"https://www.verrieressako.com/aboutus\">Verrières & Sako\u003c/a>, the Oakland-based label she co-founded, has won awards and dressed celebrities for major \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C3D-IFsy8Q-/?hl=en\">red carpet events\u003c/a>, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/luzpenatv/reel/C4ZmwpoLsGv/\">the Oscars\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981590\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981590\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rolls of fabric in OSA’s cozy but well-stocked fashion design studio. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When I started out, fashion was still a thing. It was hot, and there were still a lot of great opportunities,” Verrières says. Now, fabric stores across the Bay Area are closing down, and clothing manufacturers and fashion designers are all leaving the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So while she’s still active as a designer herself, Verrières leapt at the opportunity to become the chair of OSA’s fashion program, and to help nurture the Bay Area’s next generation of homegrown talent — though the majority of her students don’t wind up going into the fashion industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But at a time when \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2022/02/arts-education-is-woefully-underfunded-in-california-schools/\">budget cuts\u003c/a> have \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2022/addressing-the-crisis-in-arts-and-music-education-in-california/664798\">decimated arts education\u003c/a> at many public schools in the Bay Area, it’s a rare luxury for OSA students to be able to spend two and a half hours a day, four days a week, pursuing their chosen artistic path, whether it be vocal music, audio engineering or set design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.oakarts.org/ARTS-PATHWAYS/DESIGN-VISUAL-MEDIA-ARTS/Fashion-Design/\">fashion design track\u003c/a> is in particularly high demand. The school no longer uses an audition-based enrollment process, but Verrières’ classroom simply isn’t big enough to support more than 20 young designers. The waitlist is over 200 students long.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Food as fashion and fashion as food\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There is, it turns out, a long history of food-inspired fashion. A 2023 retrospective on the trend, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/food-and-fashion/index.php\">\u003cem>Food & Fashion\u003c/em>\u003c/a> at New York’s Museum at FIT, included a gloriously unhinged \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CyDn8ZwurkU/\">corn cob hat\u003c/a> (a hot look in 1941, apparently) by legendary Chicago milliner Bes-Ben, a \u003ca href=\"https://fashionmuseum.fitnyc.edu/objects/83856/dress?ctx=a9d69b2303bff40e33a4de6c0749b0a4b1d0d3ea&idx=19\">Baby Ruth candy bar–themed\u003c/a> disposable paper dress from 1968, an ’80s-era \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/museumatfit/52972304156/in/album-72177720309029985\">edible string bikini\u003c/a>, and a Surrealist \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/museumatfit/53199573328/in/album-72177720309029985\">fried-egg dress\u003c/a> with a baguette headpiece, like something out of \u003cem>Alice in Wonderland\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efTLpRGkrC0\">Salon du Chocolat\u003c/a>, an annual Parisian trade expo for chocolatiers, includes a runway show with edible couture outfits made almost entirely \u003ca href=\"https://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/03/edible-dresses-made-from-chocolate-at.html\">out of chocolate\u003c/a>. And many of the fashion world’s most prominent designers were notorious foodies in their day. Famously, Karl Lagerfeld once staged a big \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2014/mar/04/supermarket-karl-lagerfeld-chanel-collection-paris\">Chanel runway show\u003c/a> inside a (fake) supermarket. Christian Dior even \u003ca href=\"https://www.vogue.com/article/dior-cookbook-recipes-plaza-athenee-paris\">wrote a whole cookbook\u003c/a>. (“I know lots of recipes, and, who knows, one day I might need something to fall back on,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/18/magazine/the-last-temptation-of-christian.html\">he once mused\u003c/a>. “We could do a Dior ham or a Dior roast beef, perhaps?”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981868\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981868\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Beatrice Hunt (left) and Luxmi Chakrabarti work on a hoop dress inspired by the circular shape of traditional Ethiopian baskets and injera. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In that way, Oakland’s Cuisine and Couture is part of a long lineage. And what Verrières’ students are learning is that the worlds of food and fashion intersect much more than they might have expected. Both deal with texture, building layers, engaging multiple senses. (“The chefs were so impressed that my students knew the term ‘ombre,’” Verrières recalls.) Both require a whole toolbox of technical skills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And though some people will never see both food and fashion as anything more than purely utilitarian — generic business casual khakis, or a fast food burger that fills you up — they can also be powerful instruments of storytelling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As participating chef Michele McQueen of Town Fare puts it, “Fashion is obviously an expression of art, but the feeling that goes into why you made these pair of pants or this dress — what you were trying to evoke, what were you trying to make people feel when they see it. That’s the same as what we’re trying to make people feel when they eat our food.”[aside postID=arts_13981754 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/RyanNicoleAustin_COVER.jpg']The highlight of the project, then, has been the rich conversations between the students and chefs. “[The chefs are] showing childhood art that they did, where they like to shop, how they plate their food,” Verrières says. “[The students are] getting history lessons. Like, ‘Oh, this is a curry leaf.’ ‘This is what turmeric is.’ It’s so much more than just a lesson in fashion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The students have translated these food talks into their designs in a variety of ways. Sophomores Isadora Oznowicz and Sadie McMahon were taken with the pink napkins at Mama Oakland — and since the Italian restaurant is known for its wine selection, they decided to dip pieces of fabric into red wine. They came out just the right shade of pink.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Senior Annabella Ventresco and junior Mila Rukavina, meanwhile, visited pastry chefs Monique and Paul Feybesse at their new Oakland bakery, Tarts de Feybesse, for an impromptu lesson in how to pipe pastry cream — a technique they’ll use to incorporate pipeable whipped clay in their design. Their garment is a scalloped, tiered skirt topped with sugar on the edges — “very Marie Antoinette,” Verrières says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are currently 17 layers in the skirt alone, and so that’s kind of in reference to the way they make the pastries,” Ventresco explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981584\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981584\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annabella Ventresco (left) and Mila Rukavina sew details onto the pastry shop–inspired dress they are collaborating on. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And yes, there will — hopefully — be braided plantain peels, inspired by the Colombian restaurant Parche, though ninth grader Luxmi Chakrabarti notes that the plantains are still undergoing some research and development. The idea, however, will be to turn the peels into little decorative elements that she’ll attach to the top of the dress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For some of Verrières’ students, the collaborations mean diving headfirst into cultures completely different from their own. Before she paired up with Mela Bistro chef Adiam Tsegaye, 9th grader Beatrice Hunt had never eaten \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978846/new-ethiopian-eritrean-restaurants-bay-area-san-francisco-oakland\">Ethiopian food\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after multiple visits to the restaurant, she loves the cuisine and the way the tangy injera complements the colorful stews. Her design is a hoop skirt inspired by the fact that Ethiopian food is served in a circle — circular baskets, as well as the rounds of injera. The outside of the skirt is made entirely out of circular placemats, which she’s hand-dyed with beet juice and turmeric.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But perhaps the most rewarding part of the project is the way it has given many of the students an opportunity to connect with their \u003cem>own\u003c/em> identity and heritage in a meaningful way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981583\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Owner and chef of Town Fare Cafe, Michele McQueen (left) records a video with OSA senior Olu Thomas. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Olu Thomas, a senior, says he immediately gravitated toward Town Fare and its chef, Michele McQueen, who, like Thomas, is Black. He’s now translating her restaurant’s story into a sharp-looking suit made out of gray canvas that echoes Town Fare’s Brutalist concrete interior, plus a scarf inspired by its collard greens salad. Rachel Kiechel, also a senior, grew up around Dominican cuisine thanks to her aunt, so she was excited to work with Nelson German at alaMar — to chart, through her design, the chef’s journey from the Dominican Republic to New York to the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kylie Didrickson, a ninth grader and fourth-year OSA fashion design student, partnered with Crystal Wahpepah after learning that the chef’s Fruitvale business, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13903531/wahpepahs-kitchen-fruitvale-indigenous-restaurant\">Wahpepah’s Kitchen\u003c/a>, was the first Indigenous restaurant to open in Oakland. Didrickson is part Indigenous herself — her father, who is Alaskan Native, went to the same after-school program at Oakland’s Intertribal Friendship House that Wahpepah attended while growing up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Didrickson saw the all-Native menu at Wahpepah’s Kitchen, she says, “It felt so bold, and almost like it was meant for me in a way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During their first meeting, the chef told Didrickson stories about the time she’d traveled to Alaska to eat whale meat with the Native people there. She suggested ingredients that Didrickson might incorporate into the garment: berries, dried beans and mini violas, a purple edible flower that Wahpepah sources from a Native-owned farm in Oregon. A member of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, Wahpepah says she mostly encouraged Didrickson to emphasize her cuisine’s vibrant colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ninth grade student Kylie Didrickson’s design is inspired by chef Crystal Wahpepah’s Native heritage — as well as her own. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, when Didrickson looked around the restaurant, she kept seeing things that reminded her of the Native women in her family. The mural of a Kickapoo woman wearing a traditional, bright purple dress became the inspiration for the top Didrickson is designing. But it also made her think about the photo of her grandmother she keeps on her refrigerator. “I never got to meet her, but I always thought she was so pretty,” she says. Why not incorporate the long red dress and orange ribbons that Didrickson’s grandma wears in the photo into her design as well?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Didrickson has been passionate about fashion and makeup for as long as she can remember, but because she didn’t know of any Native designers, she never really thought about expressing that part of her identity in her art.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, she says, “I feel like whatever I do in life, I want to incorporate some of myself in it. I want to add a part of myself into every piece I make.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A two-way collaboration\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As much as the students have found inspiration from the chefs, the effect has been reciprocal. Paul Iglesias and Sophia Akbar, the husband-and-wife team behind Parche and Jaji, have even found themselves tweaking their menu for the Cuisine and Couture gala in response to their students’ evolving designs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Iglesias, for instance, saw that his student collaborator, Chakrabarti, was inspired to incorporate the look of a sorbet she’d eaten at Parche into the design of her colorful blue and red dress. Now he’s thinking about perhaps adding a savory sorbet element to the dish he’ll be serving. Akbar, whose contemporary Afghan restaurant Jaji opened earlier this year, decided to adjust her dish after seeing how much dried fruit her student had incorporated into her piece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981587\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981587\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Parche chef Paul Iglesias (left) checks out ninth grader Luxmi Chakrabarti’s mood board. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s art at its purest,” Iglesias says of the way designers and chefs, students and mentors, are coming together to create something magical that will exist only for that moment — one bite, one stroll down the runway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or, as Akbar puts it, “It’s a lot more of an interesting pairing than talking to your typical winemaker.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And of course, as an event put on by the tourism bureau, Cuisine and Couture is meant to be a platform to show Oakland in the best possible light, at a time when news headlines about the city are often bleak. alaMar’s German says he has been so impressed by the wealth of creative, talented artists at OSA. For him, the food and fashion event will be proof that “Oakland is not hopeless.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s so much still here that’s positive and beautiful,” he says. “And now it’s our time to really shine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981586\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981586\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">aLamar chef Nelson German (left) and 12th grade OSA student Ruby Kiechel discuss Kiechel’s design.. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s the project’s richly textured, multidimensional aspect that makes the project feel especially Oakland to Verrières — the way that so many different neighborhoods and food genres are represented, and how her students have peeled back so many layers of culture and history and cuisine. “You couldn’t do this in San Francisco,” she says, laughing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In just a couple of weeks, Verrières hopes everyone in Oakland who loves food, culture and creativity will come out to see what her students have made with their own two hands. The gasps of delight when a model walks out wearing a dress made of corn husks, or sugar, or spray-painted pasta. The poignant moment when each pair of chefs and student designers walks down the makeshift runway together, side by side. The way, perhaps, the whole Town will rise to its feet to give them their flowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/oakland-style/cuisine-couture/\">\u003cem>Cuisine and Couture\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> will take place on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., at the Oakland Museum of California (1000 Oak St., Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cuisine-and-couture-tickets-1530841571349\">\u003cem>Tickets\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> ($25–$75) are available online until sold out.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "At the first-ever Cuisine and Couture, students at the Oakland School for the Arts team up with some of Oakland’s top chefs to celebrate the local food scene. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1761673510,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 46,
"wordCount": 2981
},
"headData": {
"title": "OSA Teen Fashion Designers Draw Inspiration From Oakland Chefs | KQED",
"description": "At the first-ever Cuisine and Couture, students at the Oakland School for the Arts team up with some of Oakland’s top chefs to celebrate the local food scene. ",
"ogTitle": "Plantain Peels, Sugar and Style: Oakland Teens Weave Food Into Fashion",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "Plantain Peels, Sugar and Style: Oakland Teens Weave Food Into Fashion",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "OSA Teen Fashion Designers Draw Inspiration From Oakland Chefs %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Plantain Peels, Sugar and Style: Oakland Teens Weave Food Into Fashion",
"datePublished": "2025-10-01T08:00:50-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-10-28T10:45:10-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/c062945f-5e1e-4a5f-845e-b36b013df4b9/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981914",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981914/oakland-osa-fashion-show-cuisine-and-couture-restaurants-food",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Two o’clock in the afternoon is a cursed hour at most high schools in America — a time when tired teenagers mentally check out, eager to be anywhere but a classroom. But on a recent Thursday afternoon, Stephanie Verrières’ fashion design class at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland-school-for-the-arts\">Oakland School for the Arts\u003c/a> (OSA) is a vision of happy, controlled chaos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside a crowded art studio, clusters of teens drape dresses onto mannequins and hand-sew intricate beadwork onto bodices. Student designers talk shop over the rat-a-tat of multiple sewing machines. Sprawled on the sidewalk just outside the school, girls dye swatches of fabric by dunking them into a bucket of red wine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the chef at one of Oakland’s trendiest restaurants has dropped in for a visit. He checks in with a student, musing how they might run plantain peels through a tortilla press — and then \u003cem>braid \u003c/em>them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this productive energy is in service of the students’ first big project of the year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/event/cuisine-and-couture-%7C-oakland-style/34241/\">Cuisine and Couture\u003c/a>, a collaboration between OSA — a public charter school for grades 6–12 located inside the Fox Theater building in downtown Oakland — and Visit Oakland, the city’s tourism bureau. Verrières paired her 20 high school students with 11 of Oakland’s top chefs representing the city’s diverse culinary scene, from trendy, big-name restaurants like Popoca and Parche to longtime community staples like El Huarache Azteca.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The students’ task? To create a food-themed high-fashion outfit inspired by their chef’s restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981871\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981871\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02671_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fashion design teacher Stephanie Verrières poses for a portrait in her classroom at the Oakland School for the Arts . \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Oct. 12, Cuisine and Couture will cap off the third annual \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/oakland-style/\">Oakland Style Week\u003c/a> with a fashion show in the Oakland Museum of California’s outdoor garden, featuring OSA student models walking the runway to show off each designer’s work. The chefs will be on hand, too, plying guests with dishes created especially for the occasion. And the tables will be adorned with miniature dresses designed by OSA middle school students, inspired by the participating restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The runway show will conclude weeks of close collaboration between the students and the chefs — of stories, ingredients and even baby photos shared. All told, the event is meant to be a love letter to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967120/oakland-best-food-city-america-chef-responses\">Oakland’s much-vaunted food scene\u003c/a> and a celebration of the Town’s talented young artists. For many of them, the project has been a way to dive deeply into someone else’s culture — and, in many cases, to make a much deeper connection to their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A delicious idea\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Cuisine and Couture project came about when Visit Oakland PR director Renee Roberts approached Verrières with the idea of OSA putting on a fashion show at a food event. As it turns out, Verrières remembered taking part in something similar when she was just starting out as a designer — a 2007 \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/style/article/Fundraiser-turns-foodies-into-fashionistas-2537728.php\">fundraising gala\u003c/a> where the runway looks were inspired by some of San Francisco’s most famous restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paired with legendary French chef Hubert Keller, Verrières and her design partner created an elaborate evening gown with black-eyed peas and red peppercorns on the bodice, as an homage to Keller’s now-closed flagship restaurant, Fleur de Lys. To represent the tequila lounge Tres Agaves (which has also since closed), they designed a cocktail dress made out of lime rinds and tequila labels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981591\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981591\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02786_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Verrières supervises students \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Isadora Oznowicz (left) and Sadie McMahon\u003c/span> as they use red wine to dye fabric. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“For me as a designer, it was such a great opportunity to get out of my own world and get into someone else’s,” Verrières recalls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Verrières pitched an Oakland-centric version of the event featuring designs by OSA students, Roberts was sold — and so were all of the chefs she spoke to. Within a day, she lined up all 11 restaurants to participate. “That moment for the designers to see their fashion parading down that runway is going to be magical,” she says. “People not from Oakland will see it and fall in love with Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now in her third year at OSA, Verrières first pursued a career in fashion in the early aughts. \u003ca href=\"https://www.verrieressako.com/aboutus\">Verrières & Sako\u003c/a>, the Oakland-based label she co-founded, has won awards and dressed celebrities for major \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C3D-IFsy8Q-/?hl=en\">red carpet events\u003c/a>, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/luzpenatv/reel/C4ZmwpoLsGv/\">the Oscars\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981590\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981590\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02718_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rolls of fabric in OSA’s cozy but well-stocked fashion design studio. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When I started out, fashion was still a thing. It was hot, and there were still a lot of great opportunities,” Verrières says. Now, fabric stores across the Bay Area are closing down, and clothing manufacturers and fashion designers are all leaving the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So while she’s still active as a designer herself, Verrières leapt at the opportunity to become the chair of OSA’s fashion program, and to help nurture the Bay Area’s next generation of homegrown talent — though the majority of her students don’t wind up going into the fashion industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But at a time when \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2022/02/arts-education-is-woefully-underfunded-in-california-schools/\">budget cuts\u003c/a> have \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2022/addressing-the-crisis-in-arts-and-music-education-in-california/664798\">decimated arts education\u003c/a> at many public schools in the Bay Area, it’s a rare luxury for OSA students to be able to spend two and a half hours a day, four days a week, pursuing their chosen artistic path, whether it be vocal music, audio engineering or set design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.oakarts.org/ARTS-PATHWAYS/DESIGN-VISUAL-MEDIA-ARTS/Fashion-Design/\">fashion design track\u003c/a> is in particularly high demand. The school no longer uses an audition-based enrollment process, but Verrières’ classroom simply isn’t big enough to support more than 20 young designers. The waitlist is over 200 students long.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Food as fashion and fashion as food\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There is, it turns out, a long history of food-inspired fashion. A 2023 retrospective on the trend, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/food-and-fashion/index.php\">\u003cem>Food & Fashion\u003c/em>\u003c/a> at New York’s Museum at FIT, included a gloriously unhinged \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CyDn8ZwurkU/\">corn cob hat\u003c/a> (a hot look in 1941, apparently) by legendary Chicago milliner Bes-Ben, a \u003ca href=\"https://fashionmuseum.fitnyc.edu/objects/83856/dress?ctx=a9d69b2303bff40e33a4de6c0749b0a4b1d0d3ea&idx=19\">Baby Ruth candy bar–themed\u003c/a> disposable paper dress from 1968, an ’80s-era \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/museumatfit/52972304156/in/album-72177720309029985\">edible string bikini\u003c/a>, and a Surrealist \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/museumatfit/53199573328/in/album-72177720309029985\">fried-egg dress\u003c/a> with a baguette headpiece, like something out of \u003cem>Alice in Wonderland\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efTLpRGkrC0\">Salon du Chocolat\u003c/a>, an annual Parisian trade expo for chocolatiers, includes a runway show with edible couture outfits made almost entirely \u003ca href=\"https://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/03/edible-dresses-made-from-chocolate-at.html\">out of chocolate\u003c/a>. And many of the fashion world’s most prominent designers were notorious foodies in their day. Famously, Karl Lagerfeld once staged a big \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2014/mar/04/supermarket-karl-lagerfeld-chanel-collection-paris\">Chanel runway show\u003c/a> inside a (fake) supermarket. Christian Dior even \u003ca href=\"https://www.vogue.com/article/dior-cookbook-recipes-plaza-athenee-paris\">wrote a whole cookbook\u003c/a>. (“I know lots of recipes, and, who knows, one day I might need something to fall back on,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/18/magazine/the-last-temptation-of-christian.html\">he once mused\u003c/a>. “We could do a Dior ham or a Dior roast beef, perhaps?”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981868\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981868\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02180_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Beatrice Hunt (left) and Luxmi Chakrabarti work on a hoop dress inspired by the circular shape of traditional Ethiopian baskets and injera. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In that way, Oakland’s Cuisine and Couture is part of a long lineage. And what Verrières’ students are learning is that the worlds of food and fashion intersect much more than they might have expected. Both deal with texture, building layers, engaging multiple senses. (“The chefs were so impressed that my students knew the term ‘ombre,’” Verrières recalls.) Both require a whole toolbox of technical skills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And though some people will never see both food and fashion as anything more than purely utilitarian — generic business casual khakis, or a fast food burger that fills you up — they can also be powerful instruments of storytelling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As participating chef Michele McQueen of Town Fare puts it, “Fashion is obviously an expression of art, but the feeling that goes into why you made these pair of pants or this dress — what you were trying to evoke, what were you trying to make people feel when they see it. That’s the same as what we’re trying to make people feel when they eat our food.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13981754",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/RyanNicoleAustin_COVER.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The highlight of the project, then, has been the rich conversations between the students and chefs. “[The chefs are] showing childhood art that they did, where they like to shop, how they plate their food,” Verrières says. “[The students are] getting history lessons. Like, ‘Oh, this is a curry leaf.’ ‘This is what turmeric is.’ It’s so much more than just a lesson in fashion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The students have translated these food talks into their designs in a variety of ways. Sophomores Isadora Oznowicz and Sadie McMahon were taken with the pink napkins at Mama Oakland — and since the Italian restaurant is known for its wine selection, they decided to dip pieces of fabric into red wine. They came out just the right shade of pink.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Senior Annabella Ventresco and junior Mila Rukavina, meanwhile, visited pastry chefs Monique and Paul Feybesse at their new Oakland bakery, Tarts de Feybesse, for an impromptu lesson in how to pipe pastry cream — a technique they’ll use to incorporate pipeable whipped clay in their design. Their garment is a scalloped, tiered skirt topped with sugar on the edges — “very Marie Antoinette,” Verrières says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are currently 17 layers in the skirt alone, and so that’s kind of in reference to the way they make the pastries,” Ventresco explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981584\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981584\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02336_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annabella Ventresco (left) and Mila Rukavina sew details onto the pastry shop–inspired dress they are collaborating on. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And yes, there will — hopefully — be braided plantain peels, inspired by the Colombian restaurant Parche, though ninth grader Luxmi Chakrabarti notes that the plantains are still undergoing some research and development. The idea, however, will be to turn the peels into little decorative elements that she’ll attach to the top of the dress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For some of Verrières’ students, the collaborations mean diving headfirst into cultures completely different from their own. Before she paired up with Mela Bistro chef Adiam Tsegaye, 9th grader Beatrice Hunt had never eaten \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978846/new-ethiopian-eritrean-restaurants-bay-area-san-francisco-oakland\">Ethiopian food\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after multiple visits to the restaurant, she loves the cuisine and the way the tangy injera complements the colorful stews. Her design is a hoop skirt inspired by the fact that Ethiopian food is served in a circle — circular baskets, as well as the rounds of injera. The outside of the skirt is made entirely out of circular placemats, which she’s hand-dyed with beet juice and turmeric.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But perhaps the most rewarding part of the project is the way it has given many of the students an opportunity to connect with their \u003cem>own\u003c/em> identity and heritage in a meaningful way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981583\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02324_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Owner and chef of Town Fare Cafe, Michele McQueen (left) records a video with OSA senior Olu Thomas. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Olu Thomas, a senior, says he immediately gravitated toward Town Fare and its chef, Michele McQueen, who, like Thomas, is Black. He’s now translating her restaurant’s story into a sharp-looking suit made out of gray canvas that echoes Town Fare’s Brutalist concrete interior, plus a scarf inspired by its collard greens salad. Rachel Kiechel, also a senior, grew up around Dominican cuisine thanks to her aunt, so she was excited to work with Nelson German at alaMar — to chart, through her design, the chef’s journey from the Dominican Republic to New York to the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kylie Didrickson, a ninth grader and fourth-year OSA fashion design student, partnered with Crystal Wahpepah after learning that the chef’s Fruitvale business, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13903531/wahpepahs-kitchen-fruitvale-indigenous-restaurant\">Wahpepah’s Kitchen\u003c/a>, was the first Indigenous restaurant to open in Oakland. Didrickson is part Indigenous herself — her father, who is Alaskan Native, went to the same after-school program at Oakland’s Intertribal Friendship House that Wahpepah attended while growing up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Didrickson saw the all-Native menu at Wahpepah’s Kitchen, she says, “It felt so bold, and almost like it was meant for me in a way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During their first meeting, the chef told Didrickson stories about the time she’d traveled to Alaska to eat whale meat with the Native people there. She suggested ingredients that Didrickson might incorporate into the garment: berries, dried beans and mini violas, a purple edible flower that Wahpepah sources from a Native-owned farm in Oregon. A member of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, Wahpepah says she mostly encouraged Didrickson to emphasize her cuisine’s vibrant colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-teenfashionstudents_02504_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ninth grade student Kylie Didrickson’s design is inspired by chef Crystal Wahpepah’s Native heritage — as well as her own. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, when Didrickson looked around the restaurant, she kept seeing things that reminded her of the Native women in her family. The mural of a Kickapoo woman wearing a traditional, bright purple dress became the inspiration for the top Didrickson is designing. But it also made her think about the photo of her grandmother she keeps on her refrigerator. “I never got to meet her, but I always thought she was so pretty,” she says. Why not incorporate the long red dress and orange ribbons that Didrickson’s grandma wears in the photo into her design as well?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Didrickson has been passionate about fashion and makeup for as long as she can remember, but because she didn’t know of any Native designers, she never really thought about expressing that part of her identity in her art.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, she says, “I feel like whatever I do in life, I want to incorporate some of myself in it. I want to add a part of myself into every piece I make.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A two-way collaboration\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As much as the students have found inspiration from the chefs, the effect has been reciprocal. Paul Iglesias and Sophia Akbar, the husband-and-wife team behind Parche and Jaji, have even found themselves tweaking their menu for the Cuisine and Couture gala in response to their students’ evolving designs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Iglesias, for instance, saw that his student collaborator, Chakrabarti, was inspired to incorporate the look of a sorbet she’d eaten at Parche into the design of her colorful blue and red dress. Now he’s thinking about perhaps adding a savory sorbet element to the dish he’ll be serving. Akbar, whose contemporary Afghan restaurant Jaji opened earlier this year, decided to adjust her dish after seeing how much dried fruit her student had incorporated into her piece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981587\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981587\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02480_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Parche chef Paul Iglesias (left) checks out ninth grader Luxmi Chakrabarti’s mood board. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s art at its purest,” Iglesias says of the way designers and chefs, students and mentors, are coming together to create something magical that will exist only for that moment — one bite, one stroll down the runway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or, as Akbar puts it, “It’s a lot more of an interesting pairing than talking to your typical winemaker.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And of course, as an event put on by the tourism bureau, Cuisine and Couture is meant to be a platform to show Oakland in the best possible light, at a time when news headlines about the city are often bleak. alaMar’s German says he has been so impressed by the wealth of creative, talented artists at OSA. For him, the food and fashion event will be proof that “Oakland is not hopeless.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s so much still here that’s positive and beautiful,” he says. “And now it’s our time to really shine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981586\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981586\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250918-TEENFASHIONSTUDENTS_02439_TV-KQEd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">aLamar chef Nelson German (left) and 12th grade OSA student Ruby Kiechel discuss Kiechel’s design.. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s the project’s richly textured, multidimensional aspect that makes the project feel especially Oakland to Verrières — the way that so many different neighborhoods and food genres are represented, and how her students have peeled back so many layers of culture and history and cuisine. “You couldn’t do this in San Francisco,” she says, laughing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In just a couple of weeks, Verrières hopes everyone in Oakland who loves food, culture and creativity will come out to see what her students have made with their own two hands. The gasps of delight when a model walks out wearing a dress made of corn husks, or sugar, or spray-painted pasta. The poignant moment when each pair of chefs and student designers walks down the makeshift runway together, side by side. The way, perhaps, the whole Town will rise to its feet to give them their flowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/oakland-style/cuisine-couture/\">\u003cem>Cuisine and Couture\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> will take place on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., at the Oakland Museum of California (1000 Oak St., Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cuisine-and-couture-tickets-1530841571349\">\u003cem>Tickets\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> ($25–$75) are available online until sold out.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981914/oakland-osa-fashion-show-cuisine-and-couture-restaurants-food",
"authors": [
"11743"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_76",
"arts_12276",
"arts_235"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22040",
"arts_1696",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1297",
"arts_1143",
"arts_4693"
],
"featImg": "arts_13981582",
"label": "arts"
},
"arts_13981935": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981935",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981935",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1759264979000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "chai-cafe-san-jose-kerala-chayakada-indian-tea",
"title": "The Bay Area’s First Kerala-Style Chai Shop Opens in San José",
"publishDate": 1759264979,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "The Bay Area’s First Kerala-Style Chai Shop Opens in San José | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>At \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chayakada.us/?hl=en\">Chayakada\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>, chai baristas juggle a meter-long stream of tea through the air like master \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGy0kbk6gYc\">waterbenders\u003c/a>, effortlessly filling each cup to the brim with hot, frothy chai.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent Sunday afternoon, the shop was buzzing with late-2000s pop hits while friends sipped chai huddled around tables loaded with egg puffs and boardgames. Open since June, the cafe takes its name from the chaya kada, a kind of small tea shop or tea stall found in the state of Kerala, India. Chayakada \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DKosIfpxmuB/\">claims to be the first one\u003c/a> in the United States — a small slice of South India tucked away in a South San José strip mall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Owner Aleena Thomas got her start in the food business in 2023, when she quit her job as a program manager at Meta to open Bread Bae, a San José–based ghost kitchen operation focused on baked goods and chai from Kerala. Thomas grew up in Kuwait, but has fond memories of visiting her grandparents and uncles in Kerala. She became nostalgic for the food from her childhood and wanted to share it with others who might be feeling the same way. And while there were \u003ca href=\"https://tastecooking.com/the-rise-of-kerala-cuisine-in-america-cannot-go-unnoticed/\">other restaurants\u003c/a> specializing in the food of Kerala, there weren’t any Kerala-style chai bars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t have a single chaya kada in all of America. I was like, ‘Wow, this is crazy,’” says Thomas. “How come we don’t have one? I wanted to have that in the U.S.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981957\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981957\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a cup of very frothy chai.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The special, meter-high pouring technique results in an extra-frothy cup of chai. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chaya kadas are known for meter chai, a style of tea preparation that involves pouring the tea from a great height to aerate the drink. Thomas suggests the pouring method may have started as a way to attract customers to the tea stalls. But the technique isn’t just for show — it helps create a thick layer of froth in the chai glass, imparting a smoother mouthfeel. The height of the pour also \u003ca href=\"https://www.thekitchn.com/does-pouring-height-make-a-difference-in-coffee-taste-255299\">cools the drink\u003c/a> to a temperature where the tongue can detect more flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Before we had coffee machines and frothers, you needed to get air into your beverages,” says Thomas. “Most of the people who do it are taller than I am and have longer arms. So their arm actually goes up to a meter. I don’t know if my wingspan is that large. We try to get it as far as we can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It isn’t just the eye-catching pour that makes Chayakada’s drinks special. The cafe is one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13932089/indian-coffee-roaster-kaveri-berkeley\">few Bay Area spots\u003c/a> sourcing its tea and coffee from small farms in India. The coffee is from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lemilscoffee/\">Le Mils\u003c/a>, a Bay Area roastery that gets its coffee beans from the owners’ family farm in Chikmanglur. Chayakada is also one of the only shops in the Bay Area that serves traditional Indian filter coffee, a sweet, chicory-infused drink.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981958\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981958\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs.jpg\" alt='A display tray of crispy, golden-brown pastries labeled \"Egg Puffs.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A tray of egg puffs, one of the traditional Kerala-style street snacks served at Chayakada. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As for the Kerala-style chai, Thomas believes a lot of people don’t see the full spectrum of the drink. “If somebody asks, ‘What’s your favorite chai?’’’ she says. “You’re like, I’m not really sure, what Starbucks gives me?” She wants people to understand that, as with coffee, you can alter a chai’s flavor intensity, roast level and sweetness. At Chayakada’s chai counter, you can also get your tea flavored with saffron, masala, white chocolate or salted caramel. For customers looking to take their chai game to the next level, Thomas offers tea blending and tasting workshops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chayakada serves the same street food snacks typically found in a traditional chaya kada in Kerala. Specifically, the menu is reflective of the cuisine of the Malayali people who are native to Kerala and make up a majority of its population. The most popular dish is a puff pastry that envelops a boiled egg and caramelized onions. A close second is the pazhampori, which Thomas likens to a plantain tempura. Heartier options include goat biryani, fish cutlets and slow-roasted beef sandwiches. There’s also a large selection of curries served alongside Kerala staples like porotta (a flaky flatbread) and kappa puzhukku (mashed tapioca).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981959\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich.jpg\" alt=\"Toasted sandwich filled with saucy shredded beef.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich-1536x865.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Kerala-style sandwich filled with shredded, slow-roasted beef. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There’s no other place doing this,” says Thomas. “So, I want to make sure authentic food is served first. Eventually, we could add some fusion flare. Right now, I want people to understand I’m not just Indian, we’re Malayali.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13955884,arts_13912706,arts_13969923']\u003c/span>Thomas is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to the history of chaya kadas in Kerala. The tea shops first appeared in Kerala during the 19th century, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.keralatourism.org/munnar/munnar-history.php\">tea plantations were established in the rural town of Munnar\u003c/a>, and soon spread all across Kerala. “For every chaya kada, there’s a community that is built with it,” says Thomas. In particular, the tea stalls in Kerala have a history of being places of congregation where patrons commonly read the newspaper out loud, making them places for lively social and political discourse. The intermingling of people from different castes at chaya kadas is even credited with helping to ease caste barriers in the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas continues the tradition of chaya kadas being more than a place to sip tea. “I have a 4-year-old,” says Thomas. With that parental mindset, she designed Chayakada so that guests of all ages could enjoy it. The shop features a mini library, foosball, boardgames and carrom — a popular Indian tabletop game. She has a Bring-Your-Own-Boardgame policy to encourage crowds to come in and kick back. She’s even hosted Charades nights, tea party–themed birthday parties and an Onam celebration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981960\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner.jpg\" alt='A woman poses in front of a green plant wall with a neon sign that reads, \"Chai yeah.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner-1536x865.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas poses for a portrait inside Chayakada, her San Jose tea shop. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chayakada is only a few months old, but it has already hooked a community of regulars who pack the dining room during high tea for a late-afternoon snack. Thomas says that half of her customers come in already familiar with chaya kadas and Malayali cuisine. She enjoys having the opportunity to introduce the food to those unfamiliar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“America is considered a coffee country,” says Thomas. “There’s millions of people who are tea drinkers. I really want to get chai to where coffee stands.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chayakada.us/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Chayakada\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> (117 Bernal Rd. Ste. 80, San Jose) is open Wednesday through Monday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m., except Mondays when the shop closes at 7 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Chayakada has wowed customers with its showy meter chai, authentic street snacks and friendly atmosphere.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1759280779,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 1176
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Bay Area’s First Kerala-Style Chai Shop Opens in San José | KQED",
"description": "Chayakada has wowed customers with its showy meter chai, authentic street snacks and friendly atmosphere.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Bay Area’s First Kerala-Style Chai Shop Opens in San José",
"datePublished": "2025-09-30T13:42:59-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-30T18:06:19-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"source": "Food",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981935",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981935/chai-cafe-san-jose-kerala-chayakada-indian-tea",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>At \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chayakada.us/?hl=en\">Chayakada\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>, chai baristas juggle a meter-long stream of tea through the air like master \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGy0kbk6gYc\">waterbenders\u003c/a>, effortlessly filling each cup to the brim with hot, frothy chai.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent Sunday afternoon, the shop was buzzing with late-2000s pop hits while friends sipped chai huddled around tables loaded with egg puffs and boardgames. Open since June, the cafe takes its name from the chaya kada, a kind of small tea shop or tea stall found in the state of Kerala, India. Chayakada \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DKosIfpxmuB/\">claims to be the first one\u003c/a> in the United States — a small slice of South India tucked away in a South San José strip mall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Owner Aleena Thomas got her start in the food business in 2023, when she quit her job as a program manager at Meta to open Bread Bae, a San José–based ghost kitchen operation focused on baked goods and chai from Kerala. Thomas grew up in Kuwait, but has fond memories of visiting her grandparents and uncles in Kerala. She became nostalgic for the food from her childhood and wanted to share it with others who might be feeling the same way. And while there were \u003ca href=\"https://tastecooking.com/the-rise-of-kerala-cuisine-in-america-cannot-go-unnoticed/\">other restaurants\u003c/a> specializing in the food of Kerala, there weren’t any Kerala-style chai bars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t have a single chaya kada in all of America. I was like, ‘Wow, this is crazy,’” says Thomas. “How come we don’t have one? I wanted to have that in the U.S.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981957\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981957\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a cup of very frothy chai.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Saffron-Meter-Chai-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The special, meter-high pouring technique results in an extra-frothy cup of chai. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chaya kadas are known for meter chai, a style of tea preparation that involves pouring the tea from a great height to aerate the drink. Thomas suggests the pouring method may have started as a way to attract customers to the tea stalls. But the technique isn’t just for show — it helps create a thick layer of froth in the chai glass, imparting a smoother mouthfeel. The height of the pour also \u003ca href=\"https://www.thekitchn.com/does-pouring-height-make-a-difference-in-coffee-taste-255299\">cools the drink\u003c/a> to a temperature where the tongue can detect more flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Before we had coffee machines and frothers, you needed to get air into your beverages,” says Thomas. “Most of the people who do it are taller than I am and have longer arms. So their arm actually goes up to a meter. I don’t know if my wingspan is that large. We try to get it as far as we can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It isn’t just the eye-catching pour that makes Chayakada’s drinks special. The cafe is one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13932089/indian-coffee-roaster-kaveri-berkeley\">few Bay Area spots\u003c/a> sourcing its tea and coffee from small farms in India. The coffee is from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lemilscoffee/\">Le Mils\u003c/a>, a Bay Area roastery that gets its coffee beans from the owners’ family farm in Chikmanglur. Chayakada is also one of the only shops in the Bay Area that serves traditional Indian filter coffee, a sweet, chicory-infused drink.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981958\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981958\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs.jpg\" alt='A display tray of crispy, golden-brown pastries labeled \"Egg Puffs.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Egg-Puffs-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A tray of egg puffs, one of the traditional Kerala-style street snacks served at Chayakada. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As for the Kerala-style chai, Thomas believes a lot of people don’t see the full spectrum of the drink. “If somebody asks, ‘What’s your favorite chai?’’’ she says. “You’re like, I’m not really sure, what Starbucks gives me?” She wants people to understand that, as with coffee, you can alter a chai’s flavor intensity, roast level and sweetness. At Chayakada’s chai counter, you can also get your tea flavored with saffron, masala, white chocolate or salted caramel. For customers looking to take their chai game to the next level, Thomas offers tea blending and tasting workshops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chayakada serves the same street food snacks typically found in a traditional chaya kada in Kerala. Specifically, the menu is reflective of the cuisine of the Malayali people who are native to Kerala and make up a majority of its population. The most popular dish is a puff pastry that envelops a boiled egg and caramelized onions. A close second is the pazhampori, which Thomas likens to a plantain tempura. Heartier options include goat biryani, fish cutlets and slow-roasted beef sandwiches. There’s also a large selection of curries served alongside Kerala staples like porotta (a flaky flatbread) and kappa puzhukku (mashed tapioca).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981959\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich.jpg\" alt=\"Toasted sandwich filled with saucy shredded beef.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Roast-beef-sandwich-1536x865.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Kerala-style sandwich filled with shredded, slow-roasted beef. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There’s no other place doing this,” says Thomas. “So, I want to make sure authentic food is served first. Eventually, we could add some fusion flare. Right now, I want people to understand I’m not just Indian, we’re Malayali.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13955884,arts_13912706,arts_13969923",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>Thomas is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to the history of chaya kadas in Kerala. The tea shops first appeared in Kerala during the 19th century, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.keralatourism.org/munnar/munnar-history.php\">tea plantations were established in the rural town of Munnar\u003c/a>, and soon spread all across Kerala. “For every chaya kada, there’s a community that is built with it,” says Thomas. In particular, the tea stalls in Kerala have a history of being places of congregation where patrons commonly read the newspaper out loud, making them places for lively social and political discourse. The intermingling of people from different castes at chaya kadas is even credited with helping to ease caste barriers in the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas continues the tradition of chaya kadas being more than a place to sip tea. “I have a 4-year-old,” says Thomas. With that parental mindset, she designed Chayakada so that guests of all ages could enjoy it. The shop features a mini library, foosball, boardgames and carrom — a popular Indian tabletop game. She has a Bring-Your-Own-Boardgame policy to encourage crowds to come in and kick back. She’s even hosted Charades nights, tea party–themed birthday parties and an Onam celebration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981960\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner.jpg\" alt='A woman poses in front of a green plant wall with a neon sign that reads, \"Chai yeah.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Aleena-Thomas-Owner-1536x865.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas poses for a portrait inside Chayakada, her San Jose tea shop. \u003ccite>(Octavio Peña)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chayakada is only a few months old, but it has already hooked a community of regulars who pack the dining room during high tea for a late-afternoon snack. Thomas says that half of her customers come in already familiar with chaya kadas and Malayali cuisine. She enjoys having the opportunity to introduce the food to those unfamiliar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“America is considered a coffee country,” says Thomas. “There’s millions of people who are tea drinkers. I really want to get chai to where coffee stands.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chayakada.us/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Chayakada\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> (117 Bernal Rd. Ste. 80, San Jose) is open Wednesday through Monday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m., except Mondays when the shop closes at 7 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981935/chai-cafe-san-jose-kerala-chayakada-indian-tea",
"authors": [
"11903"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276",
"arts_235"
],
"tags": [
"arts_20950",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1297",
"arts_4670",
"arts_16154",
"arts_1084"
],
"featImg": "arts_13981937",
"label": "source_arts_13981935"
},
"arts_13981793": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981793",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981793",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1759165218000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "chinese-immigrant-wine-workers-napa-sonoma-forgotten-history",
"title": "The Chinese Roots of Northern California’s Wine Industry Run Deep",
"publishDate": 1759165218,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "The Chinese Roots of Northern California’s Wine Industry Run Deep | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cp>A Chinese character engraved on the stone wall of a press house. A knocker on a wine cellar door in the shape of a koi fish. A long abandoned Chinese bunkhouse now used to store winery signage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are all traces of a nearly forgotten history. Though it’s rarely spoken of today, a majority Chinese labor force planted Northern California’s iconic wine country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The immigrants worked in all aspects of the vineyards: clearing the land, planting the vines, digging the cellars and making the wine. A full decade before the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, Chinese laborers were toiling in the fields of Sonoma Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By the 1880s, Chinese were 80% of the labor force in agriculture of that region,” said David Lei, a board member of the Chinese Historical Society of America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lei is one of a growing number of historians and activists attempting to preserve this vital chapter of California’s history. The stories of these Chinese wine workers, they believe, offer a compelling counterpoint to the prevailing notion that wine country was mostly the creation of European immigrants. In today’s political landscape, Lei said, the contributions Chinese immigrants made in building our country have never felt more important to highlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981184\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981184\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1531\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED-768x588.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED-1536x1176.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An archival photograph by C. C. Pierce entitled “Chinese pruning vineyard.” \u003ccite>(Courtesy of The Huntington Library)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Agriculture is what makes this state great,” Lei said. “And the Chinese laborers that were here were often more skilled than their bosses, because they came from a background of agriculture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Census records \u003ca href=\"https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890b3_p1-11.pdf\">show\u003c/a> that Chinese Americans made up more than 25% of Sonoma County’s population by the 1880s; today that figure is less than 1%. Over the course of 30 years in the late 19th century, Chinese laborers helped build the wine industry from the ground up — and then they were almost entirely forgotten.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A Sonoma start \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first Chinese laborers working in wine country came to Sonoma Valley, where many of them were contracted by labor broker Ho Po to work at the Buena Vista winery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Labor brokers like Po were paid by the head to place workers where they were needed most, said Lei.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Count Agoston Haraszthy, the founder of Buena Vista who is heralded as the Hungarian “father of California viticulture,” \u003ca href=\"https://sonomavalleyhistory.org/chinese-in-sonoma/\">employed\u003c/a> the Chinese labor force to plant 70,000 vines in 1860 and 135,000 vines in 1861, according to the Sonoma Valley Historical Society.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981096\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13981096 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma on Sept. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“He taught the Chinese everything,” Lei said of Haraszthy. Winemaker Charles Stuart, who became one of the largest producers in the state, also hired Chinese laborers at his nearby Glen Oaks Ranch and later \u003ca href=\"https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1088544\">spoke eloquently\u003c/a> in their defense at the California Constitutional Convention of 1878–79: “Tell me; tell me; oh, tell me, why they are not protected like others in their honest toil? Or is this to be the final sum of all villainy? I call upon our Government to give them the ballot, that they may protect themselves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There were many benefits to hiring Chinese workers, Lei said. Chinese laborers fulfilled their contracts and tended not to strike. While some indulged in opium, they mostly didn’t drink — so there was less violence and no hangovers.[aside postID=news_12050233 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250812-YICK-WO-ARCHIVAL-06-KQED.jpg']They were paid about a third less than their white counterparts, and employers didn’t have to provide room and board, since the Chinese workers ate their own food and stayed in their own camps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The workers’ eating habits, in turn, ensured their health: porcelain dishware didn’t absorb contaminated water and boiled tea water kept bacteria at bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Jack Ding — current Sonoma City Council member and former mayor — first moved to the area in 2008, he knew nothing about the legacy of Chinese labor in the vineyards. But people kept coming up to him and telling him stories, like about how Haraszthy would carry a gun not only to protect himself but his Chinese workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Photographs on display at Buena Vista today — by celebrated photographer Eadweard Muybridge, famous for capturing horses’ hooves in motion for the first time — show Chinese laborers working in the winery. The caves the Chinese workers dug by hand are still used to house wine barrels today. “It took 200 workers three months to dig the wine cave,” Ding said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the stories Ding has heard veer into legend — like the Chinese laborers who were rumored to have died digging underground tunnels to connect Buena Vista to the town of Sonoma. None of this was ever confirmed, but in a history where sources are scarce, every piece matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Growth — and erasure\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Napa Valley’s development as a wine region followed Sonoma’s — and so did its story of Chinese labor. In the 1870s, the work force that had finished building the Transcontinental Railroad found new employment in Napa wineries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They needed this source of labor and because the Gold Rush was still going on, they couldn’t get a white labor force,” said John McCormick, author of \u003cem>Chinese in Napa Valley: The Forgotten Community That Built Wine Country\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981183\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981183\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-%E2%80%93-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A print by Paul Frenzeny published in Harper’s Weekly entitled “The Vintage in California — at work at the wine presses.” \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the California State Library)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>McCormick, who grew up in Napa Valley, wrote his master’s thesis on the region’s Chinese history. “It was this perfect storm of this incredible vacuum of available labor and this need for labor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work the Chinese laborers had begun in Sonoma continued in Napa, where by 1880 a small Chinatown had emerged at the confluence of the Napa River and Napa Creek. Filled with shops frequented by both Chinese and white people, many of the buildings were built on stilts due to the frequent flooding, filled with shops and laundries. A little further to the north, Calistoga and St. Helena also had their own Chinatowns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Evidence of the Chinese laborers’ work is visible today in places like Schramsberg Vineyards and Cellars in Calistoga. Pickaxe marks are visible inside the caves where the winery now stores the sparkling wine it has served to presidents. A Chinese bunkhouse still stands on the property.[aside postID=news_12054437 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1228586364-2000x1286.jpg']Yet after decades of work in Sonoma and Napa Valleys, everything changed in 1882 with the introduction of the Chinese Exclusion Act. The law abruptly ended all Chinese immigration — and erased the story of the labor force that built wine country, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the early wineries went out of business in the 1890s, McCormick said, because of an economic depression and the early precursors of the Prohibition movement. Since the Chinese weren’t allowed to own property, they couldn’t take advantage of the vineyards for sale at bargain prices — but Italian immigrants could. “The Italians then became known as the founding ethnic group of Napa Valley,” McCormick said. “You could completely ignore the Chinese contribution, because they were gone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the laborers eventually moved back to China. The vast majority who stayed were single men who had come alone and never had children who could pass down their stories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the workers were often literate, the Chinese laborers left behind no writings and few physical artifacts. That means researchers have to rely on sources like newspapers and official records, which often have a prejudicial slant or downplay the very existence of the workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Though they all made a huge contribution, they list them all in the census as John Chinaman, no specific name,” Ding said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But history is just like a puzzle,” he said. “If you’re missing a piece you can’t tell the story.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Memory and future \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s against that sea of anonymity — and in honor of everything this labor force accomplished — that a wave of memorials has been initiated to acknowledge this history. A plaque looking out over Napa’s former Chinatown was \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2023/09/04/chinese-laborers-that-helped-build-napas-wine-industry-to-be-honored-with-sign-unveiling-on-labor-day/\">installed\u003c/a> in 2023 to honor the laborers who worked in wine country, and a memorial tombstone to the Chinese laborers buried in the St. Helena cemetery was \u003ca href=\"https://chcp.org/event-5695381\">dedicated\u003c/a> in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are additional plaques planned for Calistoga and St. Helena, as well as an \u003ca href=\"https://tingsonoma.org/history/\">honorary pavilion in Sonoma\u003c/a>. Both Ding and McCormick spoke of the idea of creating heritage trails based around the memorials that could be a tourist destination for visitors interested in learning more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981099\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13981099 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A wine cave at Buena Vista Winery that was dug out of the hillside by Chinese workers, in Sonoma on Sept. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Wine is this great Western enterprise of our California culture,” said Connie Young Yu, the author of \u003cem>Chinatown, San Jose, USA\u003c/em>. “But the acknowledgement has never been to the laborers who built it. We were the primary force in developing agriculture in the West, but people think of us as laundrymen.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chinese contributions to the wine industry are not just a static totem of the past; they are part of a vibrant present. When Paul Gee, the first Chinese American vintner in the U.S., bought a 16-acre vineyard in the Napa Valley around 1980, he was the only Asian around. But unlike the immigrant labor force in the 1860s, Gee didn’t feel like he was treated any differently because of his ethnicity — and he partnered with his Kentucky-born friend James “Harry” St. Clair to begin his venture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s the beauty of an all-American and a Chinese American working together to plant this vineyard,” said his daughter, Stephanie Gee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981637\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13981637 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1420\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED-768x545.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED-1536x1091.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Chinese Memorial monument, dedicated to Chinese laborers who worked in the Napa Valley Vineyards between 1870-1900, at St. Helena Public Cemetery, in Helena on Sept. 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At 87, wearing a perpetual smile and a maroon Grape Grower hat, Paul Gee doesn’t seem in search of any label or recognition — though he’s received plenty of honors over the years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In China, we had a little rice field,” he said. “So it’s from the rice field to the grape field.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winemakers like Gee are the target audience for a newly formed group by Susan Lin, a certified Master of Wine and president of the nonprofit Asian Wine Association of America, which she founded last year.[aside postID=news_11956413 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS67229_20230724-NBJWJPresser-08-JY-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg']“There’s something for Mexican American vintners and something for African American vintners, so we asked ourselves — why isn’t there something for Asians?” she said. “A lot of people really liked that idea.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group has signed on members like Napa’s first Vietnamese-owned winery and the Thai-Japanese Sunset Cellars. Yet obstacles remain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the biggest challenges is Asians tend to want to put their head down and assimilate,” Lin said. Education remains a central opportunity — and a hurdle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Northern California’s wine industry \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitnapavalley.com/articles/post/2023-visitor-profile-and-economic-impact-study-released/#:~:text=Among%20the%20key%20findings%20in,a%2013%25%20increase%20from%202018\">draws\u003c/a> more than 3 million tourists and $2 billion of spending into the region annually. As those visitors sip their Chardonnay, they may not realize the grapes in their glass were planted by Chinese hands. But perhaps, with more time and effort, they will.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most people just don’t assume Asian and wine together in the same sentence,” Lin said. “But we’ve always been a fact of the industry.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Despite a long association with Europeans, Chinese laborers established the iconic vineyards of Sonoma and Napa Valleys. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1759168226,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 40,
"wordCount": 2036
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Chinese Roots of Northern California’s Wine Industry Run Deep | KQED",
"description": "Despite a long association with Europeans, Chinese laborers established the iconic vineyards of Sonoma and Napa Valleys. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Chinese Roots of Northern California’s Wine Industry Run Deep",
"datePublished": "2025-09-29T10:00:18-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-29T10:50:26-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Julie Zigoris",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981793",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981793/chinese-immigrant-wine-workers-napa-sonoma-forgotten-history",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A Chinese character engraved on the stone wall of a press house. A knocker on a wine cellar door in the shape of a koi fish. A long abandoned Chinese bunkhouse now used to store winery signage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are all traces of a nearly forgotten history. Though it’s rarely spoken of today, a majority Chinese labor force planted Northern California’s iconic wine country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The immigrants worked in all aspects of the vineyards: clearing the land, planting the vines, digging the cellars and making the wine. A full decade before the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, Chinese laborers were toiling in the fields of Sonoma Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By the 1880s, Chinese were 80% of the labor force in agriculture of that region,” said David Lei, a board member of the Chinese Historical Society of America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lei is one of a growing number of historians and activists attempting to preserve this vital chapter of California’s history. The stories of these Chinese wine workers, they believe, offer a compelling counterpoint to the prevailing notion that wine country was mostly the creation of European immigrants. In today’s political landscape, Lei said, the contributions Chinese immigrants made in building our country have never felt more important to highlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981184\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981184\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1531\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED-768x588.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/CHINESE-PRUNING-VINEYARD_HUNTINGTON-DIGITAL-LIBRARY-KQED-1536x1176.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An archival photograph by C. C. Pierce entitled “Chinese pruning vineyard.” \u003ccite>(Courtesy of The Huntington Library)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Agriculture is what makes this state great,” Lei said. “And the Chinese laborers that were here were often more skilled than their bosses, because they came from a background of agriculture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Census records \u003ca href=\"https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890b3_p1-11.pdf\">show\u003c/a> that Chinese Americans made up more than 25% of Sonoma County’s population by the 1880s; today that figure is less than 1%. Over the course of 30 years in the late 19th century, Chinese laborers helped build the wine industry from the ground up — and then they were almost entirely forgotten.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A Sonoma start \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first Chinese laborers working in wine country came to Sonoma Valley, where many of them were contracted by labor broker Ho Po to work at the Buena Vista winery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Labor brokers like Po were paid by the head to place workers where they were needed most, said Lei.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Count Agoston Haraszthy, the founder of Buena Vista who is heralded as the Hungarian “father of California viticulture,” \u003ca href=\"https://sonomavalleyhistory.org/chinese-in-sonoma/\">employed\u003c/a> the Chinese labor force to plant 70,000 vines in 1860 and 135,000 vines in 1861, according to the Sonoma Valley Historical Society.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981096\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13981096 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-15KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma on Sept. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“He taught the Chinese everything,” Lei said of Haraszthy. Winemaker Charles Stuart, who became one of the largest producers in the state, also hired Chinese laborers at his nearby Glen Oaks Ranch and later \u003ca href=\"https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1088544\">spoke eloquently\u003c/a> in their defense at the California Constitutional Convention of 1878–79: “Tell me; tell me; oh, tell me, why they are not protected like others in their honest toil? Or is this to be the final sum of all villainy? I call upon our Government to give them the ballot, that they may protect themselves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There were many benefits to hiring Chinese workers, Lei said. Chinese laborers fulfilled their contracts and tended not to strike. While some indulged in opium, they mostly didn’t drink — so there was less violence and no hangovers.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12050233",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250812-YICK-WO-ARCHIVAL-06-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>They were paid about a third less than their white counterparts, and employers didn’t have to provide room and board, since the Chinese workers ate their own food and stayed in their own camps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The workers’ eating habits, in turn, ensured their health: porcelain dishware didn’t absorb contaminated water and boiled tea water kept bacteria at bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Jack Ding — current Sonoma City Council member and former mayor — first moved to the area in 2008, he knew nothing about the legacy of Chinese labor in the vineyards. But people kept coming up to him and telling him stories, like about how Haraszthy would carry a gun not only to protect himself but his Chinese workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Photographs on display at Buena Vista today — by celebrated photographer Eadweard Muybridge, famous for capturing horses’ hooves in motion for the first time — show Chinese laborers working in the winery. The caves the Chinese workers dug by hand are still used to house wine barrels today. “It took 200 workers three months to dig the wine cave,” Ding said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the stories Ding has heard veer into legend — like the Chinese laborers who were rumored to have died digging underground tunnels to connect Buena Vista to the town of Sonoma. None of this was ever confirmed, but in a history where sources are scarce, every piece matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Growth — and erasure\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Napa Valley’s development as a wine region followed Sonoma’s — and so did its story of Chinese labor. In the 1870s, the work force that had finished building the Transcontinental Railroad found new employment in Napa wineries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They needed this source of labor and because the Gold Rush was still going on, they couldn’t get a white labor force,” said John McCormick, author of \u003cem>Chinese in Napa Valley: The Forgotten Community That Built Wine Country\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981183\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981183\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-%E2%80%93-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/THE-VINTAGE-IN-CALIFORNIA-–-AT-WORK-AT-THE-WINE-PRESSES-HARPERS-WEEKLY-OCT-5-1878-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A print by Paul Frenzeny published in Harper’s Weekly entitled “The Vintage in California — at work at the wine presses.” \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the California State Library)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>McCormick, who grew up in Napa Valley, wrote his master’s thesis on the region’s Chinese history. “It was this perfect storm of this incredible vacuum of available labor and this need for labor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work the Chinese laborers had begun in Sonoma continued in Napa, where by 1880 a small Chinatown had emerged at the confluence of the Napa River and Napa Creek. Filled with shops frequented by both Chinese and white people, many of the buildings were built on stilts due to the frequent flooding, filled with shops and laundries. A little further to the north, Calistoga and St. Helena also had their own Chinatowns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Evidence of the Chinese laborers’ work is visible today in places like Schramsberg Vineyards and Cellars in Calistoga. Pickaxe marks are visible inside the caves where the winery now stores the sparkling wine it has served to presidents. A Chinese bunkhouse still stands on the property.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12054437",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1228586364-2000x1286.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Yet after decades of work in Sonoma and Napa Valleys, everything changed in 1882 with the introduction of the Chinese Exclusion Act. The law abruptly ended all Chinese immigration — and erased the story of the labor force that built wine country, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the early wineries went out of business in the 1890s, McCormick said, because of an economic depression and the early precursors of the Prohibition movement. Since the Chinese weren’t allowed to own property, they couldn’t take advantage of the vineyards for sale at bargain prices — but Italian immigrants could. “The Italians then became known as the founding ethnic group of Napa Valley,” McCormick said. “You could completely ignore the Chinese contribution, because they were gone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the laborers eventually moved back to China. The vast majority who stayed were single men who had come alone and never had children who could pass down their stories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the workers were often literate, the Chinese laborers left behind no writings and few physical artifacts. That means researchers have to rely on sources like newspapers and official records, which often have a prejudicial slant or downplay the very existence of the workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Though they all made a huge contribution, they list them all in the census as John Chinaman, no specific name,” Ding said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But history is just like a puzzle,” he said. “If you’re missing a piece you can’t tell the story.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Memory and future \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s against that sea of anonymity — and in honor of everything this labor force accomplished — that a wave of memorials has been initiated to acknowledge this history. A plaque looking out over Napa’s former Chinatown was \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2023/09/04/chinese-laborers-that-helped-build-napas-wine-industry-to-be-honored-with-sign-unveiling-on-labor-day/\">installed\u003c/a> in 2023 to honor the laborers who worked in wine country, and a memorial tombstone to the Chinese laborers buried in the St. Helena cemetery was \u003ca href=\"https://chcp.org/event-5695381\">dedicated\u003c/a> in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are additional plaques planned for Calistoga and St. Helena, as well as an \u003ca href=\"https://tingsonoma.org/history/\">honorary pavilion in Sonoma\u003c/a>. Both Ding and McCormick spoke of the idea of creating heritage trails based around the memorials that could be a tourist destination for visitors interested in learning more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981099\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13981099 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250905-NAPA-CHINESE-ROOTS-MD-09KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A wine cave at Buena Vista Winery that was dug out of the hillside by Chinese workers, in Sonoma on Sept. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Wine is this great Western enterprise of our California culture,” said Connie Young Yu, the author of \u003cem>Chinatown, San Jose, USA\u003c/em>. “But the acknowledgement has never been to the laborers who built it. We were the primary force in developing agriculture in the West, but people think of us as laundrymen.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chinese contributions to the wine industry are not just a static totem of the past; they are part of a vibrant present. When Paul Gee, the first Chinese American vintner in the U.S., bought a 16-acre vineyard in the Napa Valley around 1980, he was the only Asian around. But unlike the immigrant labor force in the 1860s, Gee didn’t feel like he was treated any differently because of his ethnicity — and he partnered with his Kentucky-born friend James “Harry” St. Clair to begin his venture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s the beauty of an all-American and a Chinese American working together to plant this vineyard,” said his daughter, Stephanie Gee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981637\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13981637 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1420\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED-768x545.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/20250922_STHELENACHINESEMEMORIAL_GC-4-KQED-1536x1091.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Chinese Memorial monument, dedicated to Chinese laborers who worked in the Napa Valley Vineyards between 1870-1900, at St. Helena Public Cemetery, in Helena on Sept. 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At 87, wearing a perpetual smile and a maroon Grape Grower hat, Paul Gee doesn’t seem in search of any label or recognition — though he’s received plenty of honors over the years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In China, we had a little rice field,” he said. “So it’s from the rice field to the grape field.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winemakers like Gee are the target audience for a newly formed group by Susan Lin, a certified Master of Wine and president of the nonprofit Asian Wine Association of America, which she founded last year.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11956413",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS67229_20230724-NBJWJPresser-08-JY-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“There’s something for Mexican American vintners and something for African American vintners, so we asked ourselves — why isn’t there something for Asians?” she said. “A lot of people really liked that idea.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group has signed on members like Napa’s first Vietnamese-owned winery and the Thai-Japanese Sunset Cellars. Yet obstacles remain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the biggest challenges is Asians tend to want to put their head down and assimilate,” Lin said. Education remains a central opportunity — and a hurdle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Northern California’s wine industry \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitnapavalley.com/articles/post/2023-visitor-profile-and-economic-impact-study-released/#:~:text=Among%20the%20key%20findings%20in,a%2013%25%20increase%20from%202018\">draws\u003c/a> more than 3 million tourists and $2 billion of spending into the region annually. As those visitors sip their Chardonnay, they may not realize the grapes in their glass were planted by Chinese hands. But perhaps, with more time and effort, they will.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most people just don’t assume Asian and wine together in the same sentence,” Lin said. “But we’ve always been a fact of the industry.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981793/chinese-immigrant-wine-workers-napa-sonoma-forgotten-history",
"authors": [
"byline_arts_13981793"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276",
"arts_7862",
"arts_22352",
"arts_235"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22040",
"arts_10278",
"arts_10422",
"arts_1297",
"arts_2640",
"arts_16105",
"arts_1855",
"arts_746",
"arts_2822",
"arts_22301",
"arts_2845"
],
"featImg": "arts_13981638",
"label": "arts"
},
"arts_13981432": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981432",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981432",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1758142070000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "singaporean-food-festival-hawker-center-san-mateo-laksa-hainan-chicken-rice-kaya-toast",
"title": "A Singaporean Hawker Center Is Coming to the Bay — For One Day, Anyway",
"publishDate": 1758142070,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A Singaporean Hawker Center Is Coming to the Bay — For One Day, Anyway | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>For the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/street-food\">street food\u003c/a> lover, Singapore’s hawker centers are one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/09/03/three-chopsticks\">great wonders of the world\u003c/a>. Visit any one of these sprawling, semi-outdoor pavilions, and you might find 100 of the most delicious food stalls you’ve ever encountered, all lined up in a row — curry puff specialist next to bak kut teh vendor next to fourth-generation laksa maker next to Michelin-recommended chicken rice stand. Even splurging wildly, you can feed a family of four for less than $20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sadly, the Bay Area has never had anything remotely close to a true Singaporean-style hawker center. But for one day this weekend, a group of homesick Singaporeans will aim to create the next best thing — a hawker center–style food court that brings several of the Bay Area’s top Singaporean chefs together for a day-long bonanza of laksa, char kway teow and kaya toast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the vision, anyway, for the first ever \u003ca href=\"https://singaporefest.com/\">Singapore Festival\u003c/a>, which will be held this Sunday, Sept. 21, at the San Mateo County Event Center, in celebration of Singapore’s 60th year of independence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981443\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981443\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd of diners seated inside a Singaporean hawker center.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dinnertime at Maxwell Food Centre, one of Singapore’s most popular hawker centers. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The brainchild of \u003ca href=\"https://www.singaporeconnect.org/about\">Singapore Connect\u003c/a>, a social club for Bay Area Singaporeans, the festival will feature a \u003ca href=\"https://singaporefest.com/assets/flyers/program.pdf\">slate of performances\u003c/a> by Singaporean musicians (including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/linying._/?hl=en\">Linying\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thisischerylk/?hl=en\">Cheryl K\u003c/a> and the rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yungraja/?hl=en\">Yung Raja\u003c/a>) and stand-up comics, a crafts marketplace, and large-scale models of Singaporean landmarks like the Merlion and the Supertrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, for many visitors the biggest attraction will be the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we all grew up eating at hawker centers,” says Emily Lim, the chef-owner of San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dabaosingapore/?hl=en\">Dabao Singapore\u003c/a>, one of the featured vendors. “It’s Singapore’s pastime, basically, to go eat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nora Haron, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980465/kopi-bar-bampfa-cafe-berkeley-avocado-iced-coffee-kaya-toast\">chef-owner of Kopi Bar & Bakery\u003c/a>, explains that Singapore Connect’s members always hold a big feast for Singapore’s National Day. This year, however, they decided to open up that celebration to the general public — not just Singaporeans. And so the group asked Haron to co-chair a food committee, along with Jai Kandayah of Pleasanton’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/curryleavesbistro/\">Curry Leaves Bistro\u003c/a>, with the idea of curating a hawker center–like experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981447\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981447\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi.jpg\" alt=\"Woman pours coffee into a cup from a great height.\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kopi Bar’s Nora Haron prepares a cup of Singaporean-style coffee, or kopi, in the traditional way, pouring it from a great height. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Nora Haron)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t an easy task. The reality is that most cities in the Bay Area are lucky if they have \u003ci>one \u003c/i>solid, or even middling, Singaporean restaurant. In that sense, a big part of Singapore Festival’s appeal is one of sheer, unprecedented abundance: \u003ca href=\"https://food.hipster-virtual.com/\">10 of the Bay Area’s best Singaporean (and Malaysian and Indonesian) food businesses\u003c/a> gathered under one roof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Haron’s top priorities from the very beginning was for the festival’s food offerings to showcase the incredible breadth of Singapore’s food culture — a culture, she says, that’s “built on diversity and shared traditions.” In addition to the country’s Chinese Singaporean majority, she wanted to also include Indonesians, Malaysians and Indians — all ethnicities well represented in Singapore’s cultural landscape and, of course, at its hawker centers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To that end, the ad hoc hawker center will feature seafood laksa and Hainanese chicken rice from Dabao, and kaya toast and curry puffs from San Jose’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/myselerabistro/\">MYSelera Bistro\u003c/a>. Kopi Bar will pour hot and iced kopi (coffee with condensed milk) and kopi-O (black coffee), like you’d find at a traditional Singaporean coffee shop, or kopitiem. Curry Leaves Bistro will serve Malaysian-style nasi lemak and roti prata with curry. Other vendors will sell South Indian biriyani, Indonesian shaved ice and nasi padang, and mochi donuts with Southeast Asian flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981449\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981449\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti.jpg\" alt=\"Roti flatbread with a bowl of bright orange chicken curry on the side.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti-160x98.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti-768x470.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti-1536x941.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Malaysian-style roti prata with a side of chicken curry, courtesy of Pleasanton’s Curry Leaves Bistro. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Curry Leaves Bistro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kandayah, who owns both Curry Leaves Bistro and MYSelera, says he’s a prime example of the festival’s multicultural approach: He’s co-chairing the food committee as a Malaysian immigrant of Chinese-Indian descent. Kandayah explains that Malaysian cuisine and Singaporean cuisine share a lot of dishes in common anyway. As he puts it, “We always say, ‘Same-same but different.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13980465,arts_13953078,arts_13925835']\u003c/span>Kandayah says his hope is that the festival will be a chance for second-generation kids to have something close to an authentic experience of their parents’ food culture — how they’d sometimes eat hawker center fried noodles for breakfast and kaya toast at 10 p.m. “It’s like the tag line for my restaurant,” he says. “‘Any time is makan time.’ Any time is eating time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Lim, a \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2024/4/10/23651870/dabao-singapore-restaurant-opening-james-beard\">James Beard Award–nominated chef\u003c/a> who started Dabao after getting furloughed from her restaurant job during the pandemic, the festival is an expression of Singaporean pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make ourselves more known,” she says. “In Singapore, folks tend to think that Western cuisine — Italian, French, whatever it may be — is of more value than the local cuisine. So I felt like I needed to represent [our local food] a little more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981445\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981445\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa.jpg\" alt=\"Bowl of bright orange laksa noodle soup topped with shrimp and fish balls.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Diners routinely drive from an hour away to eat Dabao Singapore’s seafood laksa. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Dabao Singapore)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay Area, the demand only seems to be growing. Dabao recently opened its first brick-and-mortar location at the Metreon in downtown San Francisco, and Lim says, “I’ve had folks who drive from an hour away to the freaking Metreon just to eat my food court laksa, because they miss those flavors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sunday, Singapore Festival’s organizers are expecting a turnout of upwards of 3,000 people, Lim says. Some will enjoy their first bowl of coconut curry laksa, dunk their first slice of kaya toast into the yolk of a soft-boiled egg (heaven!). And for Singaporeans?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The event is a little taste of home,” Lim says.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://singaporefest.com/\">Singapore Fest\u003c/a> will take place on Sunday, September 21, from 10 a.m.–8 p.m.. at the San Mateo County Event Center (1346 Saratoga Dr., San Mateo). \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://tickets.singaporefest.com/\">\u003ci>Tickets\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> start at $21 (the code “\u003c/i>\u003ci>SGKQED10” provides a\u003c/i>\u003ci> 10% discount), $11 for children. Food and drinks will be sold a la carte; visitors can \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://food.hipster-virtual.com/\">\u003ci>pre-order\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> specific dishes ahead of time if they want to be sure they don’t sell out.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "In San Mateo, the inaugural Singapore Festival will celebrate the country’s 60th birthday.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1758143377,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 1149
},
"headData": {
"title": "A New Festival Brings a Singaporean Hawker Center to San Mateo | KQED",
"description": "In San Mateo, the inaugural Singapore Festival will celebrate the country’s 60th birthday.",
"ogTitle": "A Singaporean Hawker Center Is Coming to the Bay — For One Day, Anyway",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "A Singaporean Hawker Center Is Coming to the Bay — For One Day, Anyway",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "A New Festival Brings a Singaporean Hawker Center to San Mateo %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A Singaporean Hawker Center Is Coming to the Bay — For One Day, Anyway",
"datePublished": "2025-09-17T13:47:50-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-17T14:09:37-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"source": "Food",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981432",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981432/singaporean-food-festival-hawker-center-san-mateo-laksa-hainan-chicken-rice-kaya-toast",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/street-food\">street food\u003c/a> lover, Singapore’s hawker centers are one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/09/03/three-chopsticks\">great wonders of the world\u003c/a>. Visit any one of these sprawling, semi-outdoor pavilions, and you might find 100 of the most delicious food stalls you’ve ever encountered, all lined up in a row — curry puff specialist next to bak kut teh vendor next to fourth-generation laksa maker next to Michelin-recommended chicken rice stand. Even splurging wildly, you can feed a family of four for less than $20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sadly, the Bay Area has never had anything remotely close to a true Singaporean-style hawker center. But for one day this weekend, a group of homesick Singaporeans will aim to create the next best thing — a hawker center–style food court that brings several of the Bay Area’s top Singaporean chefs together for a day-long bonanza of laksa, char kway teow and kaya toast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the vision, anyway, for the first ever \u003ca href=\"https://singaporefest.com/\">Singapore Festival\u003c/a>, which will be held this Sunday, Sept. 21, at the San Mateo County Event Center, in celebration of Singapore’s 60th year of independence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981443\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981443\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd of diners seated inside a Singaporean hawker center.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/maxwell-food-centre-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dinnertime at Maxwell Food Centre, one of Singapore’s most popular hawker centers. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The brainchild of \u003ca href=\"https://www.singaporeconnect.org/about\">Singapore Connect\u003c/a>, a social club for Bay Area Singaporeans, the festival will feature a \u003ca href=\"https://singaporefest.com/assets/flyers/program.pdf\">slate of performances\u003c/a> by Singaporean musicians (including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/linying._/?hl=en\">Linying\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thisischerylk/?hl=en\">Cheryl K\u003c/a> and the rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yungraja/?hl=en\">Yung Raja\u003c/a>) and stand-up comics, a crafts marketplace, and large-scale models of Singaporean landmarks like the Merlion and the Supertrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, for many visitors the biggest attraction will be the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we all grew up eating at hawker centers,” says Emily Lim, the chef-owner of San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dabaosingapore/?hl=en\">Dabao Singapore\u003c/a>, one of the featured vendors. “It’s Singapore’s pastime, basically, to go eat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nora Haron, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980465/kopi-bar-bampfa-cafe-berkeley-avocado-iced-coffee-kaya-toast\">chef-owner of Kopi Bar & Bakery\u003c/a>, explains that Singapore Connect’s members always hold a big feast for Singapore’s National Day. This year, however, they decided to open up that celebration to the general public — not just Singaporeans. And so the group asked Haron to co-chair a food committee, along with Jai Kandayah of Pleasanton’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/curryleavesbistro/\">Curry Leaves Bistro\u003c/a>, with the idea of curating a hawker center–like experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981447\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981447\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi.jpg\" alt=\"Woman pours coffee into a cup from a great height.\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/kopi-bar-kopi-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kopi Bar’s Nora Haron prepares a cup of Singaporean-style coffee, or kopi, in the traditional way, pouring it from a great height. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Nora Haron)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t an easy task. The reality is that most cities in the Bay Area are lucky if they have \u003ci>one \u003c/i>solid, or even middling, Singaporean restaurant. In that sense, a big part of Singapore Festival’s appeal is one of sheer, unprecedented abundance: \u003ca href=\"https://food.hipster-virtual.com/\">10 of the Bay Area’s best Singaporean (and Malaysian and Indonesian) food businesses\u003c/a> gathered under one roof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Haron’s top priorities from the very beginning was for the festival’s food offerings to showcase the incredible breadth of Singapore’s food culture — a culture, she says, that’s “built on diversity and shared traditions.” In addition to the country’s Chinese Singaporean majority, she wanted to also include Indonesians, Malaysians and Indians — all ethnicities well represented in Singapore’s cultural landscape and, of course, at its hawker centers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To that end, the ad hoc hawker center will feature seafood laksa and Hainanese chicken rice from Dabao, and kaya toast and curry puffs from San Jose’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/myselerabistro/\">MYSelera Bistro\u003c/a>. Kopi Bar will pour hot and iced kopi (coffee with condensed milk) and kopi-O (black coffee), like you’d find at a traditional Singaporean coffee shop, or kopitiem. Curry Leaves Bistro will serve Malaysian-style nasi lemak and roti prata with curry. Other vendors will sell South Indian biriyani, Indonesian shaved ice and nasi padang, and mochi donuts with Southeast Asian flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981449\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981449\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti.jpg\" alt=\"Roti flatbread with a bowl of bright orange chicken curry on the side.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti-160x98.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti-768x470.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/curry-leaves-roti-1536x941.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Malaysian-style roti prata with a side of chicken curry, courtesy of Pleasanton’s Curry Leaves Bistro. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Curry Leaves Bistro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kandayah, who owns both Curry Leaves Bistro and MYSelera, says he’s a prime example of the festival’s multicultural approach: He’s co-chairing the food committee as a Malaysian immigrant of Chinese-Indian descent. Kandayah explains that Malaysian cuisine and Singaporean cuisine share a lot of dishes in common anyway. As he puts it, “We always say, ‘Same-same but different.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13980465,arts_13953078,arts_13925835",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>Kandayah says his hope is that the festival will be a chance for second-generation kids to have something close to an authentic experience of their parents’ food culture — how they’d sometimes eat hawker center fried noodles for breakfast and kaya toast at 10 p.m. “It’s like the tag line for my restaurant,” he says. “‘Any time is makan time.’ Any time is eating time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Lim, a \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2024/4/10/23651870/dabao-singapore-restaurant-opening-james-beard\">James Beard Award–nominated chef\u003c/a> who started Dabao after getting furloughed from her restaurant job during the pandemic, the festival is an expression of Singaporean pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make ourselves more known,” she says. “In Singapore, folks tend to think that Western cuisine — Italian, French, whatever it may be — is of more value than the local cuisine. So I felt like I needed to represent [our local food] a little more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981445\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981445\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa.jpg\" alt=\"Bowl of bright orange laksa noodle soup topped with shrimp and fish balls.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/dabao-laksa-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Diners routinely drive from an hour away to eat Dabao Singapore’s seafood laksa. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Dabao Singapore)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay Area, the demand only seems to be growing. Dabao recently opened its first brick-and-mortar location at the Metreon in downtown San Francisco, and Lim says, “I’ve had folks who drive from an hour away to the freaking Metreon just to eat my food court laksa, because they miss those flavors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sunday, Singapore Festival’s organizers are expecting a turnout of upwards of 3,000 people, Lim says. Some will enjoy their first bowl of coconut curry laksa, dunk their first slice of kaya toast into the yolk of a soft-boiled egg (heaven!). And for Singaporeans?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The event is a little taste of home,” Lim says.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://singaporefest.com/\">Singapore Fest\u003c/a> will take place on Sunday, September 21, from 10 a.m.–8 p.m.. at the San Mateo County Event Center (1346 Saratoga Dr., San Mateo). \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://tickets.singaporefest.com/\">\u003ci>Tickets\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> start at $21 (the code “\u003c/i>\u003ci>SGKQED10” provides a\u003c/i>\u003ci> 10% discount), $11 for children. Food and drinks will be sold a la carte; visitors can \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://food.hipster-virtual.com/\">\u003ci>pre-order\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> specific dishes ahead of time if they want to be sure they don’t sell out.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981432/singaporean-food-festival-hawker-center-san-mateo-laksa-hainan-chicken-rice-kaya-toast",
"authors": [
"11743"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276"
],
"tags": [
"arts_10278",
"arts_22068",
"arts_1297",
"arts_21881",
"arts_6772",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13981442",
"label": "source_arts_13981432"
},
"arts_13981431": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981431",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981431",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1758139354000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "jerry-quits-ben-jerrys-over-stifled-independence-on-social-issues",
"title": "Jerry Quits Ben & Jerry’s Over Stifled Independence on Social Issues",
"publishDate": 1758139354,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Jerry Quits Ben & Jerry’s Over Stifled Independence on Social Issues | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is leaving the ice cream brand after 47 years, saying that the independence it once had to speak up on social issues has been stifled by parent company Unilever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a letter that co-founder Ben Cohen posted on social media platform X on Greenfield’s behalf, Greenfield said that he felt the independence the brand had to speak on social issues and events was lost to Unilever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='bayareabites_12463']“For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world,” he wrote. “That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity. It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Greenfield said that the loss of independence was coming “at a time when our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women and the LGBTQ community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power,” he said. “It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Greenfield noted that Ben & Jerry’s, famous for its colorful ice cream containers with flavor names such as Cherry Garcia and Phish Food, “was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unilever, based in London, is spinning off its ice cream business including Ben & Jerry’s into a stand-alone company called The Magnum Ice Cream Company. Greenfield and Cohen have been pushing for Ben & Jerry’s to be allowed to become an independently owned company again, saying in a letter to Magnum’s board that they don’t believe the brand should be part of a corporation that doesn’t support its founding mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='bayareabites_121193']A spokesperson for Magnum said in a statement on Wednesday that it would be forever grateful to Greenfield for his contributions to Ben & Jerry’s and thanked him for his service, but was not aligned with his viewpoint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world,” the spokesperson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Magnum said that it is still committed to Ben & Jerry’s mission and remains “focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13955963\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13955963 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_.jpg\" alt=\"A woman's hand with pink painted nails holds two cones of ice cream in the air\" width=\"1500\" height=\"844\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ben & Jerry’s flavors include options like Cherry Garcia and Phish Food — reflecting the hippie values of the company’s founders. \u003ccite>(Ben & Jerry's)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ben & Jerry’s has been at odds with Unilever for a while. In March Ben & Jerry’s said that its CEO was unlawfully removed by Unilever in retaliation for the ice cream maker’s social and political activism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a federal court filing, Ben & Jerry’s said that Unilever informed its board on March 3 that it was removing and replacing Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever. Ben & Jerry’s said that violated its merger agreement with Unilever, which states that any decisions regarding a CEO’s removal must come after a consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry’s board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unilever said in a statement at the time that it hoped Ben & Jerry’s board would engage in the agreed-upon process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million. At the time, Ben & Jerry’s said the partnership would help the progressive Vermont-based ice cream company expand its social mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13981369']But lately, the marriage hasn’t been a happy one. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop serving Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem. The following year, Unilever sold its Israeli business to a local company that said it would sell Ben & Jerry’s under its Hebrew and Arabic name throughout Israel and the West Bank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March 2024 Unilever announced the spinoff of the ice cream business — including Ben & Jerry’s — by the end of 2025 as part of a larger restructuring. Unilever also owns personal hygiene brands like Dove soap and food brands like Hellmann’s mayonnaise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the acrimony continued. In November, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in federal court in New York, accusing it of silencing Ben & Jerry’s statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In its complaint, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever also refused to let the company release a social media post that identified issues it believed would be challenged during President Donald Trump’s second term, including minimum wages, universal health care, abortion and climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Jerry Greenfield says his ability to stand up for justice has been ‘silenced’ by parent company Unilever.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1758139445,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 959
},
"headData": {
"title": "Ben & Jerry’s Founder Quits Over ‘Silencing’ by Unilever | KQED",
"description": "Jerry Greenfield says his ability to stand up for justice has been ‘silenced’ by parent company Unilever.",
"ogTitle": "Jerry Quits Ben & Jerry’s Over Stifled Independence on Social Issues",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "Jerry Quits Ben & Jerry’s Over Stifled Independence on Social Issues",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Ben & Jerry’s Founder Quits Over ‘Silencing’ by Unilever %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Jerry Quits Ben & Jerry’s Over Stifled Independence on Social Issues",
"datePublished": "2025-09-17T13:02:34-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-17T13:04:05-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Michelle Chapman, Associated Press",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981431",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981431/jerry-quits-ben-jerrys-over-stifled-independence-on-social-issues",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is leaving the ice cream brand after 47 years, saying that the independence it once had to speak up on social issues has been stifled by parent company Unilever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a letter that co-founder Ben Cohen posted on social media platform X on Greenfield’s behalf, Greenfield said that he felt the independence the brand had to speak on social issues and events was lost to Unilever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "bayareabites_12463",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world,” he wrote. “That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity. It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Greenfield said that the loss of independence was coming “at a time when our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women and the LGBTQ community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power,” he said. “It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Greenfield noted that Ben & Jerry’s, famous for its colorful ice cream containers with flavor names such as Cherry Garcia and Phish Food, “was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unilever, based in London, is spinning off its ice cream business including Ben & Jerry’s into a stand-alone company called The Magnum Ice Cream Company. Greenfield and Cohen have been pushing for Ben & Jerry’s to be allowed to become an independently owned company again, saying in a letter to Magnum’s board that they don’t believe the brand should be part of a corporation that doesn’t support its founding mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "bayareabites_121193",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>A spokesperson for Magnum said in a statement on Wednesday that it would be forever grateful to Greenfield for his contributions to Ben & Jerry’s and thanked him for his service, but was not aligned with his viewpoint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world,” the spokesperson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Magnum said that it is still committed to Ben & Jerry’s mission and remains “focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13955963\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13955963 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_.jpg\" alt=\"A woman's hand with pink painted nails holds two cones of ice cream in the air\" width=\"1500\" height=\"844\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Ben.Jerrys.IceCream.free_-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ben & Jerry’s flavors include options like Cherry Garcia and Phish Food — reflecting the hippie values of the company’s founders. \u003ccite>(Ben & Jerry's)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ben & Jerry’s has been at odds with Unilever for a while. In March Ben & Jerry’s said that its CEO was unlawfully removed by Unilever in retaliation for the ice cream maker’s social and political activism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a federal court filing, Ben & Jerry’s said that Unilever informed its board on March 3 that it was removing and replacing Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever. Ben & Jerry’s said that violated its merger agreement with Unilever, which states that any decisions regarding a CEO’s removal must come after a consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry’s board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unilever said in a statement at the time that it hoped Ben & Jerry’s board would engage in the agreed-upon process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million. At the time, Ben & Jerry’s said the partnership would help the progressive Vermont-based ice cream company expand its social mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13981369",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But lately, the marriage hasn’t been a happy one. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop serving Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem. The following year, Unilever sold its Israeli business to a local company that said it would sell Ben & Jerry’s under its Hebrew and Arabic name throughout Israel and the West Bank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March 2024 Unilever announced the spinoff of the ice cream business — including Ben & Jerry’s — by the end of 2025 as part of a larger restructuring. Unilever also owns personal hygiene brands like Dove soap and food brands like Hellmann’s mayonnaise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the acrimony continued. In November, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in federal court in New York, accusing it of silencing Ben & Jerry’s statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In its complaint, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever also refused to let the company release a social media post that identified issues it believed would be challenged during President Donald Trump’s second term, including minimum wages, universal health care, abortion and climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981431/jerry-quits-ben-jerrys-over-stifled-independence-on-social-issues",
"authors": [
"byline_arts_13981431"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276"
],
"tags": [
"arts_4459",
"arts_1297",
"arts_22078"
],
"featImg": "arts_13981437",
"label": "arts"
},
"arts_13981369": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981369",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981369",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1758132012000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "a-santa-cruz-gardening-collective-cultivates-belonging-for-queer-and-trans-asian-americans",
"title": "A Santa Cruz Gardening Collective Cultivates Belonging for Queer and Trans Asian Americans",
"publishDate": 1758132012,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A Santa Cruz Gardening Collective Cultivates Belonging for Queer and Trans Asian Americans | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cp>It’s a cloudy June morning at a community garden in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-cruz\">Santa Cruz\u003c/a>, a verdant green space tucked into the U-shaped end of a residential cul-de-sac. Grassy pathways wind past small garden plots, each an expression of the interests or culture of its caretaker. Some beds burst with vegetables and herbs while others sit bare, their damp soil just waiting for new seeds to take root.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the eastern edge of the garden, a rainbow flag flutters in the wind, signaling the location of the Bitter Cotyledons, a queer and trans Asian American gardening collective. Here, four longtime members talk excitedly about their plans for their plants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A thick bush of Japanese buckwheat, with its distinct heart-shaped leaves and tiny white flowers, is earmarked for an experiment in milling soba noodle flour. A type of mugwort native to Korea and Japan is set aside for making mochi or herbal cigarettes. Chrysanthemum bushes that produce white, fluffy flowers in the fall are reserved for a traditional Chinese tea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We basically grow Asian vegetables to understand and explore our cultural identities and ancestries, but through our queer experiences of being in diaspora,” said Kellee Matsushita-Tseng, a fourth-generation Japanese American and third-generation Chinese American farmer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019, she co-founded the Bitter Cotyledons with her partner, Tam Welch, a Korean American who works in the arts. As Matsushita-Tseng explained, the name of the collective carries ideas about the nourishing qualities of bitter Asian foods and queer communities — and how both can grow despite being underappreciated. (A cotyledon is the first leaf that emerges from a plant embryo, providing it with nutrients while it grows.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980873\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980873\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kellee Matsushita-Tseng, founder of Bitter Cotyledons, poses for a portrait at the collective’s community garden in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. Bitter Cotyledons strives to build a community for queer and Asian individuals to connect with their culture through gardening and food. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every weekend, the Bitter Cotyledons meet to tend their plot at the community garden, a city-owned space. With twelve regularly active members, the collective is growing around 35 different vegetables and herbs, including Chinese licorice, Japanese Akahana Mame beans, Vietnamese coriander and perilla. It’s a lot for their 750 square feet of land (300 of which is on loan from a neighboring gardener). If given more space, they’d keep expanding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they aren’t alone. \u003ca href=\"https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2024/Census22_HL_AsianProducers.pdf\">According\u003c/a> to the USDA, an increasing number of Asian Americans are getting into agriculture. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of Asian farmers and ranchers in the U.S. rose by 8 percent, even as the total number of farmers and ranchers fell by about 1 percent. California leads the way with the highest number of Asian farmers, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.masumoto.com/\">Matsumoto Family Farm\u003c/a> near Fresno, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897752/radical-family-farms-asian-produce-taiwanese-identity-sonoma\">Leslie Wiser at Radical Family Farms\u003c/a> and Kristyn Leach at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928023/kristyn-leach-asian-american-farmer-gohyang-seed-campus-sebastopol\">Gohyang Fields\u003c/a>, both in Sebastopol. In some ways, the Bitter Cotyledons reflect this broader trend. But they aren’t growing crops for mass distribution or profit — they’re cultivating queer and cultural belonging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of us have difficult or distant relationships with our blood families in part because of our queer identities,” Matsushita-Tseng explained. Coming together around plants is a way to connect with their cultures on their own terms and in alignment with their own values.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Chrysanthemum dreams\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Outside the garden, the collective gets together periodically to cook, share meals and exchange recipes. Hot pot loaded with the different vegetables they’ve grown is a particular favorite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, the group has selected which plants to cultivate together, but this year, each member is responsible for one plant on their own, nurturing it from seed to the kitchen. “The one I’m focusing on this season is the chrysanthemum,” said Louise Leong, a Chinese American artist. She’s already tossed the edible greens from one variety of the flower into soup and rolled them into a batter with shrimp to make fritters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980874\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980874\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of Bitter Cotyledons tend to their gardening plot in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Leong joined the Bitter Cotyledons after responding to a call for new members on Lex, an app for finding LGBTQ+ friends. “It said something like, ‘Queer Asians who want to learn how to grow vegetables — join here,’” Leong said, chuckling. “At that time, I was getting more interested in my heritage and learning how to cook more Chinese dishes.” Bitter Cotyledons gave her a safe space to express the “shame” she felt for not already knowing how, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if Leong had had that knowledge, sourcing the ingredients on her own wouldn’t have been easy. Santa Cruz’s lack of an Asian grocery store is a reason Leong and other collective members often hear for why Asian Americans wind up leaving the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Santa Cruz County has only a 6 percent Asian American population — a stark \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santaclaracountycalifornia,santacruzcountycalifornia/PST045224\">contrast\u003c/a> to 43 percent “over the hill” in Santa Clara County, where Asian grocers and restaurants are far more abundant. Before they started growing their own produce, collective members routinely had to drive 30 miles to San Jose to shop at places like 99 Ranch, Mitsuwa Marketplace, Đại-Thành Supermarket or H-Mart if they wanted to cook anything with “special vegetables,” Matsushita-Tseng said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes choy sum, gobo (Japanese burdock root), gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and mustard greens. Now, the collective’s garden allows members to cultivate hard-to-find varieties that aren’t available in grocery stores at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A need for community\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At the Santa Cruz plot, the four gardeners who’d come to tend to their plots this day observed with concern that their mugwort had spread wildly, threatening to overrun the surrounding plants. Without hesitation, Nat L., one of the oldest members, took action, snipping off the tall stalks with garden shears while the others looked on, amused by their quick response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just three of us for a while,” said Nat, a biologist born and raised in Singapore who declined to give their last name. Nat met Matsushita-Tseng and Welch at a plant swap and joined Bitter Cotyledons during a time of intense isolation and introspection in the spring of 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980878\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980878\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A black sesame plant grows on Bitter Cotyledons’ plot in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California was slowly reopening after an almost yearlong lockdown. Anti-Asian rhetoric and hate crimes had surged after Donald Trump’s claims that China was to blame for COVID-19. A gunman had shot and killed eight people, six of Asian descent, at Young’s Asian Massage Parlor in Georgia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was trying to figure out my place here, in a very white community, when all these massive discussions and questions around race and racial justice were happening,” Nat said. “There was a real need to be able to talk about it and have community, sometimes to just express frustrations at the system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before she started the collective, Matsushita-Tseng came from a similar place. As a farmer, she often found herself in environments where she was the only queer person and person of color. Bitter Cotyledons was born out of “necessity,” she explained. “For queer folks, at least in my experience, our survival and well-being depend on the ability to be in community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now involved in multiple land-based collectives, she also works with \u003ca href=\"https://www.secondgenerationseeds.com/\">Second Generation Seeds\u003c/a>, a group of farmers preserving Asian heirloom seeds — some of which have found their way into the Bitter Cotyledons plot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As morning gave way to afternoon, other community gardeners slowly began arriving to work their soil and water their plants. Gophers tunneled underground, gnawing on roots and occasionally popping their heads up to sniff the air. One surfaced near Leong, who sat low to the ground in a small, repurposed classroom chair, reflecting on the benefits of collective gardening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980876\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980876\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Harvested tomatoes fill containers. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Like others in the group, she said gardening with other queer Asian Americans has supported her mental health, something she thinks about deeply as a therapist’s wife. “Our families have all experienced trauma from migration or war, separation or interpersonal relationships,” Leong said. “But then there’s also this aspect where you don’t really talk about it. I think that’s fairly common in Asian families and Asian communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, research indicates that \u003ca href=\"https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6740\">community gardening\u003c/a> and access to \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7829482/\">culturally significant foods\u003c/a> are both powerful tools for promoting mental well-being. Gardening with others in a group enhances resilience and reduces depression. And expressing one’s cultural identity through food has been associated with pleasure, belonging and comfort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, these wellness resources are particularly important, as financial barriers and a lack of gender- and culturally-affirming providers pose major obstacles to mental healthcare for queer and trans Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, according to Jasmine Hoo, the healing justice organizer at \u003ca href=\"https://lavenderphoenix.org/\">Lavender Phoenix\u003c/a>, a Bay Area organization dedicated to meeting the needs of this population. While not a panacea, collective growing can provide gentle support, with benefits that sometimes extend beyond the garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Bitter Cotyledons co-founder Welch, those benefits include being able to keep a roof over their head. For the last three years, the National Low Income Housing Coalition has \u003ca href=\"https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/2025_OOR-California.pdf\">ranked\u003c/a> Santa Cruz County the most costly place to rent, not only in California but in the nation. So when Welch’s landlord sold their apartment building, giving them two months to find a new place after 15 years of tenancy, the Bitter Cotyledons were the ones who stepped in, helping with the move and offering food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980880\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13980880 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tam Welch, co-founder of Bitter Cotyledons, poses for a portrait at the collective’s garden in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Without this group, I would not have stayed in Santa Cruz,” Welch said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before co-founding the gardening collective, Welch said it had been challenging to build a queer Asian community, as potential friends often moved away for more affordable housing. Now, Welch no longer worries about finding community because they know they’ll find it at their shared garden plot every weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bitter Cotyledons has gotten large enough now that most people hear about it through word of mouth. Recognizing the diversity of the Asian diaspora, the group is expanding to include Pacific Islanders, Southwest Asians and North Africans (\u003ca href=\"https://swanaalliance.com/about\">SWANA\u003c/a>).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of interest in learning about culinary Asian ancestral foodways,” Welch said, noting that even straight people have inquired about joining the collective. However, Welch and Matsushita-Tseng are committed to preserving this uniquely queer space, ensuring their community has a place to feel rooted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The Bitter Cotyledons collective grows Asian crops to connect with their ancestors and help queer folks feel rooted.\r\n",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1758554798,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 31,
"wordCount": 1878
},
"headData": {
"title": "A Santa Cruz Gardening Collective Cultivates Belonging for Queer and Trans Asian Americans | KQED",
"description": "The Bitter Cotyledons collective grows Asian crops to connect with their ancestors and help queer folks feel rooted.\r\n",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A Santa Cruz Gardening Collective Cultivates Belonging for Queer and Trans Asian Americans",
"datePublished": "2025-09-17T11:00:12-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-22T08:26:38-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Nicole J. Caruth",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981369",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981369/a-santa-cruz-gardening-collective-cultivates-belonging-for-queer-and-trans-asian-americans",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s a cloudy June morning at a community garden in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-cruz\">Santa Cruz\u003c/a>, a verdant green space tucked into the U-shaped end of a residential cul-de-sac. Grassy pathways wind past small garden plots, each an expression of the interests or culture of its caretaker. Some beds burst with vegetables and herbs while others sit bare, their damp soil just waiting for new seeds to take root.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the eastern edge of the garden, a rainbow flag flutters in the wind, signaling the location of the Bitter Cotyledons, a queer and trans Asian American gardening collective. Here, four longtime members talk excitedly about their plans for their plants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A thick bush of Japanese buckwheat, with its distinct heart-shaped leaves and tiny white flowers, is earmarked for an experiment in milling soba noodle flour. A type of mugwort native to Korea and Japan is set aside for making mochi or herbal cigarettes. Chrysanthemum bushes that produce white, fluffy flowers in the fall are reserved for a traditional Chinese tea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We basically grow Asian vegetables to understand and explore our cultural identities and ancestries, but through our queer experiences of being in diaspora,” said Kellee Matsushita-Tseng, a fourth-generation Japanese American and third-generation Chinese American farmer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019, she co-founded the Bitter Cotyledons with her partner, Tam Welch, a Korean American who works in the arts. As Matsushita-Tseng explained, the name of the collective carries ideas about the nourishing qualities of bitter Asian foods and queer communities — and how both can grow despite being underappreciated. (A cotyledon is the first leaf that emerges from a plant embryo, providing it with nutrients while it grows.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980873\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980873\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00282_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kellee Matsushita-Tseng, founder of Bitter Cotyledons, poses for a portrait at the collective’s community garden in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. Bitter Cotyledons strives to build a community for queer and Asian individuals to connect with their culture through gardening and food. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every weekend, the Bitter Cotyledons meet to tend their plot at the community garden, a city-owned space. With twelve regularly active members, the collective is growing around 35 different vegetables and herbs, including Chinese licorice, Japanese Akahana Mame beans, Vietnamese coriander and perilla. It’s a lot for their 750 square feet of land (300 of which is on loan from a neighboring gardener). If given more space, they’d keep expanding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they aren’t alone. \u003ca href=\"https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2024/Census22_HL_AsianProducers.pdf\">According\u003c/a> to the USDA, an increasing number of Asian Americans are getting into agriculture. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of Asian farmers and ranchers in the U.S. rose by 8 percent, even as the total number of farmers and ranchers fell by about 1 percent. California leads the way with the highest number of Asian farmers, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.masumoto.com/\">Matsumoto Family Farm\u003c/a> near Fresno, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897752/radical-family-farms-asian-produce-taiwanese-identity-sonoma\">Leslie Wiser at Radical Family Farms\u003c/a> and Kristyn Leach at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928023/kristyn-leach-asian-american-farmer-gohyang-seed-campus-sebastopol\">Gohyang Fields\u003c/a>, both in Sebastopol. In some ways, the Bitter Cotyledons reflect this broader trend. But they aren’t growing crops for mass distribution or profit — they’re cultivating queer and cultural belonging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of us have difficult or distant relationships with our blood families in part because of our queer identities,” Matsushita-Tseng explained. Coming together around plants is a way to connect with their cultures on their own terms and in alignment with their own values.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Chrysanthemum dreams\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Outside the garden, the collective gets together periodically to cook, share meals and exchange recipes. Hot pot loaded with the different vegetables they’ve grown is a particular favorite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, the group has selected which plants to cultivate together, but this year, each member is responsible for one plant on their own, nurturing it from seed to the kitchen. “The one I’m focusing on this season is the chrysanthemum,” said Louise Leong, a Chinese American artist. She’s already tossed the edible greens from one variety of the flower into soup and rolled them into a batter with shrimp to make fritters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980874\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980874\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00370_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of Bitter Cotyledons tend to their gardening plot in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Leong joined the Bitter Cotyledons after responding to a call for new members on Lex, an app for finding LGBTQ+ friends. “It said something like, ‘Queer Asians who want to learn how to grow vegetables — join here,’” Leong said, chuckling. “At that time, I was getting more interested in my heritage and learning how to cook more Chinese dishes.” Bitter Cotyledons gave her a safe space to express the “shame” she felt for not already knowing how, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if Leong had had that knowledge, sourcing the ingredients on her own wouldn’t have been easy. Santa Cruz’s lack of an Asian grocery store is a reason Leong and other collective members often hear for why Asian Americans wind up leaving the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Santa Cruz County has only a 6 percent Asian American population — a stark \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santaclaracountycalifornia,santacruzcountycalifornia/PST045224\">contrast\u003c/a> to 43 percent “over the hill” in Santa Clara County, where Asian grocers and restaurants are far more abundant. Before they started growing their own produce, collective members routinely had to drive 30 miles to San Jose to shop at places like 99 Ranch, Mitsuwa Marketplace, Đại-Thành Supermarket or H-Mart if they wanted to cook anything with “special vegetables,” Matsushita-Tseng said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes choy sum, gobo (Japanese burdock root), gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and mustard greens. Now, the collective’s garden allows members to cultivate hard-to-find varieties that aren’t available in grocery stores at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A need for community\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At the Santa Cruz plot, the four gardeners who’d come to tend to their plots this day observed with concern that their mugwort had spread wildly, threatening to overrun the surrounding plants. Without hesitation, Nat L., one of the oldest members, took action, snipping off the tall stalks with garden shears while the others looked on, amused by their quick response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just three of us for a while,” said Nat, a biologist born and raised in Singapore who declined to give their last name. Nat met Matsushita-Tseng and Welch at a plant swap and joined Bitter Cotyledons during a time of intense isolation and introspection in the spring of 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980878\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980878\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00703_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A black sesame plant grows on Bitter Cotyledons’ plot in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California was slowly reopening after an almost yearlong lockdown. Anti-Asian rhetoric and hate crimes had surged after Donald Trump’s claims that China was to blame for COVID-19. A gunman had shot and killed eight people, six of Asian descent, at Young’s Asian Massage Parlor in Georgia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was trying to figure out my place here, in a very white community, when all these massive discussions and questions around race and racial justice were happening,” Nat said. “There was a real need to be able to talk about it and have community, sometimes to just express frustrations at the system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before she started the collective, Matsushita-Tseng came from a similar place. As a farmer, she often found herself in environments where she was the only queer person and person of color. Bitter Cotyledons was born out of “necessity,” she explained. “For queer folks, at least in my experience, our survival and well-being depend on the ability to be in community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now involved in multiple land-based collectives, she also works with \u003ca href=\"https://www.secondgenerationseeds.com/\">Second Generation Seeds\u003c/a>, a group of farmers preserving Asian heirloom seeds — some of which have found their way into the Bitter Cotyledons plot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As morning gave way to afternoon, other community gardeners slowly began arriving to work their soil and water their plants. Gophers tunneled underground, gnawing on roots and occasionally popping their heads up to sniff the air. One surfaced near Leong, who sat low to the ground in a small, repurposed classroom chair, reflecting on the benefits of collective gardening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980876\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13980876\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00512_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Harvested tomatoes fill containers. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Like others in the group, she said gardening with other queer Asian Americans has supported her mental health, something she thinks about deeply as a therapist’s wife. “Our families have all experienced trauma from migration or war, separation or interpersonal relationships,” Leong said. “But then there’s also this aspect where you don’t really talk about it. I think that’s fairly common in Asian families and Asian communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, research indicates that \u003ca href=\"https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6740\">community gardening\u003c/a> and access to \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7829482/\">culturally significant foods\u003c/a> are both powerful tools for promoting mental well-being. Gardening with others in a group enhances resilience and reduces depression. And expressing one’s cultural identity through food has been associated with pleasure, belonging and comfort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, these wellness resources are particularly important, as financial barriers and a lack of gender- and culturally-affirming providers pose major obstacles to mental healthcare for queer and trans Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, according to Jasmine Hoo, the healing justice organizer at \u003ca href=\"https://lavenderphoenix.org/\">Lavender Phoenix\u003c/a>, a Bay Area organization dedicated to meeting the needs of this population. While not a panacea, collective growing can provide gentle support, with benefits that sometimes extend beyond the garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Bitter Cotyledons co-founder Welch, those benefits include being able to keep a roof over their head. For the last three years, the National Low Income Housing Coalition has \u003ca href=\"https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/2025_OOR-California.pdf\">ranked\u003c/a> Santa Cruz County the most costly place to rent, not only in California but in the nation. So when Welch’s landlord sold their apartment building, giving them two months to find a new place after 15 years of tenancy, the Bitter Cotyledons were the ones who stepped in, helping with the move and offering food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13980880\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13980880 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250830_AAPIGARDENINGCOLLECTIVE00812_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tam Welch, co-founder of Bitter Cotyledons, poses for a portrait at the collective’s garden in Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Without this group, I would not have stayed in Santa Cruz,” Welch said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before co-founding the gardening collective, Welch said it had been challenging to build a queer Asian community, as potential friends often moved away for more affordable housing. Now, Welch no longer worries about finding community because they know they’ll find it at their shared garden plot every weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bitter Cotyledons has gotten large enough now that most people hear about it through word of mouth. Recognizing the diversity of the Asian diaspora, the group is expanding to include Pacific Islanders, Southwest Asians and North Africans (\u003ca href=\"https://swanaalliance.com/about\">SWANA\u003c/a>).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of interest in learning about culinary Asian ancestral foodways,” Welch said, noting that even straight people have inquired about joining the collective. However, Welch and Matsushita-Tseng are committed to preserving this uniquely queer space, ensuring their community has a place to feel rooted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981369/a-santa-cruz-gardening-collective-cultivates-belonging-for-queer-and-trans-asian-americans",
"authors": [
"byline_arts_13981369"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276",
"arts_235"
],
"tags": [
"arts_11007",
"arts_22040",
"arts_1331",
"arts_8167",
"arts_10342",
"arts_10278",
"arts_10422",
"arts_1297",
"arts_12034",
"arts_3226",
"arts_12080",
"arts_1028",
"arts_702"
],
"featImg": "arts_13980879",
"label": "arts"
},
"arts_13981316": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981316",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981316",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1757632909000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "african-restaurant-week-oakland-bay-area-nigerian-ethiopian-food-jollof-rice",
"title": "African Restaurant Week Wants to Expand the Bay Area’s Palate",
"publishDate": 1757632909,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "African Restaurant Week Wants to Expand the Bay Area’s Palate | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>On a bright, sun-soaked Sunday afternoon last September, a crowd of 400-plus food lovers gathered in style at an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> nightclub to close out the Bay Area’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13964180/bay-area-african-restaurant-week-nigerian-ethiopian-jollof-oakland\">first ever African Restaurant Week\u003c/a>. While the DJ spun AfroBeats, chefs and caterers representing various corners of the African diaspora passed out sizzling suya skewers and big heaping plates of jollof rice and whole grilled fish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People loved it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jollofkitchen/\">Jollof Kitchen’s\u003c/a> Kemi Tijaniqudus, who co-organized the event. “I loved that all kinds of people came just to taste the different foods. It wasn’t just Africans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The annual celebration of African food returns to the Bay Area this week and will run from Sept. 12–21, kicking off with an opening night party at Parliament in Oakland on Sept. 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similar to a typical restaurant week, Bay Area African Restaurant Week features a lineup of 28 participating restaurants that will offer deals and special menu items over the course of the 10-day promotion. The list of participants is like a who’s who of diasporic African food in the Bay, running the gamut from decades-old neighborhood staples like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/redseaoakland/?hl=en\">Red Sea\u003c/a> in Oakland and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bissapbaobab/?hl=en\">Bissap Baobab\u003c/a> in the Mission, to splashy up-and-comers like Old Oakland’s Afro-Caribbean cocktail spot \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nosso.oak/?hl=en\">Nosso Bar\u003c/a> and Jack London Nigerian newcomer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/9jagrills/?hl=en\">9jaGrills\u003c/a>. Most will give a 10% discount to customers who mention African Restaurant Week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The promotion launched last year as a collaboration between Tijaniqudus and Akin Akinsanya, founder of a New York–based company that puts on similar \u003ca href=\"https://africanrestaurantweek.com/about-african-restaurant-week/\">African Restaurant Week\u003c/a> events all over the country. Tijaniqudus says when she came up with the idea for the event, her explicit goal was to shine a light on the tremendous diversity of African food in the Bay Area, where certain cuisines, like Nigerian food and Ethiopian food, have achieved a certain degree of mainstream popularity. But what about the cuisines of Zimbabwe or Gambia? What about Ghana or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13954267/tanzanian-restaurant-swahili-spot-west-oakland-curry\">Tanzania\u003c/a>? Tijanqudus’ dream was that Bay Area food enthusiasts would fall in love with those cuisines as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960583\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop.jpg\" alt=\"Customers eating jollof rice out of black plastic takeout containers.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-800x550.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-1020x702.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-768x528.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-1536x1057.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Customers enjoying their orders of Jollof Kitchen’s Nigerian-style jollof rice. Owner Kemi Tijaniqudus is one of the co-organizers of Bay Area African Restaurant Week. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Jollof Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge, Tijanqudus explains, is that most of the Bay Area chefs specializing in those cuisines don’t have restaurants of their own, so they can’t really participate in a traditional restaurant week. The solution was to close out the event with a big African food festival — the aforementioned Oakland courtyard gathering, which has been expanded to two days this year, Sept. 20 and Sept. 21, at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheculture701/\">For the Culture \u003c/a>in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jason Wealth, a Ghanaian American who runs \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jaybabas_kitchen/\">JayBaba’s Kitchen\u003c/a>, says he started his pop-up and catering company three years ago as a way to spread his love for Ghanaian cooking and to show how luxurious African food can be. He explains that the cuisine is similar to Nigerian food except a lot less spicy — but still packed with flavor. And despite Ghanaian food’s relatively low visibility in the Bay, Wealth says his stand was the most popular one at last year’s African Restaurant Week closing festival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was the only person who had over 50 people waiting in line to get my food,” he says with evident pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the biggest hits? His whole tilapia, which he and his team grilled over hot coals right there in the courtyard. At this year’s two-day festival, Wealth will bring the tilapia back, along with his waakye (a rice and bean dish) and Ghanaian-style jollof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981323\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981323\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia.jpg\" alt=\"Whole fish cooking over hot coals.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Whole tilapia cooking over hot coals, courtesy of JayBaba’s Kitchen. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JayBaba's Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Guests who want to explore the Bay Area’s harder-to-find African cuisines can also check out the Sept. 12 kickoff party at Parliament, where Jollof Kitchen (Nigerian) will be joined by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tutifrutisbazaar/?hl=en\">Tuti Fruti’s Bazaar\u003c/a> (Gambian) and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/vumbamtskitchen/?hl=en\">Vumba Mts Kitchen\u003c/a> (Zimbabwean). All three vendors will be selling their food at the closing festival as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13978846,arts_13960580']\u003c/span>Both the opening and closing celebrations will be open to guests 21-years-old and up, since the venues are bars and nightclubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tijaniqudus, who first made a name for herself as a two-time winner of the Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13960580/jollof-festival-oakland-west-african-food-competition-nigerian-sierra-leone\">Jollof Festival\u003c/a>, says what she loves about African Restaurant Week is that there isn’t any sense of competition with the other vendors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just want everybody to come represent,” she says. “This is more of an exhibit, just showing off what you have and introducing our cultures to other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Bay Area African Restaurant Week will run from Sept. 12–21. You can view the current list of \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://africanrestaurantweek.com/bayarea/\">\u003ci>participating restaurants\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> on the African Restaurant Week website. The kickoff party will be held on Friday, Sept. 12 from 6–10 p.m. at Parliament (811 Washington St., Oakland). The two-day \u003c/i>\u003ci>closing festival\u003c/i>\u003ci> will be held at For the Culture (701 Clay St., Oakland) on Saturday, Sept. 20 and Sunday, Sept. 21, from noon–6 p.m. Food and beverages will be sold a la carte. Note: Both the opening and closing events are ages 21+ only.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Lesser-known caterers and food trucks aim to show off the continent’s diverse cuisines.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1757654909,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 16,
"wordCount": 912
},
"headData": {
"title": "African Restaurant Week Returns to the Bay Area | KQED",
"description": "Lesser-known caterers and food trucks aim to show off the continent’s diverse cuisines.",
"ogTitle": "African Restaurant Week Wants to Expand the Bay Area’s Palate",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "African Restaurant Week Wants to Expand the Bay Area’s Palate",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "African Restaurant Week Returns to the Bay Area %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "African Restaurant Week Wants to Expand the Bay Area’s Palate",
"datePublished": "2025-09-11T16:21:49-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-11T22:28:29-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"source": "Food",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981316",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981316/african-restaurant-week-oakland-bay-area-nigerian-ethiopian-food-jollof-rice",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a bright, sun-soaked Sunday afternoon last September, a crowd of 400-plus food lovers gathered in style at an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> nightclub to close out the Bay Area’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13964180/bay-area-african-restaurant-week-nigerian-ethiopian-jollof-oakland\">first ever African Restaurant Week\u003c/a>. While the DJ spun AfroBeats, chefs and caterers representing various corners of the African diaspora passed out sizzling suya skewers and big heaping plates of jollof rice and whole grilled fish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People loved it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jollofkitchen/\">Jollof Kitchen’s\u003c/a> Kemi Tijaniqudus, who co-organized the event. “I loved that all kinds of people came just to taste the different foods. It wasn’t just Africans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The annual celebration of African food returns to the Bay Area this week and will run from Sept. 12–21, kicking off with an opening night party at Parliament in Oakland on Sept. 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similar to a typical restaurant week, Bay Area African Restaurant Week features a lineup of 28 participating restaurants that will offer deals and special menu items over the course of the 10-day promotion. The list of participants is like a who’s who of diasporic African food in the Bay, running the gamut from decades-old neighborhood staples like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/redseaoakland/?hl=en\">Red Sea\u003c/a> in Oakland and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bissapbaobab/?hl=en\">Bissap Baobab\u003c/a> in the Mission, to splashy up-and-comers like Old Oakland’s Afro-Caribbean cocktail spot \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nosso.oak/?hl=en\">Nosso Bar\u003c/a> and Jack London Nigerian newcomer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/9jagrills/?hl=en\">9jaGrills\u003c/a>. Most will give a 10% discount to customers who mention African Restaurant Week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The promotion launched last year as a collaboration between Tijaniqudus and Akin Akinsanya, founder of a New York–based company that puts on similar \u003ca href=\"https://africanrestaurantweek.com/about-african-restaurant-week/\">African Restaurant Week\u003c/a> events all over the country. Tijaniqudus says when she came up with the idea for the event, her explicit goal was to shine a light on the tremendous diversity of African food in the Bay Area, where certain cuisines, like Nigerian food and Ethiopian food, have achieved a certain degree of mainstream popularity. But what about the cuisines of Zimbabwe or Gambia? What about Ghana or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13954267/tanzanian-restaurant-swahili-spot-west-oakland-curry\">Tanzania\u003c/a>? Tijanqudus’ dream was that Bay Area food enthusiasts would fall in love with those cuisines as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960583\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop.jpg\" alt=\"Customers eating jollof rice out of black plastic takeout containers.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-800x550.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-1020x702.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-768x528.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/jollof-kitchen-crop-1536x1057.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Customers enjoying their orders of Jollof Kitchen’s Nigerian-style jollof rice. Owner Kemi Tijaniqudus is one of the co-organizers of Bay Area African Restaurant Week. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Jollof Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge, Tijanqudus explains, is that most of the Bay Area chefs specializing in those cuisines don’t have restaurants of their own, so they can’t really participate in a traditional restaurant week. The solution was to close out the event with a big African food festival — the aforementioned Oakland courtyard gathering, which has been expanded to two days this year, Sept. 20 and Sept. 21, at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheculture701/\">For the Culture \u003c/a>in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jason Wealth, a Ghanaian American who runs \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jaybabas_kitchen/\">JayBaba’s Kitchen\u003c/a>, says he started his pop-up and catering company three years ago as a way to spread his love for Ghanaian cooking and to show how luxurious African food can be. He explains that the cuisine is similar to Nigerian food except a lot less spicy — but still packed with flavor. And despite Ghanaian food’s relatively low visibility in the Bay, Wealth says his stand was the most popular one at last year’s African Restaurant Week closing festival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was the only person who had over 50 people waiting in line to get my food,” he says with evident pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the biggest hits? His whole tilapia, which he and his team grilled over hot coals right there in the courtyard. At this year’s two-day festival, Wealth will bring the tilapia back, along with his waakye (a rice and bean dish) and Ghanaian-style jollof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981323\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981323\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia.jpg\" alt=\"Whole fish cooking over hot coals.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/jaybaba-tilapia-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Whole tilapia cooking over hot coals, courtesy of JayBaba’s Kitchen. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of JayBaba's Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Guests who want to explore the Bay Area’s harder-to-find African cuisines can also check out the Sept. 12 kickoff party at Parliament, where Jollof Kitchen (Nigerian) will be joined by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tutifrutisbazaar/?hl=en\">Tuti Fruti’s Bazaar\u003c/a> (Gambian) and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/vumbamtskitchen/?hl=en\">Vumba Mts Kitchen\u003c/a> (Zimbabwean). All three vendors will be selling their food at the closing festival as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13978846,arts_13960580",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>Both the opening and closing celebrations will be open to guests 21-years-old and up, since the venues are bars and nightclubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tijaniqudus, who first made a name for herself as a two-time winner of the Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13960580/jollof-festival-oakland-west-african-food-competition-nigerian-sierra-leone\">Jollof Festival\u003c/a>, says what she loves about African Restaurant Week is that there isn’t any sense of competition with the other vendors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just want everybody to come represent,” she says. “This is more of an exhibit, just showing off what you have and introducing our cultures to other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Bay Area African Restaurant Week will run from Sept. 12–21. You can view the current list of \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://africanrestaurantweek.com/bayarea/\">\u003ci>participating restaurants\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> on the African Restaurant Week website. The kickoff party will be held on Friday, Sept. 12 from 6–10 p.m. at Parliament (811 Washington St., Oakland). The two-day \u003c/i>\u003ci>closing festival\u003c/i>\u003ci> will be held at For the Culture (701 Clay St., Oakland) on Saturday, Sept. 20 and Sunday, Sept. 21, from noon–6 p.m. Food and beverages will be sold a la carte. Note: Both the opening and closing events are ages 21+ only.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981316/african-restaurant-week-oakland-bay-area-nigerian-ethiopian-food-jollof-rice",
"authors": [
"11743"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276",
"arts_235"
],
"tags": [
"arts_2438",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1297",
"arts_746",
"arts_1143",
"arts_585",
"arts_21774"
],
"featImg": "arts_13981321",
"label": "source_arts_13981316"
},
"arts_13981218": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981218",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981218",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1757455949000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "oakland-chinatown-night-market-2025-food-basketball-tournament-new-gold-medal",
"title": "This Year’s Oakland Chinatown Night Market Will Be Even Bigger",
"publishDate": 1757455949,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "This Year’s Oakland Chinatown Night Market Will Be Even Bigger | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Before last year’s inaugural Oakland Chinatown Night Market, community leaders had long dreamed of hosting a big, rollicking night market event — the sort of outdoor bash you’ll find in cities across Asia. Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council (OCIC) Executive Director Tony Trinh says the hardest part was getting the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/chinatown\">Chinatown\u003c/a> shopkeepers and restaurant owners themselves to believe such a thing was possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of the merchants were very doubtful that we could pull off an event like that. Historically, Chinatown is a ghost town by like four o’clock,” Trinh says. When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13892437/oaklanders-combat-chinatown-attacks-with-volunteering-mutual-aid\">fears of anti-Asian violence surged\u003c/a> during the COVID era, he explains, “Everybody was just too afraid to be out here.” As a result, only a couple of Chinatown restaurants set up booths at last year’s market. Most of the food vendors wound up coming from outside the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In that sense, the inaugural event was a proof of concept — a test to see if Oakland Chinatown actually \u003ci>could \u003c/i>host a bustling night market. And it proved to be even more successful than Trinh and his team had dared to hope: 14,000 people poured into the streets of Chinatown on a Saturday night. Food vendors were completely sold out by 8 p.m. Even the restaurants that chose not to actively participate still benefited, reporting a 200% increase in revenue that night, Trinh says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981226\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd of people eating at outdoors tables in Chinatown at nighttime.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">About 14,000 people came to the 2024 night market, according to the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council. \u003ccite>(Gianpaolo Pabros, courtesy of OCIC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s with bolstered confidence, then, that OCIC is running the event back this year. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.ocic-ca.org/2025-night-market\">second annual Oakland Chinatown Night Market\u003c/a> will take place this Saturday, Sept. 13, 5–10 p.m., bringing the neighborhood to life with a mix of street food, antique trinkets, sports and live music — this time with much more robust participation from businesses within Chinatown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now the food vendors believe in us,” Trinh says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of what that means is that many more restaurants will set up booths selling street food in front of their shops, including neighborhood staples like Alice Bakery and Shooting Star Cafe. Though one of last year’s core vendors, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13956218/late-night-taiwanese-beef-noodle-soup-stinky-tofu-oakland-chinatown\">Lounge Chinatown\u003c/a>, has since closed, its Jack London sister restaurant, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13918993/dragon-gate-oakland-taiwanese-restaurant-reopening-karaoke\">Dragon Gate\u003c/a>, will also have a booth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13963258,arts_13974383']\u003c/span>This year’s featured food theme will be a “Taste of Chinatown,” highlighting the kind of classic dishes that are most emblematic of the neighborhood: chicken wings and spring rolls from New Gold Medal, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13974383/oakland-chinatown-new-gold-medal-late-night\">legendary late-night spot\u003c/a>, and a roast duck rice plate from newcomer Hay Yue. Both of those plates will be available at OCIC’s own booth at the market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All told, there will be more than 20 food vendors. The layout of the event will be inspired by Hong Kong’s traditional night markets, with a mix of food and retail, including Chinese antique vendors from the Laney College Flea Market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981229\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981229\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131.jpg\" alt=\"A rapper viewed from behind as he performs in front of a large crowd in the streets of Oakland.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland rapper Seiji Oda performing at the 2024 Oakland Chinatown Night Market. \u003ccite>(Gianpaolo Pabros, courtesy of OCIC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year’s night market will also have a car show, curated by Castro Valley’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nakayamamotorsports/?hl=en\">Nakayama Motorsports\u003c/a>. And it will bring back the most popular elements from last year’s event, including a performance stage featuring live music and DJs. This year’s featured artists will include Oakland’s own “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13957194/seiji-oda-bay-area-rap-lo-fi-minimalist-hyphy\">minimalist hyphy\u003c/a>” rapper Seiji Oda, up-and-coming R&B singer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13894289/pass-the-aux-new-tracks-by-kiyomi-beeda-weeda-tyler-holmes-kelly-mcfarling-and-more\">Kiyomi\u003c/a> and a traditional Cantonese cover band Midnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also returning from last year: a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOPo8JUEZtv/?hl=en&img_index=1\">pan-Asian basketball tournament\u003c/a> at the Lincoln Square Park rec center starting at 1:30 p.m., with local squads representing China, Japan, Laos/Cambodia and the Philippines. Led by two popular streetball influencers, the Filipino squad took last year’s cup. But Trinh says the other teams have powered up with new recruits this year — they’ll be out for revenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981232\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981232\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95.jpg\" alt=\"On an outdoor basketball court, a Filipino American player scoops the ball toward the basket as two opponents look on.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Team Philippines (in the blue and gold shorts) beat out Team China at the 2024 ‘Asia Cup’ tournament. \u003ccite>(Gianpaolo Pabros, courtesy of OCIC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Trinh says that he’s been to other night markets around Oakland, but this one will always feel “just a little more special.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really showed a sense of community,” he says. “It was a lot of people coming out and just supporting because they know that Chinatown has dealt with so much.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ocic-ca.org/2025-night-market\">\u003ci>Oakland Chinatown Night Market \u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, 5–10 p.m. on 8th Street in Oakland, between Webster and Broadway.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Neighborhood leaders hope to build on last year’s success.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1757476459,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 15,
"wordCount": 789
},
"headData": {
"title": "This Year’s Oakland Chinatown Night Market Will Be Even Bigger | KQED",
"description": "Neighborhood leaders hope to build on last year’s success.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "This Year’s Oakland Chinatown Night Market Will Be Even Bigger",
"datePublished": "2025-09-09T15:12:29-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-09T20:54:19-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 12276,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"source": "Food",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981218",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981218/oakland-chinatown-night-market-2025-food-basketball-tournament-new-gold-medal",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Before last year’s inaugural Oakland Chinatown Night Market, community leaders had long dreamed of hosting a big, rollicking night market event — the sort of outdoor bash you’ll find in cities across Asia. Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council (OCIC) Executive Director Tony Trinh says the hardest part was getting the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/chinatown\">Chinatown\u003c/a> shopkeepers and restaurant owners themselves to believe such a thing was possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of the merchants were very doubtful that we could pull off an event like that. Historically, Chinatown is a ghost town by like four o’clock,” Trinh says. When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13892437/oaklanders-combat-chinatown-attacks-with-volunteering-mutual-aid\">fears of anti-Asian violence surged\u003c/a> during the COVID era, he explains, “Everybody was just too afraid to be out here.” As a result, only a couple of Chinatown restaurants set up booths at last year’s market. Most of the food vendors wound up coming from outside the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In that sense, the inaugural event was a proof of concept — a test to see if Oakland Chinatown actually \u003ci>could \u003c/i>host a bustling night market. And it proved to be even more successful than Trinh and his team had dared to hope: 14,000 people poured into the streets of Chinatown on a Saturday night. Food vendors were completely sold out by 8 p.m. Even the restaurants that chose not to actively participate still benefited, reporting a 200% increase in revenue that night, Trinh says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981226\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd of people eating at outdoors tables in Chinatown at nighttime.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-150-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">About 14,000 people came to the 2024 night market, according to the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council. \u003ccite>(Gianpaolo Pabros, courtesy of OCIC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s with bolstered confidence, then, that OCIC is running the event back this year. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.ocic-ca.org/2025-night-market\">second annual Oakland Chinatown Night Market\u003c/a> will take place this Saturday, Sept. 13, 5–10 p.m., bringing the neighborhood to life with a mix of street food, antique trinkets, sports and live music — this time with much more robust participation from businesses within Chinatown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now the food vendors believe in us,” Trinh says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of what that means is that many more restaurants will set up booths selling street food in front of their shops, including neighborhood staples like Alice Bakery and Shooting Star Cafe. Though one of last year’s core vendors, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13956218/late-night-taiwanese-beef-noodle-soup-stinky-tofu-oakland-chinatown\">Lounge Chinatown\u003c/a>, has since closed, its Jack London sister restaurant, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13918993/dragon-gate-oakland-taiwanese-restaurant-reopening-karaoke\">Dragon Gate\u003c/a>, will also have a booth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13963258,arts_13974383",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>This year’s featured food theme will be a “Taste of Chinatown,” highlighting the kind of classic dishes that are most emblematic of the neighborhood: chicken wings and spring rolls from New Gold Medal, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13974383/oakland-chinatown-new-gold-medal-late-night\">legendary late-night spot\u003c/a>, and a roast duck rice plate from newcomer Hay Yue. Both of those plates will be available at OCIC’s own booth at the market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All told, there will be more than 20 food vendors. The layout of the event will be inspired by Hong Kong’s traditional night markets, with a mix of food and retail, including Chinese antique vendors from the Laney College Flea Market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981229\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981229\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131.jpg\" alt=\"A rapper viewed from behind as he performs in front of a large crowd in the streets of Oakland.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-131-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland rapper Seiji Oda performing at the 2024 Oakland Chinatown Night Market. \u003ccite>(Gianpaolo Pabros, courtesy of OCIC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year’s night market will also have a car show, curated by Castro Valley’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nakayamamotorsports/?hl=en\">Nakayama Motorsports\u003c/a>. And it will bring back the most popular elements from last year’s event, including a performance stage featuring live music and DJs. This year’s featured artists will include Oakland’s own “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13957194/seiji-oda-bay-area-rap-lo-fi-minimalist-hyphy\">minimalist hyphy\u003c/a>” rapper Seiji Oda, up-and-coming R&B singer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13894289/pass-the-aux-new-tracks-by-kiyomi-beeda-weeda-tyler-holmes-kelly-mcfarling-and-more\">Kiyomi\u003c/a> and a traditional Cantonese cover band Midnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also returning from last year: a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOPo8JUEZtv/?hl=en&img_index=1\">pan-Asian basketball tournament\u003c/a> at the Lincoln Square Park rec center starting at 1:30 p.m., with local squads representing China, Japan, Laos/Cambodia and the Philippines. Led by two popular streetball influencers, the Filipino squad took last year’s cup. But Trinh says the other teams have powered up with new recruits this year — they’ll be out for revenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981232\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981232\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95.jpg\" alt=\"On an outdoor basketball court, a Filipino American player scoops the ball toward the basket as two opponents look on.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95-160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/ocic_jeepeezee_final-95-1536x1229.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Team Philippines (in the blue and gold shorts) beat out Team China at the 2024 ‘Asia Cup’ tournament. \u003ccite>(Gianpaolo Pabros, courtesy of OCIC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Trinh says that he’s been to other night markets around Oakland, but this one will always feel “just a little more special.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really showed a sense of community,” he says. “It was a lot of people coming out and just supporting because they know that Chinatown has dealt with so much.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ocic-ca.org/2025-night-market\">\u003ci>Oakland Chinatown Night Market \u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, 5–10 p.m. on 8th Street in Oakland, between Webster and Broadway.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981218/oakland-chinatown-night-market-2025-food-basketball-tournament-new-gold-medal",
"authors": [
"11743"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276",
"arts_235"
],
"tags": [
"arts_2654",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1297",
"arts_22344",
"arts_1143",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13981230",
"label": "source_arts_13981218"
},
"arts_13981143": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13981143",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13981143",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1757374384000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "hispanic-heritage-month-events-bay-area-guide-2025",
"title": "Your Guide to Hispanic Heritage Month Events in the Bay Area",
"publishDate": 1757374384,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Your Guide to Hispanic Heritage Month Events in the Bay Area | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Events for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15) promise to bring beloved traditions to audiences around the Bay, including folkloric dances, musical performances, and the region’s first-ever televised \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001199/the-provocative-and-flamboyant-origins-of-lowriding\">lowrider parade\u003c/a>, cruising down Mission Street on Sept. 20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s celebrations also carry extra weight — for months, the Trump administration has targeted Latino immigrants throughout California, prompting many community members to avoid public gatherings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This parade isn’t just about lowriders — it’s about our right to exist, to resist, and to celebrate our cultura in the streets,” says Roberto Y. Hernández, founder of the San Francisco Lowrider Council. “We’re still here. And now, the world will see us, live and proud, on television.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a sampling of events in the Bay Area:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/CincoDeMayoPeaceAndUnity/\">Paz y Unidad Fiestas Patrias Parade and Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 13, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. (parade), 11 a.m.–5 p.m. (festival)\u003cbr>\nRichmond and San Pablo\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A celebration to honor the diverse Latin American communities of both cities, the second annual parade, starting at 23rd Street and Barrett Avenue in Richmond, will highlight the independence holidays of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Brazil and Belize. The festival at 1387 San Pablo Ave. will feature food vendors, a play area for kids and performances by bands and dance groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afro-peruvian-family-show-tickets-1612337447709\">Afro-Peruvian Family Show\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 13, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCentral Stage, Richmond\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This interactive performance immerses audiences in the vibrant world of Afro-Peruvian musical rhythms, instruments and dances such as zamacueca, zapateo and festejo.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ssf.net/Events/Fiesta-Patrias-2025\">Fiestas Patrias 2025\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 13, 5 p.m.\u003cbr>\nMorelos Hall, South San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This annual celebration features a reenactment of El Grito de Independencia, the historic call for Mexican independence from Spain in 1810. The evening will also include the coronation of a queen, ballet folklorico, danza Azteca, mariachi performances and Mexican food.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodcity.org/residents/redwood-city-events/cultural/fiestas-patrias\">Redwood City Fiestas Patrias\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 14, 2–8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCourthouse Square, Redwood City\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Enjoy live music and entertainment, Mexican food, a kids area, arts and crafts vendors and a traditional flag ceremony conducted by Consul General de Mexico at this free event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13964323\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13964323\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031.jpg\" alt=\"two costumed wrestlers in a ring amid a large crowd\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luchadores duke it out on the lucha libre stage at the ‘El Grito de Independencia de México’ celebration at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco in 2024. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://elgritosf.com/\">El Grito de Dolores\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 15, 4–9 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCivic Center Plaza, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13964359']The Consul General of Mexico in San Francisco, Marco A. Mena, will host the annual El Grito celebration in Civic Center, joining Mexican embassies and consulates hosting their own events all over the world. Judging by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13964359/photos-el-grito-de-dolores-in-san-francisco\">last year’s celebration\u003c/a>, the event will likely include music, dance, memorable performances and plenty of family-friendly fun. And that’s just for the day; San Francisco has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/latino-heritage-month\">numerous other events\u003c/a> planned during Hispanic Heritage Month.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.comitedefiestaspatrias.org/\">San José’s El Grito 2025\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 15, 4–9 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCity Hall, San José\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José’s version of El Grito includes food, crafts, live music and other performances celebrating Mexican culture and traditions. The reenactment of the call for independence is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13909091\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1900px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13909091\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia.jpg\" alt=\"band photo alongside older car\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia.jpg 1900w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-800x505.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-1020x644.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-768x485.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-1536x970.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1900px) 100vw, 1900px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">La Santa Cecilia. \u003ccite>(Massimo Chisessi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketweb.com/event/la-santa-cecilia-the-ritz-tickets/14471833\">Two nights of La Santa Cecilia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 16 and 17, 7 p.m.\u003cbr>\nThe Ritz, San José\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Latin Grammy-winning musical group from Southern California combines Latin culture, rock and world music in a way that sounds both familiar and innovative. Seeing them live in San Francisco a few years ago is one of my favorite concert experiences of all time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981163\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981163\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000.jpg\" alt=\"Danza Azteca performer in front of hopping lowrider\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A performer at a previous Lowrider Parade and Festival in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Tyrone Malow Diaz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sanfranciscolowridercouncil.com/\">King of the Streets Lowrider Parade And Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 20, 1–8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nMission Street between Cesar Chavez and 17th, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Lowrider Council and Cultura y Arte Nativa de Las Américas have lined up a full day to celebrate lowriders and their deep cultural significance in the Bay Area’s Latino community. The free festivities will start with a 1–3 p.m. parade along Mission Street, followed by a hopping competition at the corner of 24th and Mission streets (3–5 p.m.). The car show (2–8 p.m.) will have more than 300 lowriders, and there will be musical performances by Angelica Zamudio, aka Bliss the Bay Wolf; Frankie Navarro; Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano; Mariachi Bonitas de Dinorah; and Tamborazo Los Incomparables. Mission businesses will offer specialty items such as a “lowrider taco” at La Corneta taqueria and “lowrider pan dulce” at La Reyna Bakery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981160\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981160\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000.jpg\" alt=\"three performers in white on stage with blue background\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A scene from ‘Inebria me.’ \u003ccite>(Texas Isaiah)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://inebriame.eventbrite.com/\">Inebria me\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 25, 26 and 27, 8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nMovimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA), San José\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 30, 7 p.m.\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/5466\">KQED\u003c/a>, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Inebria Me\u003c/em>, an experimental opera by celebrated Los Angeles-based artist San Cha, tells the story of Dolores, a woman of humble means trapped in a toxic marriage with her wealthy husband, Salvador. In her darkest moment, she is visited by Esperanza, a luminous and genderless being, who helps her awaken the courage to leave and reclaim her power. The musical score blends ranchera, cumbia, mariachi, punk, classical and electronic music with San Cha’s vocals.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/engineering-day\">Engineering Day\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 27, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\u003cbr>\nThe Exploratorium, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This annual event meant to spark curiosity and creativity in aspiring engineers will feature activities and cultural experiences in Spanish and English. Look for hands-on demonstrations, panel discussions and a performance by BULULÚ, a Bay Area band that blends traditional Latin music and modern sounds. This year’s event is co-produced by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Stanford University chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963735\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963735\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino.jpg\" alt=\"A coffee shop owner in a face mask poses for a portrait behind the counter.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cafe con Cariño’s Claudia Luz Suarez pictured in 2024 at the pop-up’s 528 8th St. location in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Oakland Bloom)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cafe-caliente-tickets-1661375281189?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadJ6YkVeN7OKRKCwuQjsFRbDMsqsHuyyd6GFDGjLhDgFYEHpnsLHzvsPtO3EA_aem_BR7_z4qImps67MgSeQNjug\">Café Caliente\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 27, 11 a.m–3 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCafé con Cariño, Oakland\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13963726']The Café Caliente day party bills itself as a celebration of culture, community and connection — with a side of cafecito. The event will feature Bay Area DJs serving up a global soundtrack of reggaetón, Brazilian funk, cumbias and Jersey club, along with coffee and cocktails, and a curated marketplace of local vendors.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afro-latinx-concert-feat-chuchito-valdes-san-francisco-tickets-1596960063539\">Afro-Latinx Concert featuring Chuchito Valdés\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Oct. 4, 6–10 p.m.\u003cbr>\nBayview Opera House, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This celebration of Afro-Latinx culture and music aims to highlight the rich artistic traditions and contributions of Afro-Latinx communities. This event features Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer Chuchito Valdés, who is known for mambo, danzón, timba and Latin jazz fusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://tickets.nepantlarecords.com/events/nepantla/1736457\">Carlos y Charlos\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Oct. 7, 8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nThe Freight, Berkeley\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carlos y Charlos, a trio from Los Angeles County that formed to perform at parties, is now on tour. They bring a fresh take on classic norteño music, including corridos, rancheras, polkas, waltzes, boleros and redovas.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">Click here to subscribe\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "This year’s celebrations include live concerts not to be missed and parades and festivals for the whole family.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1757695780,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 34,
"wordCount": 1274
},
"headData": {
"title": "Hispanic Heritage Month Events in the Bay Area | KQED",
"description": "This year’s celebrations include live concerts not to be missed and parades and festivals for the whole family.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Hispanic Heritage Month Events in the Bay Area %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Your Guide to Hispanic Heritage Month Events in the Bay Area",
"datePublished": "2025-09-08T16:33:04-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-09-12T09:49:40-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13981143",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13981143/hispanic-heritage-month-events-bay-area-guide-2025",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Events for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15) promise to bring beloved traditions to audiences around the Bay, including folkloric dances, musical performances, and the region’s first-ever televised \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001199/the-provocative-and-flamboyant-origins-of-lowriding\">lowrider parade\u003c/a>, cruising down Mission Street on Sept. 20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s celebrations also carry extra weight — for months, the Trump administration has targeted Latino immigrants throughout California, prompting many community members to avoid public gatherings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This parade isn’t just about lowriders — it’s about our right to exist, to resist, and to celebrate our cultura in the streets,” says Roberto Y. Hernández, founder of the San Francisco Lowrider Council. “We’re still here. And now, the world will see us, live and proud, on television.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a sampling of events in the Bay Area:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/CincoDeMayoPeaceAndUnity/\">Paz y Unidad Fiestas Patrias Parade and Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 13, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. (parade), 11 a.m.–5 p.m. (festival)\u003cbr>\nRichmond and San Pablo\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A celebration to honor the diverse Latin American communities of both cities, the second annual parade, starting at 23rd Street and Barrett Avenue in Richmond, will highlight the independence holidays of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Brazil and Belize. The festival at 1387 San Pablo Ave. will feature food vendors, a play area for kids and performances by bands and dance groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afro-peruvian-family-show-tickets-1612337447709\">Afro-Peruvian Family Show\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 13, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCentral Stage, Richmond\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This interactive performance immerses audiences in the vibrant world of Afro-Peruvian musical rhythms, instruments and dances such as zamacueca, zapateo and festejo.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ssf.net/Events/Fiesta-Patrias-2025\">Fiestas Patrias 2025\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 13, 5 p.m.\u003cbr>\nMorelos Hall, South San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This annual celebration features a reenactment of El Grito de Independencia, the historic call for Mexican independence from Spain in 1810. The evening will also include the coronation of a queen, ballet folklorico, danza Azteca, mariachi performances and Mexican food.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodcity.org/residents/redwood-city-events/cultural/fiestas-patrias\">Redwood City Fiestas Patrias\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 14, 2–8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCourthouse Square, Redwood City\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Enjoy live music and entertainment, Mexican food, a kids area, arts and crafts vendors and a traditional flag ceremony conducted by Consul General de Mexico at this free event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13964323\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13964323\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031.jpg\" alt=\"two costumed wrestlers in a ring amid a large crowd\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240916_ElGrito_EG_031-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luchadores duke it out on the lucha libre stage at the ‘El Grito de Independencia de México’ celebration at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco in 2024. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://elgritosf.com/\">El Grito de Dolores\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 15, 4–9 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCivic Center Plaza, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13964359",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The Consul General of Mexico in San Francisco, Marco A. Mena, will host the annual El Grito celebration in Civic Center, joining Mexican embassies and consulates hosting their own events all over the world. Judging by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13964359/photos-el-grito-de-dolores-in-san-francisco\">last year’s celebration\u003c/a>, the event will likely include music, dance, memorable performances and plenty of family-friendly fun. And that’s just for the day; San Francisco has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/latino-heritage-month\">numerous other events\u003c/a> planned during Hispanic Heritage Month.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.comitedefiestaspatrias.org/\">San José’s El Grito 2025\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 15, 4–9 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCity Hall, San José\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José’s version of El Grito includes food, crafts, live music and other performances celebrating Mexican culture and traditions. The reenactment of the call for independence is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13909091\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1900px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13909091\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia.jpg\" alt=\"band photo alongside older car\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia.jpg 1900w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-800x505.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-1020x644.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-768x485.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/la-santa-cecilia-1536x970.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1900px) 100vw, 1900px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">La Santa Cecilia. \u003ccite>(Massimo Chisessi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ticketweb.com/event/la-santa-cecilia-the-ritz-tickets/14471833\">Two nights of La Santa Cecilia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 16 and 17, 7 p.m.\u003cbr>\nThe Ritz, San José\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Latin Grammy-winning musical group from Southern California combines Latin culture, rock and world music in a way that sounds both familiar and innovative. Seeing them live in San Francisco a few years ago is one of my favorite concert experiences of all time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981163\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981163\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000.jpg\" alt=\"Danza Azteca performer in front of hopping lowrider\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/SLM_2013_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A performer at a previous Lowrider Parade and Festival in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Tyrone Malow Diaz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sanfranciscolowridercouncil.com/\">King of the Streets Lowrider Parade And Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 20, 1–8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nMission Street between Cesar Chavez and 17th, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Lowrider Council and Cultura y Arte Nativa de Las Américas have lined up a full day to celebrate lowriders and their deep cultural significance in the Bay Area’s Latino community. The free festivities will start with a 1–3 p.m. parade along Mission Street, followed by a hopping competition at the corner of 24th and Mission streets (3–5 p.m.). The car show (2–8 p.m.) will have more than 300 lowriders, and there will be musical performances by Angelica Zamudio, aka Bliss the Bay Wolf; Frankie Navarro; Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano; Mariachi Bonitas de Dinorah; and Tamborazo Los Incomparables. Mission businesses will offer specialty items such as a “lowrider taco” at La Corneta taqueria and “lowrider pan dulce” at La Reyna Bakery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981160\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981160\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000.jpg\" alt=\"three performers in white on stage with blue background\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/2025_TexasIsaiah_Sancha_OpeningNight_08_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A scene from ‘Inebria me.’ \u003ccite>(Texas Isaiah)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://inebriame.eventbrite.com/\">Inebria me\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 25, 26 and 27, 8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nMovimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA), San José\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 30, 7 p.m.\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/5466\">KQED\u003c/a>, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Inebria Me\u003c/em>, an experimental opera by celebrated Los Angeles-based artist San Cha, tells the story of Dolores, a woman of humble means trapped in a toxic marriage with her wealthy husband, Salvador. In her darkest moment, she is visited by Esperanza, a luminous and genderless being, who helps her awaken the courage to leave and reclaim her power. The musical score blends ranchera, cumbia, mariachi, punk, classical and electronic music with San Cha’s vocals.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/engineering-day\">Engineering Day\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 27, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\u003cbr>\nThe Exploratorium, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This annual event meant to spark curiosity and creativity in aspiring engineers will feature activities and cultural experiences in Spanish and English. Look for hands-on demonstrations, panel discussions and a performance by BULULÚ, a Bay Area band that blends traditional Latin music and modern sounds. This year’s event is co-produced by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Stanford University chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963735\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963735\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino.jpg\" alt=\"A coffee shop owner in a face mask poses for a portrait behind the counter.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/cafe-con-carino-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cafe con Cariño’s Claudia Luz Suarez pictured in 2024 at the pop-up’s 528 8th St. location in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Oakland Bloom)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cafe-caliente-tickets-1661375281189?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadJ6YkVeN7OKRKCwuQjsFRbDMsqsHuyyd6GFDGjLhDgFYEHpnsLHzvsPtO3EA_aem_BR7_z4qImps67MgSeQNjug\">Café Caliente\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Sept. 27, 11 a.m–3 p.m.\u003cbr>\nCafé con Cariño, Oakland\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "arts_13963726",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The Café Caliente day party bills itself as a celebration of culture, community and connection — with a side of cafecito. The event will feature Bay Area DJs serving up a global soundtrack of reggaetón, Brazilian funk, cumbias and Jersey club, along with coffee and cocktails, and a curated marketplace of local vendors.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afro-latinx-concert-feat-chuchito-valdes-san-francisco-tickets-1596960063539\">Afro-Latinx Concert featuring Chuchito Valdés\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Oct. 4, 6–10 p.m.\u003cbr>\nBayview Opera House, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This celebration of Afro-Latinx culture and music aims to highlight the rich artistic traditions and contributions of Afro-Latinx communities. This event features Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer Chuchito Valdés, who is known for mambo, danzón, timba and Latin jazz fusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://tickets.nepantlarecords.com/events/nepantla/1736457\">Carlos y Charlos\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Oct. 7, 8 p.m.\u003cbr>\nThe Freight, Berkeley\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carlos y Charlos, a trio from Los Angeles County that formed to perform at parties, is now on tour. They bring a fresh take on classic norteño music, including corridos, rancheras, polkas, waltzes, boleros and redovas.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">Click here to subscribe\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13981143/hispanic-heritage-month-events-bay-area-guide-2025",
"authors": [
"11666"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_966",
"arts_12276",
"arts_22352",
"arts_69",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22551",
"arts_10278",
"arts_15595",
"arts_5747",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13964299",
"label": "source_arts_13981143"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"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",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"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",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"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",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"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": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"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.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"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.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"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": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"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": {
"site": "news",
"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",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"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": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"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": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"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": {
"site": "news",
"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",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"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": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"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": {
"site": "news",
"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",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"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/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"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",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"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": {
"site": "radio",
"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"
}
},
"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": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/arts?category=food": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 84,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 567,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"arts_13982236",
"arts_13982137",
"arts_13982096",
"arts_13981914",
"arts_13981935",
"arts_13981793",
"arts_13981432",
"arts_13981431",
"arts_13981369",
"arts_13981316",
"arts_13981218",
"arts_13981143"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts_category_food": {
"isLoading": true
},
"arts_12276": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_12276",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "12276",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Explore the Bay Area culinary scene through KQED's food stories, recipes, dining experiences, and stories from the diverse tastemakers that define the Bay's cuisines.",
"title": "Bay Area Food Archives, Articles, News, and Reviews | KQED",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 12288,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/food"
},
"source_arts_13982236": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13982236",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Food",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13982137": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13982137",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13981935": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13981935",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Food",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13981432": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13981432",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Food",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13981316": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13981316",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Food",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13981218": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13981218",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Food",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13981143": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13981143",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"arts_1": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/arts"
},
"arts_13831": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_13831",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13831",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "barbecue",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "barbecue Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 13843,
"slug": "barbecue",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/barbecue"
},
"arts_2654": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2654",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2654",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "chinatown",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "chinatown Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2666,
"slug": "chinatown",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/chinatown"
},
"arts_21727": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21727",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21727",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "chinese food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "chinese food Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21739,
"slug": "chinese-food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/chinese-food"
},
"arts_10278": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_10278",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "10278",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 10290,
"slug": "featured-arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/featured-arts"
},
"arts_1297": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1297",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1297",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "food Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1309,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/food"
},
"arts_1146": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1146",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1146",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 701,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/san-francisco"
},
"arts_1020": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1020",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1020",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Tenderloin",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Tenderloin Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1037,
"slug": "tenderloin",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/tenderloin"
},
"arts_21866": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21866",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21866",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21878,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/arts-and-culture"
},
"arts_21865": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21865",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21865",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food and Drink",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Food and Drink Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21877,
"slug": "food-and-drink",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/food-and-drink"
},
"arts_21859": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21859",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21859",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21871,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/san-francisco"
},
"arts_140": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_140",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "140",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "The Do List",
"slug": "the-do-list",
"taxonomy": "program",
"description": null,
"featImg": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/11/The-Do-LIst-logo-2014-horizontal-015.png",
"headData": {
"title": "The Do List Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 141,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/program/the-do-list"
},
"arts_22313": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22313",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22313",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "The Do List",
"slug": "the-do-list",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "The Do List | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22325,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/the-do-list"
},
"arts_6902": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_6902",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "6902",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Cupertino",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Cupertino Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6914,
"slug": "cupertino",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/cupertino"
},
"arts_3001": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3001",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3001",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "silicon valley",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "silicon valley Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3013,
"slug": "silicon-valley",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/silicon-valley"
},
"arts_585": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_585",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "585",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "thedolist",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "thedolist Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 590,
"slug": "thedolist",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/thedolist"
},
"arts_21870": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21870",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21870",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Events",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Events Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21882,
"slug": "events",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/events"
},
"arts_21861": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21861",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21861",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "South Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "South Bay Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21873,
"slug": "south-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/south-bay"
},
"arts_22316": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22316",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22316",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "The Midnight Diners",
"slug": "midnight-diners",
"taxonomy": "series",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "The Midnight Diners | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22328,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/series/midnight-diners"
},
"arts_22245": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22245",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22245",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "bar",
"slug": "bar",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "bar Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22257,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/bar"
},
"arts_22438": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22438",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22438",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "clubs",
"slug": "clubs",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "clubs | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22450,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/clubs"
},
"arts_21761": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21761",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21761",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ethiopian food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ethiopian food Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21773,
"slug": "ethiopian-food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/ethiopian-food"
},
"arts_8805": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_8805",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "8805",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "late night",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "late night Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8817,
"slug": "late-night",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/late-night"
},
"arts_22437": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22437",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22437",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "nightclubs",
"slug": "nightclubs",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "nightclubs | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22449,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/nightclubs"
},
"arts_21928": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21928",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21928",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The Midnight Diners",
"description": "The Midnight Diners is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and artist Thien Pham. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene.",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "The Midnight Diners is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and artist Thien Pham. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene.",
"title": "The Midnight Diners Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21940,
"slug": "the-midnight-diners",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners"
},
"arts_76": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_76",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "76",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Fashion/Design",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Fashion/Design Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 77,
"slug": "design",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/design"
},
"arts_235": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_235",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "235",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 236,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/news"
},
"arts_22040": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22040",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22040",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22052,
"slug": "arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/arts"
},
"arts_1696": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1696",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1696",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "fashion",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "fashion Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1708,
"slug": "fashion",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/fashion"
},
"arts_1143": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1143",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1143",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 692,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/oakland"
},
"arts_4693": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_4693",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "4693",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland School for the Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland School for the Arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4705,
"slug": "oakland-school-for-the-arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/oakland-school-for-the-arts"
},
"arts_21876": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21876",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21876",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21888,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/education"
},
"arts_21860": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21860",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21860",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21872,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/oakland"
},
"arts_20950": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_20950",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "20950",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "coffee shops",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "coffee shops Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20962,
"slug": "coffee-shops",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/coffee-shops"
},
"arts_4670": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_4670",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "4670",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Indian",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Indian Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4682,
"slug": "indian",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/indian"
},
"arts_16154": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_16154",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "16154",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Indian diaspora",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Indian diaspora Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16166,
"slug": "indian-diaspora",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/indian-diaspora"
},
"arts_1084": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1084",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1084",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Jose",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Jose Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1101,
"slug": "san-jose",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/san-jose"
},
"arts_7862": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_7862",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "7862",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "History",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "History Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 7874,
"slug": "history",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/history"
},
"arts_22352": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22352",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22352",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Immigration",
"slug": "immigration",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Immigration | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22364,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/immigration"
},
"arts_10422": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_10422",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "10422",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 10434,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/featured-news"
},
"arts_2640": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2640",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2640",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "history",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "history Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2652,
"slug": "history",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/history"
},
"arts_16105": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_16105",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "16105",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigrants",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigrants Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16117,
"slug": "immigrants",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/immigrants"
},
"arts_1855": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1855",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1855",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "napa",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "napa Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1867,
"slug": "napa",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/napa"
},
"arts_746": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_746",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "746",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "news Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 764,
"slug": "news-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/news-2"
},
"arts_2822": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2822",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2822",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sonoma",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sonoma Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2834,
"slug": "sonoma",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/sonoma"
},
"arts_22301": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22301",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22301",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "wine",
"slug": "wine",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "wine | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22313,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/wine"
},
"arts_2845": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2845",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2845",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wine country",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wine country Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2857,
"slug": "wine-country",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/wine-country"
},
"arts_21878": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21878",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21878",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21890,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/immigration"
},
"arts_21873": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21873",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21873",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "North Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "North Bay Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21885,
"slug": "north-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/north-bay"
},
"arts_22068": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22068",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22068",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "festivals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "festivals Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22080,
"slug": "festivals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/festivals"
},
"arts_21881": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21881",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21881",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Mateo",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Mateo Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21893,
"slug": "san-mateo",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/san-mateo"
},
"arts_6772": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_6772",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "6772",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "singapore",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "singapore Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6784,
"slug": "singapore",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/singapore"
},
"arts_21874": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21874",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21874",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Peninsula",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Peninsula Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21886,
"slug": "peninsula",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/peninsula"
},
"arts_4459": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_4459",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "4459",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "activism",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "activism Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4471,
"slug": "activism",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/activism"
},
"arts_22078": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22078",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22078",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ice cream",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ice cream Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22090,
"slug": "ice-cream",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/ice-cream"
},
"arts_11007": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_11007",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "11007",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "AAPI",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "AAPI Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 11019,
"slug": "aapi",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/aapi"
},
"arts_1331": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1331",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1331",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "bay area",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "bay area Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1343,
"slug": "bay-area",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/bay-area"
},
"arts_8167": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_8167",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "8167",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "community",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "community Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8179,
"slug": "community",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/community"
},
"arts_10342": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_10342",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "10342",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "editorspick",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "editorspick Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 10354,
"slug": "editorspick",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/editorspick"
},
"arts_12034": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_12034",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "12034",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "gardening",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "gardening Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 12046,
"slug": "gardening",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/gardening"
},
"arts_3226": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3226",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3226",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "LGBTQ+",
"slug": "lgbtq",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "LGBTQ+ | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 3238,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/lgbtq"
},
"arts_12080": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_12080",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "12080",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "queer culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "queer culture Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 12092,
"slug": "queer-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/queer-culture"
},
"arts_1028": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1028",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1028",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Santa Cruz",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Santa Cruz Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1045,
"slug": "santa-cruz",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/santa-cruz"
},
"arts_702": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_702",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "702",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "transgender",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "transgender Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 713,
"slug": "transgender",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/transgender"
},
"arts_21863": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21863",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21863",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21875,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/news"
},
"arts_2438": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2438",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2438",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "African diaspora",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "African diaspora Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2450,
"slug": "african-diaspora",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/african-diaspora"
},
"arts_21774": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21774",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21774",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "west african",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "west african Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21786,
"slug": "west-african",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/west-african"
},
"arts_22344": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22344",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22344",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "night market",
"slug": "night-market",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "night market | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22356,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/night-market"
},
"arts_966": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_966",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "966",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Dance",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Dance Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 984,
"slug": "dance",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/dance"
},
"arts_69": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_69",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "69",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Music",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Music Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 70,
"slug": "music",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/music"
},
"arts_22551": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22551",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22551",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Fall Guide 2025",
"slug": "fall-guide-2025",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Fall Guide 2025 | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22563,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/fall-guide-2025"
},
"arts_15595": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_15595",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "15595",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Hispanic Heritage Month",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Hispanic Heritage Month Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 15607,
"slug": "hispanic-heritage-month",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/hispanic-heritage-month"
},
"arts_5747": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_5747",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "5747",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "latinx",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "latinx Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5759,
"slug": "latinx",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/latinx"
},
"arts_21879": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21879",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21879",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Entertainment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Entertainment Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21891,
"slug": "entertainment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/entertainment"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {
"name": "2026 Voter Guide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"imageURL": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Nav-News-Nov2026ElectionCoverage@2x-7bd4aad4.png",
"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}