Industry Night: September 4th 2024

So today I am back with the Peter Chang family at their latest restaurant in the DC Area -

 NiHao Arlington, at the new Amazon headquarters at National Landing in Arlington, VA. The vibe is very hip and summery, with an airy street-facing bar and lots of delicious small plates. Lydia Chang designed the gorgeous space and I cannot wait to catch up with her. ALSO on this show is good friend and recent James Beard & RAMMY award winner Masako Morishita — so excited to have two boss babes with in with me today.

I met Masako before she was ever in a restaurant kitchen. I remember where I met her! We were at the opening of Officina and your boyfriend at the time (now husband) introduced us. You were making something — dumplings doing pop ups? Anyway a year or so later you joined me on F&TB — you were executing at Brent Kroll’s Maxwell. And now you winning all sorts of well-deserved accolades while behind the stove at Perry's. How did you go from being the captain of the Commanders cheerleading squad to the 2024 James Beard Foundation’s Emerging Chef and the 2024 RAMMY’s Rising Culinary Star of the Year.

At the end of today’s show, Lydia and Masako agreed to a short panel discussion on the trials and tribulations of being immigrant Asian women in the hospitality industry. Lydia’s team laid out a feast for our discussion — it was honest and frank and delicious  — tune in here