“Lao culture and food was my gateway to discovering myself and my identity.”
“As a child, I would sit and watch my Mom move around in the kitchen. I remember feeling so intrigued that she could take the simplest Lao ingredients and turn it into a delicious spread that fed a family of six while still having extras to share with our extended family members.”
“She taught me how to be resourceful in the kitchen and to never be wasteful.”
“I was totally the child that asked a million questions and wanted to get my hands dirty in the kitchen. Luckily for me, she allowed me to do just that. My Mom was and is still my greatest mentor.”
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“When my Dad passed away several years ago. I spent that year in search of what his life meant and how I wanted to honor him moving forward in my own life’s journey.”
“I felt this tug and pull to be more intentional in continuing his legacy of preserving Lao traditions and food.”
“It then dawned on me that if I’m not intentional in preserving this rich heritage, my children’s children won’t be as lucky enough as I was to be able to fully submerge themselves in it the way I have been fortunate enough to.”
“What I embrace most about being Lao is being able to speak it fluently. I’m grateful my parents only spoke Lao to me growing up because it truly is a beautiful language that I can now pass down to my own four children.”
I love that Lao culture is centered around being a community. We don’t take gatherings lightly. We are physically present for our neighbors, friends, and loved ones in their time of both mourning and celebration. It’s truly how I learned to be so hospitable. I embrace Lao culture with my friends by sharing authentic Lao dishes. I love seeing their faces light up when they’ve tried a new dish that they wouldn't have otherwise.
“The most difficult decision I’ve had to make in pursuing any endeavor is to first eliminate self doubt. Positive self-talk is so important. What you believe about yourself and what you have to offer to the world is crucial to how you will go about your day to day life.”
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“When I made the decision to share my food with the world, there’s always that uncertainty of how the audience will respond to a cuisine that is rare.”
“I’m brand new to the world of content creating so it’s all an ongoing learning experience. I’m grateful for others who are passionately sharing this piece of their lives with the world because their positivity and creativity propels me to keep contributing to the food movement of sharing what I know of Lao food and Southeast Asian dishes.”
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“It literally takes a village to collectively come together to amplify our rich heritage.””
“I look to join other influencers in making Lao culture and Lao food become more prominent. I’m also interested in creating a space where I get to interview people and hear their life’s story and mission surrounding food, perhaps through a short small series of a podcast or some sort.”
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“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have it all together to just simply start a project or venture. After you give your initial, “yes” to those endeavors, take small intentional baby steps, and put one foot in front of the other, minute by minute, hour by hour, then eventually you’ll learn a little more and gain a little more confidence.”
“I’m learning to live by the model, “fail forward”. Failure means effort is being asserted, and it means you’re trying. Keep going. Failure will undoubtedly be a part of the journey and it can be looked at as a negative thing or the very thing that pulls you up to come back stronger and better.”
