1 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Stephane 2 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: Never told you production of I Heart Radio. Samantha, do 3 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,479 Speaker 1: you remember when we could like go places? What? No, 4 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: what is that? Do you remember when we went into 5 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: an office space and saw each other and recorded there? 6 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: This is not a fantasy mirror months that feel like 7 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: years ago. Really used to meet in a studio. It 8 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: was it called what was it called? You know? I 9 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: think so? And he would record in person It's true, yes, 10 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: And then in March, as you all know, a pandemic 11 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: put an end to that for the most part, but 12 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: it also um put it not at the end, but 13 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: it provided and provided is not a good word. It 14 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: was an obstacle for a lot of our podcasts on 15 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,479 Speaker 1: our network, specifically ones that dealt with travel and being 16 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: with people to do them right. And that includes a 17 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: podcaster that you were on, Samantha, Yes, Yes, Get Down 18 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: with Kay Town with Esther Troy. Yes, I was on 19 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: it and it was fantastic. It was those times where 20 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: we actually ate together, shared food together. Her show, it's 21 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: pretty much a promise of making food because she is 22 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: an amazing chef and has two restaurants in New York 23 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: Missieu and mock bar as she asked her guests what 24 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: they want for their food choices, and she cooked some 25 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: food for me and we sat an eight on Mike, 26 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: which was weird for me because I don't do that, 27 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: and discussed my experience as a Korean adoptee because it 28 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: is her podcast is about Korean culture as well as 29 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: a Korean community and what it looks like today. Yes, 30 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: and I was very very jealous because you arrived at 31 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: the office with her and with food, um, and it 32 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: smelled amazing. But we interviewed esther on this show. Um. 33 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: And because of the timing, we did this I think 34 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: in early March. Yeah, that's how long ago this we 35 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: did this interview. Um, and it's only just now coming 36 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: out because her show was delayed and it was delayed 37 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: again and we were trying to figure out, like, what's 38 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: gonna happen with this pandemic? How long is it gonna last? Um? 39 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: But it is out now. Your episode is out now, 40 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: and your listeners should go check it out if you 41 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: haven't already. And we thought we would, uh finally we 42 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: get to share this interview with you. Yes, it was 43 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: such a fun interview. We got to talk about kimchi 44 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: find things. Yeah, it's just a fun interview. Yes, I 45 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: I have been craving kimchi so badly lately, spicy food 46 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: in particular kimchi yam. Yes, so look forward to getting 47 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: that craving. And let's let past Samantha, Annie and Esther 48 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: take it away. I am so excited for our guest today, 49 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 1: Esther Troy, Hi, can you introduce yourself for our listener? Sure? 50 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: My name is Esther Troy. I am a chef in 51 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: New York City. I have three restaurants going onto four 52 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: next month. Mock Bar my first reason I started with. 53 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: It's a Korean noodle shop that focuses on all things 54 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: Korean comfort food. UM first location in Chelsea Market in 55 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: New York and UM second location in Brooklyn across from 56 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: Barkeley Center. Third location will be in Midtown. And then 57 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: Miss You, which is an ode to my grandmother. She 58 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: is Miss You. That is a Korean cocktail bar in 59 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: the lowery Side and we throw crazy parties and we 60 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: do really good food there too. And that's pretty much 61 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: in a nutshell. Can I come to your party? Hello? 62 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: I'm waiting all right, so I'm going to apport do 63 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: you have to dress cool because I don't do that. 64 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: You can't dress However, the one I was like, you 65 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: are you dressed super cute and cool, I'm like, this 66 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: is Monday's dressing cute. This is not how this works. 67 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: I'm wearing my traditional park of like yeah, and most 68 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: of the pictures you see her in the office, she 69 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: looks like she's like just came out of a blizzard. Yeah, 70 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: I love it. I love it constantly. It's a constant thing. 71 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: I think it's a Georgia thing. When it gets below 72 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 1: like forty degrees, you're like freezing. As well as in 73 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: the summertime, it's so hot that they keep the inside 74 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: so cold. It's colder than it's ever been. Yeah. Anyway, 75 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: it's not dressing so cute, is the other thing I 76 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: was saying, sir, Um. But yeah, So we wanted to 77 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: have you in because a you're a chef in a 78 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: very obviously industry that is dominated by men, and kind 79 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: of wanted to have that conversation um about what it 80 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: looks like and your thoughts on women in the food 81 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: and restaurant industry, because we know that only a few 82 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: women are in the industry, into that women of color 83 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: even less. So I know that in the US as 84 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: a seventeen it was roughly or women. Um and according 85 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: to that's that about four percent identified as black, three 86 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: percent as Latina, and two percent as Asian American women. 87 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: Can I just say something, where did these stats come from? 88 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 1: Because wherever I look, I see plenty of female cooks 89 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: and chefs in the kitchen. That's a good question because 90 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: I would think that would be more upper But I 91 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 1: wonder if it has a lot to do with who 92 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: is actually classified as chefs. So yeah, if you if 93 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: you're talking about chefs and higher earning positions, that is 94 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: dominated by men, but women dominate by far lower earning 95 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: income positions when it comes to the food industry. So 96 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: it's confusing because yes, in media and however it's identified 97 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: or kind of even portrayed, it seems very male dominated, white, right, right, 98 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: But if you actually look in real kitchens, so many 99 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: ethnicities obviously, uh yeah, predominantly all ethnic people and a 100 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 1: lot of them women, right, So I mean it depends, right, Yeah, 101 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: are we talking like high in quisine but as an 102 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: industry as a whole, I would say, like that's both 103 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: Like those stats, Like I always hear these stats and 104 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, I don't know about that, right, And 105 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: I think this again has to do with the chef 106 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: like title in itself and an ownership and again marketing 107 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: and managing making the money. It is confusing. It is 108 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: confusing because yes, if you look at, um, the food 109 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: industry as like a professional like in your chef whites 110 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: or like in a high end kitchen. Yes, like not 111 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: many women right in those types of kitchens. And that's 112 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: the question is why do you think that is? Why 113 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: do you think even though it's predominantly ran by women 114 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: of color or women, you know, people of color, why 115 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: is it that in this higher earning level that gets 116 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: all the recognition and it seems to be mainly white men. 117 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: Uh you know what, I don't know that maybe because 118 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: the industry is has changed in the past however many years, 119 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: and it's become sort of this um how how how 120 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: I would like to say, it's sort of become romanticize 121 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: like the whole concept of being a chef. And I 122 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: think that's when, um, you know, a lot of these 123 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: more higher end restaurants have been opening obviously, and the 124 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: industry has just changed and a lot of that is 125 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: obviously white male. Um, but if you do see the 126 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: army behind that white male b sides of line coats, 127 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: like if you look at like the prep cooks like 128 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: all women, you know, it's just so it just really depends. 129 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: But yes, of course, me growing up in the industry, 130 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: like when I started ten years ago in New York City, 131 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: the kitchens that I worked in where all men, especially 132 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: the hotline, like all the pastry or prep cooks all women, 133 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: but hotline no women at all. Like I was always 134 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: the only female line coat, right, And so you've seen 135 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: that change of recently. Um sort of, But like I said, 136 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: it just it just gets like very confusing because of 137 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: course in regular like more like qs are fast casual restaurants, 138 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: it's a lot more mixed, which is like kind of 139 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: like I want, I don't want to say the low end, 140 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: but the not as like high end type of restaurants. 141 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: It's yeah, the level. So I think it just really depends. 142 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: It really depends. But if I speak to a lot 143 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: of like these other female chefs all the time and 144 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: we're like, well, there's women everywhere in the kitchens, it's 145 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: just not really shown or like you don't see it 146 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: quite as often, or women that are being leaders. That's 147 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: a different thing. As a leader, um, not many females. 148 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: Do you feel like within the industry and as leadership 149 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: that people are recognized and given the respect. The women 150 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: are given the respect now more than before, but always 151 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: there is this weird thing. It's like female shof Now definitely, 152 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: I think people are being more respective, and obviously with 153 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: feminism on the rise, with the Me Too movement. No, 154 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: you can't like really say about women like that anymore, 155 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: or like that we're not good enough or whatever. But 156 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: in actuality, like training in these very intensive kitchens, you 157 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,599 Speaker 1: got that all the time, like getting hollered at or 158 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: this kind of underlying weird abuse from not only higher 159 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: ups but like your peers, um without them knowing what 160 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: they're doing. It's just what it was, you know, the lingo, 161 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 1: the kitchen lingo. It's just always kind of sexist or yeah. Well, also, 162 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: while we're going to move off, we know that you 163 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: awarded the Women's Entrepreneur Leadership Award throughout in two thousand eighteen. 164 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 1: Right Um Foundation shout out to them there because that 165 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: Colum was awesome. I read that, Uh, can you give 166 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: advice to those who are trying to expand or grow 167 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,319 Speaker 1: their dreams and businesses, and why you think fellowships or 168 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: programs like these are so important for equal footing and 169 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: recognition for all of the people who may have some 170 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: talent that just hasn't gotten the opportunity. Um. So when 171 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: I applied for this program, it was their second year 172 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: of doing the program and now James Rare Foundation is 173 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 1: really focusing a lot of their energy on women entrepreneurship. 174 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: For me to apply to a program like that, for me, 175 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: I never had leadership training ever, or entrepreneurship training like 176 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: I I was a cook, Like I'm a cook, I'm 177 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: a chef, like um, having my own business, yes, that's 178 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: always been in the pipeline and my dream, but there 179 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: was no training around it. So my initial thing was, 180 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: of course, I want to apply for some sort of 181 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: leadership program, and if it's female driven and uh program 182 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: focused on women entrepreneurs, I was obviously very intrigued by 183 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: that too because that's me, you know, and a lot 184 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: of the other leaders that I do meet are all men. 185 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: So for women to get together and talk about a 186 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: lot of these different leadership skills because everyone leads in 187 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: a different way, and I think that, um, your sex 188 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: has a lot to do with it, like whether you're 189 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: being a male or female. Um, even the way people 190 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: look at your portrayal. Like that type of thing is 191 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: you know, a hot topic for women who are trying 192 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: to be leaders. And that's a lot of the things 193 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: that we covered in the program. And it was twenty 194 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: one women from a different state. Every woman was from 195 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: a different state, and we all came together and just 196 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: essentially like became friends and just like we all have 197 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: our own organizations and we all just came together and 198 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: like would talk about these topics that you never really 199 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: get to discuss with anyone else. So that was really special. 200 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: And I think just taking that step of like even 201 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: applying and seeing what's out there, because there are a 202 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: lot of these programs, um that you can join, and 203 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: it's all for me. It's about initiative, Like you gotta 204 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: take that step to do it. Like there's no like, 205 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: oh I want to I want to know, just do it. 206 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: Like for me to apply for this program, I already 207 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: had three businesses And it doesn't matter where you are, 208 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: everyone still can learn all the time, right um. And yeah, 209 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 1: so it was life changing for me and it built 210 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: like a community that I never had before. And I 211 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: still talk to these women all the time like we're 212 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: all friends and we have it's great, it's amazing. What's amazing. 213 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: It creates opportunity, you know, And that's the biggest thing. 214 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: Like if you don't take that initiative to do it, 215 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: even if you don't get accepted, then try again, different program. 216 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: There's thousands of programs out there. You miss the shots 217 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 1: you don't take right, Yes, exactly, it's a it's about 218 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: just trying. It's a law of numbers in the end. Right, 219 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: we do have some more of our conversation with you, 220 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: but first we have a quick break for a word 221 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: from our sponsor. Every back, Thank you sponsor. Let's get 222 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: back into the interview. Well, you said Ms Mrs Hughes, 223 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: based on your grandmother, inspired by your grandmother, UM, can 224 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: you talk a little bit more about that and maybe 225 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: some kind of inspirations you have from women in your 226 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: life where you are. Um, the women in my life 227 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: were always very strong figures, and UM, I think it's 228 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: the Korean culture, like women have this very powerful um 229 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: and strong identity and voice in our culture. Even though 230 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: it's it's still like a very male dominated thing, and 231 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: you know Korea stose struggles with that. Um. But if 232 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: you really look at every household, it's always like the 233 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: mom the grandma's that are really running the board, right, uh. 234 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: And that was it for my family to my grandma 235 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: was the caretaker of the of the family. My mom 236 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: and my dad were obviously they had small businesses. You know, 237 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: we were immigrants, they worked. But if I think about 238 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: like how I was raised, it was by my grandma 239 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: and my mom. My. Even now, I feel like my 240 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: mom is definitely the head of the family in terms 241 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: of bringing like working every day making sure that um, 242 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: she's bringing in income to the family. And my grandma 243 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: still obviously takes care of anything to do with food, 244 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: and I feel like with that that's like literally what 245 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: you feed people. So that's that's like the strongest hold 246 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: in the family. So grandma was that my mom running 247 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: the businesses. Um. The men my family, like my dad 248 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: and my grandpa very quiet because probably they were like 249 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: kind of my mom and my grandma has such a 250 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: strong personality. So that's kind of how I grew up. 251 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: And I just took on that identity of like being 252 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: that like strong female force yeah, pretty much. Yeah, and 253 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: my grandma she's like this amazing cook. She definitely inspired 254 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: um me to be a chef. Yeah, just being around 255 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: food all the time. And most kids would like go 256 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: out and play my sister, My siblings are not like 257 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: me at all. They're like, um they would you know, 258 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 1: go outside, play and do whatever. But I was always 259 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: at home with grandma, like following her around the kitchen everywhere. 260 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: It was always like built in um And I definitely 261 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: take her identity on like completely, I'm like just like her. Yeah, 262 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: that's amazing. So what is your favorite food? What is 263 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: my favorite food? That what it is that you have 264 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: to have that your grandma makes for you that you 265 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: or that you would like want to replicate every time. 266 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 1: I mean they sounds very kind of typical. But it's kimchi. 267 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: Let's be real, it's kimchi a lot. Like it's not 268 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: just a lot, Like I have an obsession with kimchi 269 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 1: and like this this whole I had this whole crazy 270 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: phase of like um fermentation and I still do. Like 271 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 1: if you go into my kitchens there we have at 272 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: least thirty different types of kimchi from in our walk 273 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 1: in and yeah, every chance I get. I try to 274 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: experiment on a new type of kimchi or something traditional 275 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: that I've never made before that I saw in the documentary, 276 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 1: or you know, trying to replicate something that my grandma 277 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: made that I remember, but she can't really explain it 278 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: because she's like this that doesn't mean anything. Yeah, and 279 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: you're like that just hintful of what was that? Yeah? 280 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: I still call her to this day and I'm like, oh, 281 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: her money, like how do you make this dish? And 282 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: she can't even give me. It's it's the most outrageous explanation. 283 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 1: And I'm like, I don't know what you said at all. Yeah, 284 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: I think I read something that you came up at 285 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: the time. Kimchify ki. Yeah, yeah, that's a you can 286 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 1: pretty much kimchi fi everything, even human beings. Really wait wait, okay, 287 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 1: I got you now, But what was the weirdest or 288 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,439 Speaker 1: what was the biggest project you had to kimchify that 289 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:33,640 Speaker 1: you try to kimchi five? Besides people? Besides people? When 290 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: I say people, though, I just wanna just leving, I 291 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: don't want, but there are people that like just don't 292 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: like kimchi. Yeah, yeah, and I can't. I can't I 293 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: can't stand it, like I have to convert them like 294 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: I have, and I'll literally try, like my ass, I'll 295 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 1: be friends with that person out like whatever, and I'll 296 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: make sure in the end can walk away loving kimchi, 297 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: because there's no way you can't. That's like my thing, man, kimchi. 298 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: I mean I've pretty much kim She find any every 299 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: vegetable like and everything and anything. Um. One fun thing 300 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: that I've done before is like I made a green 301 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: kimchi so um. I used nap a cabbage, but instead 302 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: of using like red chili flakes and um, the traditional things, 303 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 1: I made my own green chili flakes from like green peppers, 304 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: and then I added like slantro and things like that 305 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: and made this like very new age type of like 306 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: green kimchi. And that was like something really fun that 307 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: I did. Yeah, so good, it's different. You know now 308 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: I'm going to be craving kimchi. Well, that's every day, 309 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: every day. It's a true thing. It's a true thing. 310 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 1: She is on a food show called Savor and she's 311 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:51,959 Speaker 1: did a whole episode of kimchi. She calls me, She's like, 312 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: what did you say? Is that's the best kimchi? Where 313 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: is that kimchi or talking? I need to know. Now. 314 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: He's that you've tried making your own kimchi. I've never 315 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,120 Speaker 1: tried making my own Okay, so that's a new project 316 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,199 Speaker 1: for you. She does this. She just gave me a project. 317 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: He's like, you're gonna cook this on microphone? Okay, all right? 318 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: I like projects. So now you've got to make it. 319 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 1: I mean, we talked about how to make it, and 320 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: I know how to do it, but now you have 321 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 1: to actually do it. Homework, you guys, send her a 322 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: batch so she knows what yours taste like. And then 323 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: oh my god, I'm gonna mail you guys. That would 324 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: be the best thing in the world, as long as 325 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: it does go everywhere. But I know that you have 326 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: a podcast on our network. We're super excited. I was 327 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 1: just on there. I got to eat food. I'm the 328 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: happiest person alive right now because I'm full of good 329 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 1: Korean food, which is called what Get Down with k 330 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: which I love. Are you gonna have some like K 331 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: pop in the background? Hell yeah, you know, it's all 332 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: about the K pop me. It's like in every Twitter feed, 333 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 1: like anybody response, there's just like a gift of a 334 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: like a you know, like, okay, we came a long way. 335 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: Look I'll kape up. UM. And then you and I 336 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: were talking about the fact that you had a documentary 337 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: UM called Her Name Is Chef? Can you kind of 338 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: talk about that? Yes? It was. It's incredible and I 339 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,959 Speaker 1: can't believe it's not released yet. UM. But basically five 340 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 1: female chefs in New York City, UM, and just telling 341 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:31,640 Speaker 1: their story of being a female chef in New York 342 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: and UM, all of us have our own restaurants, so 343 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: we're entrepreneurs as well. And it was basically, UM, a 344 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: storyline documentary about how I became a chef. UM. And 345 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 1: each episode highlights, you know, a different female chef. Yeah. 346 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 1: And but this this is the thing that I was 347 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: talking about, Like we all talked about, oh, like female, 348 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: what to like being a female chef? But I think 349 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: a lot of us don't think. I never thought of 350 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: it like that. We just thought we're chefs, right, We 351 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: were chefs, we do food and then UM, and then 352 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: this whole thing came about where you know, what's it 353 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 1: like to be a female chef? And I never thought 354 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 1: of myself as like I'm a female like chef. I 355 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: always just thought like, I'm a chef in the kitchen, 356 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: trying to be a chef. I'm a cook. I'm a 357 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 1: cook Indian. But yeah, of course a lot of these 358 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: issues come and I've never really even thought about it actually, 359 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: like even being like a female entrepreneur or anything like that. 360 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: I just did my best of my abilities to use 361 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:40,840 Speaker 1: what I had to be whoever I needed to be, 362 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: and um, whether that be like I've never thought of 363 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: myself as less because I couldn't like hold a huge 364 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: pad of oil. Yes, I can't carry that thing, but 365 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 1: guess what, I'm going to use my charm and ask 366 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: the in line cook next to me to carry that 367 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: for me because I can't carry it. Only so like 368 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: for me to maneuver around the kitchen, especially as someone 369 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: that's like a hundred pounds and five to guess what, 370 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: there's a lot of things that I can't do forasically, 371 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: but you have to know what skills you have to 372 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 1: maneuver around the kitchen, right, And that's what I did. 373 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 1: And I realized that very very early on. I'm like, well, 374 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: obviously I'm not going to be able to like work 375 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: sixteen hours sevent days a week like these guys do. 376 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 1: There's just no way. I know. It was not sustainable 377 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: for me because I would literally like come home like 378 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: dying after like a twelve hour shift, like my arm 379 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: like I couldn't even move my body. It was like that. Um, 380 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: so I had to quickly figure out like how do 381 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: I get up in this industry? And um how do 382 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: I stand out? But it never really I never really 383 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: had to think like how do I stand up as 384 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: a female. It's just I guess it's just who I 385 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: was anyway. Obviously I'm a female. But I never had 386 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: to think about it like that. I just did, right. 387 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:01,719 Speaker 1: And then later on after I did, that's when all 388 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: the topics came up and now I had to think 389 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 1: about I was like, yeah, yeah, how did I do 390 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 1: that as a as a girl? Right? Right? But I 391 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: guess for me, I never really thought of it like that. 392 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 1: It's just like how do I do? Not? How do 393 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: I do as a girl? Right? Yeah? I mean essentially 394 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: I think that's everything. You realize you're doing things and 395 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: everybody's like, well, you know now that you did this 396 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: as female, and like wait, what I have to I'm 397 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: a female? And then you look back on I realizing oh, 398 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: these were the obstacles that happened because I was fetle, 399 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: but I didn't realize because it's so inundated everyday lives 400 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: that it is obvious you more of this, and so 401 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: growing up with those obstacles, you don't know any different, 402 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 1: So why would you notice it? And then when you 403 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: start thinking on the exactly it was like that for me, 404 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:48,439 Speaker 1: And especially when I talk about being like sexually harassed 405 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: in the kitchen, which happened in everything day right in 406 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 1: the kitchens, especially being the only um female line cook, 407 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,640 Speaker 1: it just felt normal, which is horrible if you think 408 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 1: about it, and a lot of women couldn't take it. 409 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: A lot of females don't take it. They just leave, 410 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 1: They just don't even deal with it. Right by not 411 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: doing this For me, I was just like like I 412 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: would just have to shut it out or figure out 413 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,439 Speaker 1: a way to throw it back at it or just 414 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: like grow that thick skin where it didn't bother me, 415 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: and eventually like it didn't because I was just so 416 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: used to it. You crazy, Yeah, No, it's absolutely, I think. Well, 417 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna we talk about trauma, and we talked about 418 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: the different things. Is when you grow up not realizing Oh, 419 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: you're just within a really traumatic experience you don't understand 420 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,360 Speaker 1: from the outside. Was like, oh, hell you went through that, 421 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: and you're like, oh yeah, yeah, I guess it's like that, 422 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: like they never really like kind of about it like that, 423 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: just kind of that whole lot. It was, this is 424 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 1: what I expected and unfortunately we shouldn't have to. But 425 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 1: you do, and then you grow from it. You just 426 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: move on not thinking of everything else. It's kind of 427 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,639 Speaker 1: like Sharon Stone's comment when everything was going down with 428 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 1: me to air and the interview would he was like, 429 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 1: have you ever been you know, sexually her as she 430 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: started die laughing, like yeah, you know how I've been 431 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: in this industry, you know, the kind of that. But 432 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: the recognition is understanding again, but why did this have 433 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 1: to Why why is this so inundated as a norm 434 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 1: and it shouldn't have to be now for those who 435 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,399 Speaker 1: can't deal with it. Yeah, that's definitely a thing. I 436 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: think there's a lot of us we talk about. I've 437 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: I've been told with the trauma that I've experienced as 438 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:27,919 Speaker 1: well as the things that I've seen, people are like, 439 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: don't say this to some one so she can't handle it, 440 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: you know. Could you imagine, you know, something happened to 441 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: her and that kind of my immediate reaction is to 442 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 1: be like, who do you think you can actually handle this? 443 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:40,479 Speaker 1: Like if they chose on their own and before the 444 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: thing that happened, would never say, yeah, man, give me that, 445 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: give me that obstacle, let me have this experience, because 446 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: I could definitely handle it. You know, you don't. You 447 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: never realize what you can't can't handle until after it's done. 448 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,199 Speaker 1: And then after that it's like if it's normalized, you 449 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: don't even realize this as negative until you start going 450 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,439 Speaker 1: back on it, like, oh, oh yeah that was that 451 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: could have been worse and that shouldn't have to happen 452 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: and I shouldn't have had to do that, but okay, 453 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: but I accepted it. I moved on and I'm not 454 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: gonna I'm gonna gonna ruminate on that and move on, 455 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: which is an awesome skill hopefully that a lot of 456 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: trauma victims have to not hopefully but oftentimes have to 457 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: do anyway. But like, yeah, normalization, you just don't understand 458 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: until after the fact. Yeah, it's what you go through 459 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:28,399 Speaker 1: that kind of builds who you are, right, So, like 460 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 1: for me, I guess the reason why I'm so blunt 461 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: and I just like say whatever without thinking of people's feelings. 462 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: I've been told I was insensitive probably a million times, 463 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: but not because I want to be in such today. 464 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: It's just like what I had to go through to 465 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: get to where I'm at. I just have this personality 466 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 1: now that I can't. I'm just like I just say whatever, 467 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 1: and I'm very blunt, and it's just it's what I 468 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:58,440 Speaker 1: had to deal with, um get getting through this industry. 469 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: So it just was built and it's often like you 470 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: do see that portrayed a lot, a lot of women 471 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,159 Speaker 1: come out saying, yeah, deal with it, like grow up 472 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: and and and realizing that's what we did. It's not 473 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: that I'm trying to be insensitive. I'm just I have 474 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 1: this like personality of just I guess dealing with it 475 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:22,399 Speaker 1: because that's what I have that I know. It's so 476 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 1: Korean and it's just like for me in these kitchens. 477 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,120 Speaker 1: I think the reason why I was able to just 478 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: like power through it it was because you just have 479 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:36,679 Speaker 1: to cope with it, you know, being Asian and growing 480 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: up in a very white neighborhood as well, Like I 481 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 1: just had to deal with and cope with a lot 482 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: of things thrown at me, and it just being like 483 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: patient and growing that thick skin has been a part 484 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: of my life, and I guess that's part of the things, 485 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: Like I know, that's one of the things that I've 486 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: talked about. Growing up. I would make jokes of my 487 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: own culture and my ethnicity, often to ease everybody else's 488 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: uncomfortable nous, to the point that in college I remember 489 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 1: I said, I made a joke about my heritage or whatever, 490 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: and the dude was like, oh, you're one of those Asians. Cool, cool, cool, 491 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: You're cool. Like that's how he said it too, And 492 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: of course at that point I was like, oh, yeah, 493 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: I said something wrong. That much this happened. But I 494 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: definitely just gave way to all these white kids to 495 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: make jokes, uh, you know, for like at the cost 496 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 1: for me whatever, and like understanding that's what I grew 497 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: up with, so I've always been had thick skin. I'm like, oh, 498 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: that's fine, it's fine, yeah, make jokes like jokes. But 499 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: then I'm like, I'm just tired. I'm like, I'm tired 500 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 1: of having to be your joke because you can't figure 501 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: out what else to talk to me about, because so 502 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: the only thing you think is you're an Asian girl. 503 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: Let me make this joke, and I'm like, yeah, I'm 504 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: not as cute as you think, you know, like and 505 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: stuff like that. It's like you kind of grew up 506 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 1: thinking this, okay, not because it was a lifestyle. And 507 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: then again in the kitchen and especially one of those 508 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 1: pretty severe industry of like go cut, you cut yourself 509 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 1: too bad, wrap it up, move on. It's kind of 510 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 1: even that right now, it's a little literal fight, like 511 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: you're dying. Moving on, keep going off, move on. We 512 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: do have a little bit more for your listeners, but 513 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 1: first we have one worker break for words from our sponsors, 514 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 1: and we're back. We were talking about your fellowship. You 515 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 1: had a great support of women. How do you how 516 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: important is that, especially again in the industry that for 517 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 1: so many times, like you just want to be a chef, 518 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: but have to cope with the fight that people continually 519 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 1: have to classify you as this type of chef, this whatever. 520 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 1: Right that just that kind of drives me crazy. Like 521 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: the award best female Chef, right, I mean, I guess 522 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: it's the same thing as best Female Actress. I mean 523 00:30:57,760 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: it's just like, why do we have to like classify, 524 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: Like why can just be like that best actress and 525 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 1: it happened to be a female. Maybe we're not there yet, 526 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: but I hope to be there one day. Right, Um, 527 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: you're right, But still, yes, of course we still need 528 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:17,959 Speaker 1: that support system. But also, yeah, why can't it just 529 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 1: be I always think about that, Why can't we just 530 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: like be all like one big happy family. But yeah, 531 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 1: obviously it's it's just different being a female in the 532 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: industry that is male dominated. It you you still need 533 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 1: that support and you need that guidance in some way. 534 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: So it like, glaw, do you feel like it's so important? 535 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: Why do you think it's important for you to have 536 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: that kind of support system? I don't know a lot 537 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 1: of the opportunities that these types of programs are given 538 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: to me or the other women in the industry, it's 539 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: not the same. I feel like I've been giving more 540 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,000 Speaker 1: oportunities through James ran Foundation because I was in this 541 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: program and etcetera. So like for me that has been great. Um, 542 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 1: And obviously even if it was not a female driven program, 543 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: like I still would have try to apply for it, 544 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 1: right and to be accepted or not obviously, that's like 545 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 1: a whole other story, right, yeah, right, yeah, when it 546 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: comes to um, Korean food and Asian influenced food, maybe 547 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: a question that we have to cut out later. But 548 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:33,400 Speaker 1: I'm very intrigued because I just ask Like when I 549 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 1: watched different like cook shows or like uh cooking competitions, 550 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,720 Speaker 1: there's a lot of white people who are really obsessed 551 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 1: with Asian food. Um, and I was just thinking about it. 552 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 1: I don't see many Asian people whore like I was, 553 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna just cook French food, you know what. That's no, 554 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 1: Actually that's that's not the case. I've never seen it. 555 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: Where is it, because well you don't see it on media, 556 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: but like in the industry, like in New York, all 557 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 1: the freaking Asian kids are doing French food and free 558 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: and fine dining. But like nowadays the industry is changing 559 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: where a lot of the Asian I don't know, even 560 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: Korean or Asian whatever you want to say, Um, they're 561 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: now doing their food that they grew up with, like 562 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 1: food from their heritage. But before everyone wanted to to 563 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: just to find dining and French food. That's like a thing. 564 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: So like if you look at a lot of French kitchen, 565 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 1: so many of the cooks are Asian, and no one 566 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,360 Speaker 1: was doing like Asian food in a way where it 567 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:44,280 Speaker 1: was like fine dining or upscale or elevated, right, because 568 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 1: that type of food was known to be like the 569 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: quits are or like the local Chinese restaurant, or like um, 570 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:56,360 Speaker 1: the restaurants that your parents you know rand right, So 571 00:33:56,480 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 1: things are changing in the industry. But it's funny because 572 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 1: it's funny that you say that people want to do 573 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: Asian food, but like, no, it's it's also the opposite. 574 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: I have not seen it. Yeah, but you know what, 575 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:11,319 Speaker 1: like food is such a it's an art form and 576 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 1: subjective and people cook for different reasons. Um. Obviously for 577 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 1: me it has a lot to do with my identity 578 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: and my heritage. But not everyone is like that. They 579 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: want to just do beautiful food. Some people love the 580 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:30,080 Speaker 1: idea of technique and modern cuisine. So it just like 581 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:34,840 Speaker 1: really depends on the person, you know. So are we 582 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: coming back to the fact that Asian food is now 583 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 1: fine dining? Is that a fad? A lot of Asian 584 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 1: food is being reinterpreted in a very modern way, and 585 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: you don't you know what you don't want to say 586 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 1: that's wrong or right. It's it's an expression of who 587 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,920 Speaker 1: they are, right. So Yeah, a lot of the modern 588 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: Korean restaurants in New York or in l A there 589 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: it's it's not Korean food that I've ever known, but 590 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 1: it's their interpretation of Korean food because they are all 591 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: French trained and they worked in French kitchens for like 592 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:12,840 Speaker 1: twenty years. Yeah, and they're bringing their Korean flavors into 593 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: like a technique that has never been done and that's 594 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,600 Speaker 1: like their art form. So not no wrong or right 595 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:23,839 Speaker 1: answer in this one of my favorite uh places food. 596 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:26,200 Speaker 1: I guess it's a restaurant. Yeah, it's a restaurant that's 597 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:29,800 Speaker 1: Heirloom barbecue, which is a Korean I've her and what 598 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:36,759 Speaker 1: amazing so good. So so it's Southern barbecue with Korean hence. Yeah, 599 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: so she does a lot of kimchi stuff as well, 600 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 1: and then they do a lot of Korean splices. But 601 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:43,719 Speaker 1: he does like he's a white chef and she is 602 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:46,440 Speaker 1: a Korean chefs and they come together and it's a glorious, 603 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 1: beautiful marriage. But it's almost opes outside of here. Outside 604 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: is that that is Atlanta? Very very okay, But you know, 605 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: it's my first time in Atlanta, right, So yeah, so 606 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 1: you came yesterday and all you've done is go to 607 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:11,959 Speaker 1: the hotel and cook at you the Friends place. Yeah yeah, 608 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:15,399 Speaker 1: basically a shell. Yeah. But you know we're in Pont 609 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: City Market right, modeled after Chelsea Market. Yes, same developer. 610 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 1: I know about this market like way before because my 611 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:29,080 Speaker 1: restaurants in Chelsea Market. So um yeah, I've always like, 612 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 1: if I ever opened a restaurant in Atlanta, it's going 613 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,720 Speaker 1: to be in Pont City Market. Yes, please, yes, please, 614 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:39,879 Speaker 1: more more food. Um? So when do you actually leave? Um? 615 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,879 Speaker 1: I leave Wednesday mornings. You can do some things I'm 616 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 1: really not going to be able to because I have 617 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 1: more interviews and I have to like cook for all 618 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,480 Speaker 1: my guests. And it's been like, yeah, I've been a 619 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 1: very crazy did you mean to sign up for like that? 620 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:57,200 Speaker 1: I mean all of that was like my idea, and 621 00:36:57,719 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: you know, being a chef at everything and food myself, 622 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 1: it's like it's like a gateway into your heart. So 623 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,839 Speaker 1: that is I'm agree with automatic. When I was told 624 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:13,839 Speaker 1: I was gonna get cooked, so you know, wor um 625 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 1: I was gonna ask so and we talked about your 626 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:19,520 Speaker 1: grandma's food. What is your all time comfort food if 627 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:21,960 Speaker 1: you're having a bad day and you just need something 628 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:26,520 Speaker 1: that's just homie. What is your all time other than kimchi? Um, 629 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 1: it's a form of kimchi. Of course, it's kimchi, which 630 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 1: kim chie stew and um. I love anything like brothy, 631 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 1: like I need soup like all the time, every single meal. 632 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:41,399 Speaker 1: I think it is in her language. Yeah, because you're 633 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:44,480 Speaker 1: cold all the time, that's basic. That's like me. I'm 634 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:49,319 Speaker 1: literally old all the time, right, um but yeah, so 635 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:54,400 Speaker 1: that's why I love like very hot, supy food. Um. 636 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 1: So that anytime anything with broth usually it's like my 637 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 1: all time comfort food. Um. But you see, if I 638 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:02,839 Speaker 1: have to choose like a death row meal, it would 639 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:07,239 Speaker 1: be like kim chi stu kim So where can our 640 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 1: listeners find you? Um? So, I'm at Troy Bites c 641 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:15,359 Speaker 1: h O I Bites that's my present Instagram and then 642 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,440 Speaker 1: my restaurant is muk bar m O k b A 643 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 1: R Underscore NYC and miss you ms dot y o O. 644 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:29,080 Speaker 1: So this brings us to the end of our interview 645 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: with Esther Troy. We hope you enjoyed it. I'm glad 646 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 1: we finally got to share it. It's been on our 647 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: calendar since March and we kept having to work. Right, man, 648 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:39,279 Speaker 1: It's so funny to listen back on some of the 649 00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 1: things we talked about. Look, yes, look we did sitting 650 00:38:42,520 --> 00:38:45,360 Speaker 1: next to each other within six ft we were, we 651 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:48,239 Speaker 1: could see each other. There wasn't an internet delay that 652 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 1: may think lightly awkward. Any awkwardness was all on our own. 653 00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: Um yeah, and it is odd. I don't know if 654 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:01,480 Speaker 1: anyone else experiences this, but anything for um pre pandemic 655 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:05,560 Speaker 1: and lockdown feels almost like a relic to me, like 656 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:10,320 Speaker 1: like I've uncovered some ancient fossil of Rannie. It feels 657 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:12,239 Speaker 1: like a whole different time. Like you're like, that was 658 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:15,320 Speaker 1: a whole generation difference, right, Yeah, I was a different 659 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 1: person then. I still like put on different clothes. I 660 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:23,560 Speaker 1: still did my hair and makeup. I think we talked 661 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 1: about her, how she cute, she looks, and she's so 662 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:28,440 Speaker 1: dressed up, And then we were like, oh, I was 663 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,040 Speaker 1: in my Parker. I actually specifically remember being in my 664 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:34,000 Speaker 1: heavy puffy jacket. It's terrible for recording because it rustles 665 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 1: every time you but I was cold. Um yeah, so 666 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:45,759 Speaker 1: go subscribe to your podcast, check out Samantha's episode and 667 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,920 Speaker 1: all the episodes. You can do that wherever podcasts are found, 668 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,000 Speaker 1: and if you would like to reach us, you can 669 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: our emails, Stuff Media, Mom Stuff at iHeart media dot com. 670 00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:57,279 Speaker 1: You can also find us on Instagram at Stuff I 671 00:39:57,360 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 1: Never Told You or on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast. Then, 672 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 1: as always to our super producer Andrew Howard, thank you 673 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,239 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. Stephane Never Told You 674 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:08,759 Speaker 1: the protection of iHeart Radio. For more podcast on iHeart Radio, 675 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 1: visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you 676 00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:12,240 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows,