Asian American LEAD (AALEAD)

Next up on this week's chef features is the incredible Chef Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit! 🌟 Chef Kevin, owner of the nationally celebrated Moon Rabbit, is a 5-time James Beard nominee, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington's 2023 Chef of the Year, and Food & Wine's 2018 Best New Chef. He was also named Esquire's 2021 Best Restaurant of the Year! 🍴 His menu blends tradition and innovation, reinventing recipes passed down through generations while preserving the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. As a first-generation Vietnamese chef, Chef Kevin’s modern approach highlights the true flavors of Vietnam in every dish. 🌿 Chef Kevin is also the co-founder of Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate, an organization bringing together chefs to support AAPI and social justice causes. Since its inception in 2021, it has raised over $500K for various organizations through dinners and take-out meals. Don’t miss your chance to taste Chef Kevin’s award-winning food and hear more about his incredible story at Taste of Asia! 🍽️ 🎟️ Secure your tickets here: https://buff.ly/JftCsSf

We’re continuing our chef features this week, and to kick things off, we have the talented Chef Chico Dator of Modan! 🍣 As the Executive Chef at Modan Restaurant, Chef Chico brings over a decade of experience as a sushi chef, blending traditional Japanese techniques with modern innovations and Southeast Asian influences. His dishes are a beautiful fusion of seasonal ingredients, meticulous preparation, and vibrant flavors that reflect his unique culinary perspective. Beyond the kitchen, Chef Chico is passionate about building strong relationships with both his team and the guests he serves, creating a true sense of family at Modan. His leadership and dedication drive the success of his restaurant, and we’re thrilled to have him join us for Taste of Asia! Don’t miss the chance to experience Chef Chico’s incredible flavors—get your tickets now! 🍴 🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://buff.ly/kVDhRRC

🍰 Next up in our Taste of Asia chef spotlight is the talented Caroline Ta of SweetsbyCaroline! 🍰 Caroline is the owner and baker behind SweetsbyCaroline, a Maryland-based pop-up bakery that specializes in French macarons, cakes, and Asian-inspired desserts. Her passion for baking started at a young age, learning from her mom, and was ignited even further after winning a pitch competition in college. Despite being a full-time student, Caroline ran her business straight from her college apartment — talk about dedication! 📚🧁 ✨ After graduation, she took the leap to pursue her dream full-time, outgrowing her home kitchen and launching her bakery from a commercial kitchen. Now, Caroline’s Bakery Bus — a 1992 Volkswagen converted into a mobile bakery — travels to pop-up markets across the DMV, collaborates with local chefs, and hosts baking classes. 🚐🎂 We are so excited to indulge in Caroline's sweet creations at A Taste of Asia! Don't miss out on her delicious desserts! 🍩 🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://buff.ly/tZKLG9z

🌟 Next up in our Taste of Asia chef spotlight is the amazing Rahul Vinod of RASA! 🌟 Rahul is the co-founder of the DMV’s beloved fast-casual Indian restaurant brand, RASA. Growing up in the food industry as the son of renowned Indian chef KN Vinod, Rahul experienced firsthand how many Americans faced barriers when trying Indian cuisine. This inspired him to partner with his childhood best friend to create RASA, where they aim to share the bold, vibrant flavors of Indian food in a more approachable way. 🍛 RASA has received tons of critical acclaim, including being named Best Concept Mid-Atlantic by Starchefs in 2022 and Best New Restaurant by Washington City Paper in 2018! Beyond the kitchen, Rahul's support of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic earned him recognition as a Thrillist Local Hero and a Local Changemaker by Washington City Paper. 🙌 We are so excited that Rahul will be joining us for Taste of Asia, bringing his incredible dishes that are inspired by his upbringing and experiences. You won’t want to miss it! 🍴 🎟️ Get your tickets now: https://buff.ly/1XAaiIO

OUR EARLY BIRD DEADLINE IS EXTENDED! 🥳 We've had a ton of interest in our event, and it's only getting us that much more excited for this foodie event! With this excitement, we want more of you to join us... so we've decided to extend our early bird admission ticket deadline to Friday, April 4 at 5 PM! Don't miss out on your chance to enjoy some of the most amazing food from local AAPI celebrity chefs! It will be a night of connection, celebration, and of course, delicious food! 🎉 🍲 🍣 See which featured chefs will be joining us 👀 and secure your tickets at: https://buff.ly/LL0ivhu

🔥 Kicking off our Taste of Asia chef spotlight is the one and only Peter Chang! 🔥 Peter Chang is a highly awarded chef known for his authentic Szechuan cooking and his ever-growing, devoted following. Born in Wuhan, China, and later moving to Chengdu to study classical Chinese cooking, Peter discovered his love for Sichuan peppercorns, chilis, and pickles. 🌶️ After serving as the chef for the Chinese ambassador in Washington, DC, nearly 30 years ago, he went on to build his own culinary empire, with restaurants across the East Coast. From his famous dry-fry cauliflower and seafood to the mala-flavored dishes and hometown specialty Wuhan sesame noodles, Peter Chang’s creations are nothing short of extraordinary. And don't forget about his wife Lisa, a Chinese pastry chef, who crafted the viral bubble pancake! Together, they’re an unstoppable duo and the heart of the Peter Chang brand. We are beyond thrilled to have Peter Chang join us for Taste of Asia! You won’t want to miss out on tasting his incredible dishes. Secure your tickets now and join us for a night of unforgettable flavors! 🍜 🎟️ Tickets: https://buff.ly/x2jdshr

🌸 Happy April, everyone! 🌸 It's officially THE month... Taste of Asia is happening on the 30th, and we are SO excited! 🎉 Get ready to indulge in mouth-watering dishes from some of the most talented local celebrity chefs. Plus, we'll be reigniting our passion to empower AAPI youth through this incredible event! 🙌 As we kick off the month, we're taking a moment every day to spotlight each of our featured chefs. These chefs were carefully chosen for their inspiring stories, culinary skills, and dedication to the community. Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks to learn more about the amazing individuals behind the flavors you'll soon savor! 🍜🍣🍚

Join us for our Embracing Our Minds mental health workshop! 🧠 Our previous session was a phenomenal experience filled with dancing and meaningful connections. This week, we're excited to explore art as a form of expression and engage in insightful discussions on improving family communication. Don't miss your chance to win fantastic prizes like a digital camera, self-care sets, and Visa gift cards! Sign up now at: https://buff.ly/rN3dVZv

Are you signed up for our email list? 👀 Every quarter, we share out what we've been up to with our youth! From Wizards games, ice skating, to celebrating International Women's Month, this quarter's edition is one you don't want to miss! Sign up for our newsletter at our website at: aalead.org

We had an absolute BLAST at our last "Embracing Our Minds" session! 🥳 There was lots of dancing, laughter, and connection 😀 We hope that you'll join us for the next session on April 5! We'll be learning to paint about our emotions and discussing how certain beliefs shape our wellbeing. 🎨 💬 You will also have a chance to win a digital camera, self-care sets, or visa gift cards if you join us! Don't miss out! To learn more and sign up, go to the event page at: https://buff.ly/rcvKgbu