Ashley Du was living on her own and working before she was 15 years old. She got married, had two kids, and got divorced before she was 21. For most, that would be a recipe for a life of struggle and problems, but Ashley turned it around and started her own childcare business in San Francisco, which she has run and grown to a lucrative business for over 13 years (expanding to a 3rd location in San Mateo in 2026)!  We had a great chat, and I am impressed by all she's accomplished and become. I hope you enjoy our chat! You can follow Ashley @inashsworld on Instagram or at her website https://ashleydu.com. You can watch/listen to her podcast on YouTube by searching for Ashley Du or wherever you get podcasts. You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Listen and subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We would love your ratings and reviews, too! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters  

We're still chillaxing during our winter break, but here's one of my favorite interviews from 2023. It's with Lan Lam! If you watch America's Test Kitchen or Techniquely, you've seen Lan. She is so great at explaining food and food science that kitchen noobs and experienced cooks can all learn from her! This chat was so much fun, we've had Lan on a few more times! (with Andrea Nguyen, ep 84, and the intro for Sarah Ahn, ep 167)  I hope you're having a wonderful end of the year. Happy New Year to everyone! And we'll be back with new episodes in January! PC: America's Test Kitchen via YouTube

Happy Holidays to all who are celebrating! I'm taking 2 weeks off, but just in case you need something to listen to on a drive, your walk, while you're wrapping presents, or in the kitchen... here's a replay of an episode from March 2023! Stephanie Jae Park grew up on Guam. Her mom is a professional opera singer. Stephanie started performing on Broadway, NYC in the days before Hamilton, when the roles she would be considered for were limited. The musical Hamilton changed all of that! I hope you enjoy this episode, no matter what you're doing this week!  Follow Stephanie @stephanieslaypark on social media. Give us a follow @infatuasianpodcast. Write to us at infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com. Please give us a rating and a review on Spotify or Apple!  

Another year is coming to a close, and so I wanted to do a Wrapped Episode and share my Top 5 Episodes of the year. And who better to share it with than Sarah Ahn, of Ahnest Kitchen! It was really fun catching up with Sarah. We talked about a lot of podcast things, and recapped her amazing year, too! Thanks to Sarah for helping me with this episode. Get a copy of her family's amazing cookbook, Umma, and, of course, follow her on social media at @ahnestkitchen. Please listen and follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme:“Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by @invictusquartet #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

I had a guest cancel on me last week, but as fate would have it, a PR team that I've worked with before reached out about interviewing Nico Santos! Nico is an actor that you may have seen as Mateo on Superstore, and he was definitely memorable as the all-knowing and all-seeing cousin, Oliver T'sien, in Crazy Rich Asians.  It was a very brief but fun chat with Nico. I hope to have him on again and do a proper interview. Follow Nico @nicosantos on social media, and go watch Nico on St. Denis Medical this coming week! St. Denis Medical airs on NBC Tuesdays at 8 PM, or streaming on Peacock.  We'll be back next week for our annual End-of-the-Year, Wrapped Episode. This time, cohosted by Sarah Ahn of Ahnest Kitchen. Listen on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! And follow us on social media @infatuasianpodcast Thanks for listening! #asianamerican #asianpodcast #stdenismedical #crazyrichasians

Episode 200 y'all! I can't think of a more fitting guest for our 200th episode. Randall Park is the epitome of an infatuAsian! He is an uber-talented actor that we've all seen in multiple huge projects. He is a champion of Asian representation in front of and behind the camera, and he has his own action figure! We are obsessed with him!  Hear Randall talk about his early days of writing and producing silly online skits and shorts, as well as behind-the-scenes stories of some of his biggest hits like Fresh Off the Boat and Always Be My Maybe. I had the best time, and really could have chatted with him for hours and hours! Special thanks to this week's co-host, Ada Tseng, for introducing me to Randall. Go listen to her podcast, Saturday School, wherever you get your podcasts, and follow her @adatseng88 on Instagram, and check out her book, Breaking Into New Hollywood, available wherever you get books! And extra-special thanks to all you listeners who have stuck with me for some of these 200 episodes! Can't tell you how blessed I am to be able to bring these episodes to you! I'd love a rating or review from you on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Give us a follow over @infatuasianpodcast on Instagram or Facebook. Send me an email at Infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com Our Theme:“Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  #randallpark #asianactor #alwaysbemymaybe #freshofftheboat #jimmywoo #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

I had a fun chat with 3 amazing women who are doing cool things in the Asian American entrepreneurial community. Cindy Lim is the Head of Brand at Yuzu, an Asian centered dating app that's part of the Match Group. Julie Zhu and Gloria Liu created a community-building card game to help get people talking about deeper things. In September 2025, the three collaborated to put on a social gathering called the Feel Real Campaign. We had fun talking about how that went and potential events in the future. Find out more by following @joinyuzu and @playoddonein  Thank you to my guests, Cindy, Gloria, and Julie! I'm sure we'll hear about more great projects from them in the future! You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  #asiancompanies #oddonein #yuzu #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

We have a rare Monday special episode! Amanda was in town, and so I wanted to record a quick episode to mention that she'll be at On Waverly on Thursday, November 20th, 2025, at 4 PM. Drop by to get a copy of her new book, How to Break a Girl, and meet Amanda in person. The story centers on 3 Asian Canadian immigrant best friends, who are navigating life and love in their 30s while dealing with work, family, and generational trauma.  Warning: the book deals with domestic violence, s*xual abuse, and thoughts of suicide.  Follow Amanda @amandasung on Instagram to hear about more in-person events. Get a copy of How to Break a Girl on Amazon, or in person at On Waverly! We'll be back with episode 199 later this week, but we'll be taking Thanksgiving week off, followed by EPISODE #200 in December!!!  Thanks for listening! #asianauthor #asianpodcast #asiancanadian #asianamerican #veryasian #representationmatters

We're back at it with our annual K-Drama Draft episode. This year, we're switching it up and assembling a dream cast, including a writer/director and an OST performer. In addition to my usual co-hosts, Jennifer and Nadira, we're bringing back the PodMother herself, Judy! If you haven't heard my origin story, Judy and her pod partner, Linda, were the inspiration for this podcast in 2021. The four of us had fun picking actors we would love to see in a drama together, with some picks being questioned more than others. Special thanks to Judy, who you can listen to at K-Drama My Eyes out, and follow @kdramamyeyesout on social media. Congrats on 9 years!  Thanks as usual to my day-1 podcast friends Nadira and Jennifer, I hope we're still doing this years from now too! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by @invictusquartet  As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We could use your ratings and reviews over at Apple. And now Spotify! #kdrama #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

Gloo Books produces seven Very Asian Guides to cuisines from around Asia. The seventh book in the series was written by my guest, Nancy Jeng, and is illustrated by the talented Felicia Liang. If you're unfamiliar with Taiwanese food, it's a really good primer to introduce you to iconic Taiwanese foods. If you're a Taiwanese food connoisseur, the book will take you down memory lane. It can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Follow Nancy @nomsfrommom, and Felicia can be found @byfelicialiang You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by the Invictus Quartet #asianauthor #taiwanese #asianfood #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

The Blackboard 4 is back with some more ghost stories! We have a new member with us this time, it's Jordan! And Jordan did not disappoint, stealing the show with two stories that have to be heard to be believed! Of course, Vicky and Jackie came through as well; there was not a dry eye in the house! Special thanks to @onwaverly for letting us use the Clubhouse to record. And also thanks to Chat GPT for writing a VERY entertaining version of the Korean Sackman legend! (as well as generating the cover art for this episode) Thanks as always to Jackie, Vicky, and newcomer Jordan! You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by Arms All Around #asianghosts #ghostsofchinatown #chinatownsf #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

There are thousands of cookie cookbooks out there, but only one of them is an Asian themed cookie book! Kat Lieu’s latest book, 108 Asian Cookies, is full of cookie recipes that are so creative and delicious. The recipes are full of fun flavor combinations, packed with Asian ingredients that make them a unique homage to our cultures. Get 108 Asian Cookies wherever you get books. Follow Kat @katlieu or over at her website https://www.modernasianbaking.com/ You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by the @InvictusQuartet #asianbaking #asiancookies #subtleasianbaking #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters  

Author Jamie Jo Hoang has written a pair of companion books, My Father the Panda Killer and My Mother the Mermaid Chaser. They explore the Vietnamese American experience through the eyes of American-born teenagers and their refugee parents. They are fictional, but history "adjacent" for many children of immigrants. Also joining me on this episode is returning guest, licensed clinical social worker, Allison Ly, who came on episode #129 last year. I had a feeling Allison would love these books, and I was right! Get Jamie's book, My Mother the Mermaid Chaser, wherever you get books. Follow her on social media @heyjamiereads.  And follow Allison @heyallisonly and check out her website www.heyallisonly.com , where you can also find her podcast, Empowered with Immigrant Parents.  You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by Invictus Quartet in Melbourne, Australia #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

On a warm September evening, 5 cooks/chefs gathered at the On Waverly Clubhouse to share and sample dishes with a live studio audience. It was a fantastic night of food and community. Our tastebuds may never be the same! Cooking for us was 2x James Beard award winner and cookbook author, Kristina Cho @eatchofood. Co-owner and part-time cook at Little Aloha restaurant on Taraval, Winchell Chow @littlealohasf. Program manager and cooking instructor with @18reasons, Elise Hayashi, using a recipe from @flavor_explosions. Cooking instructor, dumpling master, and entrepreneur, Eddie Lo @eatingwithedmund. And last but not least, home cooks and sister duo, Nicole and Sam Lugtu, using a recipe from the Marne Thai cookbook @marnee_thai. Thanks to all who participated! Thanks to my helper/interns: Cathy, Christy, Megan, and Rico! Thanks to @onwaverly for hosting us. It's always fun to do a collab with Freesia and Sam Lee, hosts of @worstqualitycrab, let's do it again soon!  You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme:“Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

Since we usually release episodes on Tuesday evenings, I figured we could squeeze in one more #chinforthewin guest in September! Curtis S. Chin is a business leader and public affairs and policy specialist. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Milken Institute.  He has spent much of his life bridging the gap between America and Asia.  Find out more about Curtis @asiaminute or over at https://milkeninstitute.org/events/asia-summit-2023/speakers/curtis-chin You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please listen and follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around   #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

There is nothing I enjoy more on this podcast than catching up with former students of mine! Justin Chin graduated about 25 years ago, and we hadn't spoken since. It was an extra-pleasant surprise to hear that he is the general manager at San Francisco's hottest restaurant, The Happy Crane. I had to call him up to find out how a kid who skipped college to go to the Marines ended up in fine dining. I had a blast listening to Justin's stories, and I'm so happy he's doing great! You can, of course, find The Happy Crane at their website or make a reservation at OpenTable. Check out their Instagram @thehappycranesf You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @theinfatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  #thehappycrane #sfrestaurants #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

I know for a fact that Jeff Chinn is NOT related to me (listen to the episode to find out how I know)! But besides being a double N Chinn, he's the world's foremost Bruce Lee memorabilia collector. His collection is immense and important. Even Bruce's widow Linda and daugther Shannon Lee have been to the Bruce Lee Room at Jeff's house. I had a great time hearing Jeff's stories and seeing part of his amazing collection. You can see some of Jeff's collection on display at the We Are Bruce Lee exhibit @chsamuseum here in San Francisco. If you come on a Wednesday or Saturday, there's a chance Jeff will be leading a docent tour of the exhibit, so call ahead to make sure he's there  (tell them the InfatuAsian Podcast sent you)! To see pictures of Jeff's collection, you can follow him on Facebook @Jeffchinn You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by @invictusquartet  #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

Our 2nd Chinn for the Win Episode, and what better way to celebrate than to have a double N Chinn!  Surae Chinn is a TV host in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the lifestyle show Good Things Utah. Surae is such a professional with a sunny disposition and bright personality; it was a real treat to chat with her! Follow Surae @suraechinn on social media, and keep an eye out for her new side hustle #chinnfluence. Segments of her series on adults living with ADHD can be found HERE (or if that link didn’t work, you can search for “TV Host Opens Up about Late ADHD Diagnosis”). Write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by @invictusquartet Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #asiantvhost #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

Happy Chin(n) for the Win Month! All our guests this month have the name Chin(n), and that's NOT just a gimmick; all our Chin guests are interesting, fun, and all have unique and interesting jobs! I figured it was appropriate to start the month with none other than Curtis Chin! Curtis is the author of the award-winning memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. It chronicles about 20 years of Curtis' youth growing up in his family's restaurant in Detroit in the 70s and 80s. It is a poignant and fun read, get a copy wherever you get books. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get podcasts! Follow Curtis on social media @Curtischin8, or over at his website https://www.curtisfromdetroit.com/  We have a new arrangement of our theme song! Our friends from Melbourne, the amazing @invictusquartet, helped arrange and perform a new version of “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios. Thanks Nyssa, Jin, Bec, and Anika! Write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #asianauthor #asianamericanbook #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters  

Adonis has popped up on my Instagram feed many times over the past 2 years. He's a local guy visiting some of Daly City and San Francisco's best mom-and-pop restaurants. His recommendations always hit, so I wanted to hear more about how he got into content creation. I felt like it was only appropriate to break bread together as we chatted, so we popped on down to New Lun Ting in Chinatown for some roast pork and oxtails. Pardon the noise and me talking with my mouth full, but we had a great time! Check out Adonis @imadoniseats on Instagram and YouTube. You'll find your next favorite hole-in-the-wall grub'n food joint! Write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #SF #Dalycity #bayareafood #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters