Lucky Chow
Season 2
An exploration of Asian cuisine's impact on food culture with Danielle Chang, Founder of the LUCKYRICE Festival, a nationwide showcase of Asian food culture in the United States, and innovative Asian chefs and personalities.
Where to Watch Season 2
7 Episodes
- Japan: Food As Fetish
E1Japan: Food As FetishExploring American manifestations of otaku, the Japanese trope that combines cutting-edge pop culture with fetishistic obsession, Danielle visits New York’s first cat cafe; a Brooklyn izakaya run by a Frenchman in thrall to Japanese anime and manga; and a California suburban mom who’s a star on the international bento-box circuit. Danielle gets in the sumo ring with a 600-pound opponent. - Big Business in Little Saigon
E2Big Business in Little SaigonThree Asian-American entrepreneurs talk about the secrets of their success: Tim Wildin, the young Chipotle executive whose Thai aunties’ recipes contribute to the menu at Shophouse; Lynda Trang Dai, once known as the Vietnamese Madonna and now the queen of banh mi sandwiches in Orange County’s Little Saigon; and Charles Phan, the ground-breaking chef whose restaurant was named best in the country. - Made in Chinese America
E3Made in Chinese AmericaDanielle checks out an industrial kitchen where traditional “confinement meals” are made for new mothers across the country; an underground Manhattan cocktail den whose main ingredient is the fiery liquor baijiu, the world’s most heavily consumed spirit; and a wedding in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown where old world and new meet at the banquet table and on the dance floor. - Farm to Table, Asian Style
E4Farm to Table, Asian StyleRoss Koda, a third-generation Japanese-American, runs a renowned Central Valley rice farm and hopes to keep it in the family. Kristyn Leach, a Korean adoptee, hand grows artisanal, heirloom Asian produce for one of San Francisco’s most popular restaurants. And on the gorgeous Half Moon Bay coast, a pair of electricians who saw a gap in the market operate America’s first wasabi farm. - India Arrives
E5India ArrivesDanielle interviews a former financier who offers a light, healthy take on Indian classics at his fast-casual start-up Inday; the adventurous restaurateurs behind Babu Ji, where meticulous preparations and a Bollywood vibe have led to breakout success; and a Silicon Valley engineer who got her start in the food business selling homemade chai by bicycle in the hills of San Francisco. - Food of the Gods
E6Food of the GodsThe relationship between faith and food is evident at three Asian houses of worship: an imposing Buddhist temple where Danielle is served an artful vegetarian feast; a Sikh temple where she helps cook Indian flatbread for a communal meal where all are welcome; and a Queens mosque’s annual food fair, where she samples Indonesian dishes and learns about life as a Muslim in America. - Taiwan's True Flavor
E7Taiwan's True FlavorCathy Erway, author of “Foods of Taiwan,” hits a Chinatown market and then makes the island’s most famous dish, beef noodle soup. At Taiwan Bear House, started by homesick young expats, Danielle tries a New York take on the box lunches known as biandang. And in California’s Orange County, she pays a twilight visit to America’s closest counterpart to a classic Taiwanese night market.