Open Belly Podcast

Have you guys heard about ? The lovely ladies behind this subscription box reached out to me, and I loved their mission and story, so I wanted to share it with you. I know this seems like a sponsored post, but it actually isn't—I just think it's a really cool gift idea for your loved ones (or yourself!) Here's a little bit about Tuk Tuk Box:

It seems as if our country is divided more now than ever - both physically and ideologically. The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented us from being in community with one another, while also making it easier to get into oftentimes unproductive arguments with people about race on the internet.

Tuk Tuk Box is trying to tackle both of these issues. A Southeast Asian women founded and led company, their mission is to share Southeast Asian culture and experiences through food, bringing ancestral stories from their kitchen to yours. They offer curated subscription boxes and products, partnering with vetted small business owners and local farmers from Southeast Asian communities.

As more and more of us start to have difficult conversations about race in this country, we cannot forget about Asian Americans. Asian communities as a whole are getting targeted with blame for COVID-19, and frankly many people view Asian Americans as all the same. This misunderstanding is extremely harmful, as Asian Americans are extremely diverse. Too often Southeast Asians (Lao, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Malaysian, and many more) are not represented and are left out of the conversation.

Tuk Tuk Box shares immigrant, migrant, and refugee stories in every box in an aim to bring visibility to Southeast Asian communities and create a cross-cultural bridge. So while you enjoy your delicious Southeast Asian snacks that are delivered straight to your door (and hopefully try something new), you also have the opportunity to learn about unique experiences of people from the Southeast Asian diaspora.

To learn more about Tuk Tuk Box, visit tuktukbox.com

📸 : Unison Creative, Louiemark Ambata

New merch alert! KC Runs on Hospitality is back with hot new apparel for your fall weather needs. As always, 100% of net proceeds will go directly back to locally-owned restaurants in KC to distribute to their employees. Preorder now at the link in bio or head over to kcrunsonhospitality.com for more info!

Every Labor Day weekend, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition () hosts and InterNASHional Food Crawl event where participants travel to over 60 immigrant-owned restaurants in Nashville, tasting cuisines from all around the world. This year, the event has shifted for obvious safety reasons, and is now called the InterNASHional Food Series, and is spread out over the months of September & October. In today's episode, we're chatting with Leah Hashinger, Development Director at TIRRC to learn a little more about the event. Later in the episode, you’ll hear from two chefs who are participating in the event -- Mangal Tamang of Radjdhani Groceries & Cafe and Lokelani Alabanza of SATURATED Ice Cream. Loke took part in the Persian Picnic Basket experience during the food series, which took place earlier this month. I love how Loke is using ice cream as a medium to tell nostalgic stories of generations before her. Take a listen wherever you get your podcasts! 📸: Emily Dorio

If you’re in KC, you won’t want to miss this weekend’s soft opening of

The Patch @ Preston Family Farms
2202 W Main St
Greenwood, MO 64034

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10am-6pm!

COME SUPPORT, and listen to Jackie’s story on this week’s episode! 📸:

Meet Jackie Nguyen of Cafe Cà Phê. Jackie's brand new Vietnamese mobile coffee shop, which rolls out later this month, is about to be the hottest coffee shop in Kansas City. When I first heard about Jackie's story, I was inspired by her drive, passion, and willingness to put herself out there to become a first-time business owner in a city where she had only lived for 3 months. After exceeding her Kickstarter goal and gaining a ton of support from the community, I have no doubt that she'll have a huge cult following in no time. Take a listen to her story on today's episode, wherever you get your podcasts! 📸:

A few snaps from 😍 Berty’s family would gather around the table for hours when he was a kid, and now you can share that experience at his restaurant! 📸: Erin Frazier

Meet Berty Richter, the owner and chef of an Israeli street food restaurant in Austin, Texas. Berty was born and raised in Israel to an American-Hungarian father and a Turkish mother, in a home that cared deeply about food and gathering around the table. Now Berty is bringing his family’s food to the Austin community through his restaurant, . Thank you for introducing us to Berty! 📸: Julia Heim

“When I went to culinary school, I was still struggling with English. I was the only Black person in the whole school. I went to school in Vermont at the New England Culinary Institute. It was very different for me. You know, here I am, out of my comfort zone again, from Senegal to New York, and here I am around all of these people who don't know who I am. I've got to fit into their lifestyle.” - Serigne Mbaye, Dakar Nola. You can hear more of Serigne’s story on this week’s episode of the podcast.

Check out some of the dishes from this week's episode, served up at
✨Shrimp & Fonio Grits⁣
✨Domoda: Senegalese seafood tomato sauce, gulf fish, fresh tomatoes, jazzman rice⁣
✨Soupa Konja: Senegalese seafood okra gumbo, palm oil & steamed rice⁣
✨Fonio salad: West African millet, Creole tomato, seasonal fruit, sweet red onion, lemon vinaigrette.

Today we’re talking with Serigne Mbaye, a 26-year-old Senagalese chef based in New Orleans. Even with just a few years of professional cooking experience, Serigne has been getting a lot of attention for his passion for introducing Americans to Senagalese food. He was named an Eater Young Gun in 2018, and he’s worked in Michelin starred restaurants in both San Francisco and New York, but now he’s found his home in New Orleans where he’s hosting regular pop-up dinners known as , exploring the connections between the foods of Louisiana and Senegal. I think you’re gonna love Serigne — he is one of the kindest souls I’ve had a chance to interview, and he’s just a lot of fun. You can take a listen wherever you get your podcasts. Photo credit: Jeff Johnston

If you're in the Denver area, you're in luck... you can try the dishes from this week's episode with a few easy clicks on the platform. Head over to urbanburma.co, go to eat.chownow.com, or download the ChowNow app in the iOS or Android store to place an order today. Thank you for sharing your story with us! 📸: