This Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) hosts the return of its celebrated Rising Chefs Series, a dinner pop-up series convening emerging Asian American chefs as a celebration of food, culture and the spirit of innovation.
Taking place within the JACCC’s Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center (TWCCC), previously home to acclaimed culinary residencies such as Hansei and n/soto, the series will feature innovative restaurant concepts inspired by the Asian American stories and experiences of chefs H Woo Lee, Debi Min, and Pete Duong.
Each week will feature a new immersive dinner experience, including a 5-course pre-fixe menu inspired by each chef’s cultural heritage, signature House of Suntory cocktail pairings, welcome lounge experience in JACCC’s James Irvine Japanese Garden, and more.
The Rising Chef Series is a continuation of the JACCC’s long-time mission to serve as a place of discovery for Japanese and Japanese American culture, community, and culinary talent. Chefs will receive hands-on sup-port and guidance from the event’s third-year veteran and JACCC director of culinary arts, Jane Matsumoto, and the center’s chef in residence, Chris Ono, widely regarded for his acclaimed Hansei pop-up and an alumnus from the debut Rising Chef Series program.
Matsumoto expressed great enthusiasm for the upcoming event, stating, “This marks a thrilling moment for the JACCC, as we build upon the triumphs of our last two Rising Chef Series to commemorate this Asian Pacific Heritage Month with our Little Tokyo community and beyond. We invite our entire community to join us as we showcase the culinary talents of Chefs H Woo, Debi, and Pete.”
Week 1 of the series (April 30-May 1) will feature a restaurant concept by Lee (@hwoo.lee), a Korean American chef who has captivated audiences by creating Michelin-star-inspired recipes on social media. The partially self-taught chef experienced a rise to stardom through his TikTok series “You’re Gonna Watch Me Cook for Myself” and his appearances on Food Network’s “Chopped.”
Lee’s menu features an exciting showcase of Korean-inspired flavors attentively crafted and presented with a whimsical luxury.
Week 2 (May 7-8) will feature a restaurant concept by Min (@debisushi), a Korean American chef who is paving the way for female representation behind the sushi counter and beyond. At 17 years old, Min began working as a server at a local mom-and-pop sushi restaurant when it dawned on her that she had never seen a single female sushi chef at any sushi restaurant. Spending her entire life savings, she moved to DTLA in 2020 to start her own sushi pop-up, but was met with the crippling effects of the pandemic. Through pure determination and consistency she built her way up to opening Debisushi, a thriving business serving beautifully crafted chirashi boxes.
Min’s menu will feature an elegant omakase experience that delicately showcases luxurious cuts of fish and Miyazaki A5 wagyu alongside comforting flavors inspired by her mom and grandma.
The final week (May 21-22) will feature a restaurant concept by Duong (@ pete_eatss), a Cambodian American chef born in Long Beach. Inspired by his parents’ sacrifices as Cambodian refugees, he intrigued audiences by introducing accessible meals and providing exposure to various cultural dishes. Duong released his first self-published cookbook, “A Taste of Home,” on May 21, 2021. Now marking the three-year anniversary of his cookbook and culinary journey, he will make his pop-up debut in the Rising Chef Series kitchen.
Duong’s menu will showcase a medley of rich, bold, and vibrant flavors that pay homage to his family and Southeast Asian heritage.
This series is made possible through the support and donation of House of Suntory. All proceeds from the event will also go to fund further culinary innovation and entrepreneurship, including support for TW-CCC’s Culinary Arts Program, which empowers aspiring chefs with a space to share their stories, techniques, and innovations.
Tickets for the Rising Chefs pop-up – open Tuesday and Wednesday for three weeks across May – are available for purchase at bit.ly/risingchefseries3 for $180. There are two seatings each night at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., with each seating limited to 90 minutes. This is a 21+ dining experience.
For more information, call (213) (213) 628-2725 or visit: https://jaccc.org/events/rising-chef-series-2024/