The Los Angeles Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association presents “Taste and Tell: AAPI Food Pioneers, Journalism and Community” on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Miyako Hotel, 328 First St. in Little Tokyo.
The program will feature Brian Kito of Fugetsu-Do, Kathy Ceppi of Phoenix Bakery, and Wing Lam of Wahoo’s Fish Taco, with Fox 11 anchor Susan Hirasuna as moderator. Hear the stories behind these iconic businesses, their family legacies, and the role journalism plays in preserving culture through food. Then enjoy tastings of Fugetsu-Do mochigashi, Phoenix Bakery’s famous strawberry cake and pastries, and Wahoo’s fish tacos.
Tickets: $10. Info: https://aajala.org/event-taste-and-tell-aapi-food-pioneers-journalism-and-community/
Susan Hirasuna is a proud hometown girl. She was born in Encino, reared in Simi Valley and graduated from USC. For more than three decades, she’s anchored the weekend news and reported for Fox 11.
Brian Kito is the third-generation owner of Fugetsu-Do, Little Tokyo’s landmark confectionery founded in 1903. He has dedicated his career to preserving the art of traditional Japanese sweets and the cultural heritage of Little Tokyo.
Kathy Ceppi is a second-generation owner of Phoenix Bakery, the beloved Chinatown institution founded by her parents in 1938. Together with her brother Ken Chan and other family members, she has carried forward her family’s nearly nine-decade tradition of Chinese pastries, cakes and baked goods, including the bakery’s iconic strawberry whipped cream cake.
Wing Lam co-founded Wahoo’s Fish Taco in 1988 and has nearly 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Lam, a Chinese immigrant, spent his childhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil, before moving to Orange County, where his company has its headquarters.