Schedule

Thursday, June 27, 2024
7 p.m. Seating

This dinner takes place offsite at Kim Son, 10603 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072.

Join us in Bellaire Asiatown for an exclusive dinner as some of Houston's most acclaimed chefs share elevated renditions of nostalgic Chinatown dishes!

Sharing an appreciation of classic foods from Chinatowns across the country, chefs Masaru Fukuda (Pacha Nikkei), Dory Fung (Fung's Kitchen, Yauatcha), Lung Ly (93' Til), Souli Phaduangdet (Sao Lao Thai Cafe), and Lena Le (Lena's Asian Kitchen) are joining hands to bring their nostalgic, yet elevated, dishes to the forefront of Houston's vibrant food scene. At this multicourse dinner at Kim Son, enjoy an inspired summer tasting menu as the chefs honor favorite dishes from cherished Chinatown memories, share their compelling stories, and highlight the culinary traditions of their unique backgrounds and restaurants.

Limited seating available. Ticket purchase includes a complimentary drink pairing. A vegetarian option is available and must be selected when purchasing tickets; no other dietary restrictions may be accommodated.

About the Chefs

Chef Masaru Fukuda, 4th generation of Japanese descent, was born and raised in Lima, Peru. After working at Latin Bites, Kata Robata and MAD, Masaru — who arrived in the United States at the age of 13 — opened Houston's first Nikkei concept restaurant, Pacha Nikkei, at the Politan Row food hall in 2019 and eventually established himself in the Westchase district in 2022. Through his cuisine, Masaru introduces Houston to these new and delicious flavors filled with tradition and technique that characterize Japanese and Peruvian culture. In 2020, his ceviche was named Best Ceviche by the Houston Press' Best of Houston 2020. Also in 2022, Pacha Nikkei made it onto the list of Best New Restaurants of Houston by Houston Food Finder and Chron, and in 2023, on the list of Texas's Best New Restaurants by Texas Monthly. In 2024, chef Masaru was nominated as a Rising Star Chef by the 2024 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

Dory Fung was born and raised in Houston. At a young age, she spent her days at her family restaurant Fung's Kitchen and later decided to start her own path as a pastry chef. She has over 20 years’ experience and has worked at some of Houston's best restaurants including Yauatcha, Poitin, and a popular pop-up series called “Secret Taste.” Dory was nominated for “Pastry Chef of the Year 2018” by CultureMap and awarded “People’s Choice Pastry Chef of the Year 2018” by Eater Houston. She was also the co-creator and event coordinator of both Great Banh Mi Cookoff and Big Bao Battle, non-profit charity fundraisers that raised over $10K each year during the single night event. Dory is currently a Pastry Arts Instructor at Houston Community College. 

Lung Ly is the owner of 93' Til, a restaurant in Montrose, Houston, that offers food, drinks, and music. Ly first got started in restaurants working at local sushi restaurants such as Uptown Sushi before moving to attend Oregon culinary institute and advance his career, followed by experiences working at establishments in the Pacific Northwest, Los Angeles, and New York before returning back to his roots in Houston.

Proprietor and chef of Sao Lao Thai Cafe, Souli Phaduangdet started out as a humble owner/operator of Pho-jita Food Truck for 10 years. Through hard work and dedication, Souli saved enough money to open up her own brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Garden Oaks/Heights area, showcasing her unique blend of Northern Thai and Laotian cuisine — an homage to her late mother who inspired her love for cooking. Every dish has a story, and when she has a chance, she looks forward to telling a story to her guests.

Founder and Chef at Lena’s Asian Kitchen, Lena Le began her career studying culinary management at the Art Institute of Houston and began to work as a private chef for multiple Houston families. Garnering experience at some of the city's biggest restaurants, Le pivoted her career towards starting her own business as an Asian meal prep and catering service. With Lena’s Asian Kitchen, she began her advocacy to employ and empower domestic abuse survivors, providing job training through kitchen skills and catering experience. Since then, she has established an accompanying non-profit, Lena’s Foundation, appeared in shows cooking for local celebrities, like HBO’s House of Ho, and competed in Food Network’s reality-based cooking shows Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.

Business and Policy programs are endowed by the Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, and ExxonMobil, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; AARP, Presenting Sponsor of Education and Outreach; Syamal and Susmita Poddar, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Sponsor of the Japan Series; and Regions Bank, Title Sponsor for the internship program and Presenting Sponsor of free Thursday exhibition admission. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, and Vinson & Elkins LLP, as well as Friends of Asia Society.

Presenting Sponsor

Food and Drink Sponsors

Program Sponsors

Asian Chamber of Commerce
Danielle Wong and Anne Park | Douglas Elliman Houston Real Estate 
Stevie Vu

Program Partners

Blood Bros BBQ
Chow Down in Chinatown – Houston
Luloo's Day & Night

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.