How Asian Is Asian Enough? Local AANHPI Panel to Discuss Race and Restaurants on October 6

Amid the influx of minority-owned restaurants in recent years, AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander) restaurant owners have faced pushback from the public, particularly online, ranging from one-star reviews for not fulfilling stereotypical expectations, fearmongering of MSG with long-outdated Chinese Restaurant Syndrome beliefs, and an overall lack of nuanced understanding of ethnic minorities in the restaurant industry.

In response, Sắp Sửa's chef/owners Anna and Ni Nguyen, are working to create an inclusive space for Denver chefs to be heard. At 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, Tattered Cover on East Colfax (which is located next door to Sắp Sửa) will host a panel discussion on the topic “How Asian Is Asian Enough?"

The event, which is free and open to all, will cover a wide range of topics, from personal identity and immigrant experiences to what “authentic” means and more. “It’s an opportunity for individuals in our community to understand what it's like for people who are Asian to own a business here in Denver, to help spread awareness of these issues and be an ally," says Ni, adding that these negative incidents are interconnected and require a proactive educational approach.

“I think from our community, the mindset has shifted toward being open and compassionate," he continues. "I think we have a new food scene, a lot of Asian restaurants are opening, and there are going to be a lot of people who don't understand these cultures and these cuisines. They haven't been exposed to it enough.”
The Nguyens wanted the panel to reflect a range of culinary perspectives. To that end, panelists include chef Tommy Lee, the Colorado-born first-generation Hong Kongese owner of Uncle and the contemporary Chinese restaurant Hop Alley; chef Penelope Wong, a first-generation Chinese-Thai chef whose food-truck-turned-brick-and-mortar Yuan Wonton has gained widespread acclaim; and quarter-Japanese chef Maddie Dunhoff, whose popular Taeko-san Takeout is a tribute to her Japanese grandmother’s recipes for mochi, Japanese curry and onigiri.

I will be joining the panel as well, to offer a journalistic viewpoint on how to responsibly report on these cultural shifts and cultivate an inclusive media landscape. I was born in Legazpi, Philippines, and was adopted into a white family just outside Cleveland, Ohio. Given my upbringing, along with my social work and culinary degrees, I recognize that it’s never too late to learn about culture, be it one’s own or someone else’s.

Rounding out the panel are the Nguyens. Ni is a first-generation Vietnamese chef with refugee parents, hailing from Orange County, California. Sắp Sửa was created out of Ni’s desire to express his first-generation immigrant experience through food. Anna, born and raised in Longmont, Colorado, will join the panel to share her journey of falling in love with Ni and Vietnamese cuisine simultaneously and how it has influenced her as a chef.
Nga Vương-Sandoval, a Vietnamese refugee who is the president and founder of Refugees + Immigrants United, a refugee-founded and refugee-led advocacy coalition, will moderate the panel. Anna says Vương-Sandoval is the perfect fit to facilitate this discussion, given her impressive career spanning local, national and international efforts to advocate for human rights and social justice. “We want this panel to be beneficial for people. It's not intended to put anybody down," explains Anna. "So I wanted a moderator who I felt could do that — keep the conversation on topic and make sure the important information is heard.”

Ni is hopeful that the event will be a success and will leave room for future events to continue the dialogue. “I think this is just the beginning of this conversation. This is the first sentence in this novel, so there's plenty more story," he notes.

Sắp Sửa has won over the affections of many and has made it onto prominent lists such as Bon Appétit’s 20 Best New Restaurants of 2024, the New York Times Restaurant List 2024 and Plate: Chefs to Watch 2024.
The Nguyens are both aware of the responsibility that comes with the spotlight. "We're doing this because we have the platform to do so. And we've garnered a decent amount of national recognition, so it becomes our duty to do something with that," says Anna.

Adds Ni: “I think people right now are just very excited for this, for their voice to finally be heard. And I think it's an important conversation that will really bring the city of Denver together."

“We cannot let people treat AANHPI chefs poorly in town out of ignorance. It's our turn to do something about that, and we're going to do it in the most respectful and informative way possible," Anna concludes.

“How Asian Is Asian Enough?” panel discussion, 1:30 p.m. Sunday, October 6, Tattered Cover, 2526 East Colfax Avenue, free.