The Hungry Immigrant LIVE is a special live podcast recording at AFM in front of the festival's audience. As a global podcast celebrating Asian food culture, heritage, and identity, The Hungry Immigrant brings chefs, creatives, and community voices together in conversation to explore the stories behind the food. These live panels spotlight the people shaping Asian food culture in the DMV today through discussions on heritage, innovation, representation, and belonging.
Chef Dr. Abang Brian
Dr Abang Brian is a Malaysian-born chef, culinary educator, food researcher, and the founder of The Hungry Immigrant — a podcast and research platform documenting food, culture, and identity of the Asian diaspora. A MasterChef alumnus and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, he has hosted multiple national cooking TV shows, his own radio programme on a national radio station, and served as main chef host for a national home shopping network. Now based in Washington DC, he is a Chef Instructor at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Artsauthor of seven cookbooks, and a registered QVC guest host.
Moderator and PanelistPanel 1 - 1:30PM - 2:30PM | May 17, 2026 | Asian Discovery Plaza at Asian Festival on Main
Topic : From Heritage to Mainstream: How Asian Food Built Community in the DMV
Chef Tim Ma & Chef Patrice Cleary
Panel 2 - 3:30PM - 4:30pm | May 17, 2026 | Asian Discovery Plaza at Asian Festival on Main
Topic: Who Shapes Taste? Chefs, Communities, and the New Asian Food Scene in the DMV
Chef Erik Bruner-Yang & Mya Yn
Erik Bruner-Yang
Chef, Multi-hyphenate, and Media Personality @erikbruneryangChef Erik Bruner-Yang is the visionary behind the acclaimed and beloved D.C. restaurant and community space Maketto, as well as his newest venture, Bar Providencia. A James Beard Award finalist, he is an industry leader, organizer, and passionate advocate for his community. In 2020, Chef Erik launched the Power of 10 initiative in response to the pandemic, aiming to keep restaurants open and safe. The initiative distributed over $1.2 million to 65 independently owned restaurants, enabling them to serve more than 500,000 meals to communities in need.
Tim Ma
Chef, restaurateur, and founder of Tim Ma Hospitality @cheftimmaChef Tim Ma is an acclaimed chef, restaurateur, and one of the DMV’s most influential culinary voices. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute and founder of Tim Ma Hospitality, he has built an impressive career spanning roughly 20 restaurants and bars, while helping shape how Chinese American food is understood in the region. He has cooked at the White House, co-founded Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate, and continues to be recognized not only for his food, but for his leadership, advocacy, and impact on the broader dining culture of Washington, DC.
Patrice Cleary
Chef-owner of Purple Patch and Joia Burger | @cupcakeclearyPatrice Cleary is the chef-owner of Purple Patch, the acclaimed Filipino restaurant that helped pave the way for Filipino food in Washington, DC. A former U.S. Marine and a leading voice in the region’s culinary scene, she has built Purple Patch into a beloved institution, earning recognition from The Washington Post, which named it its 2023 Restaurant of the Year. Most recently, her cooking also drew praise from comedian Jo Koy, spotlighting her as one of the DMV’s standout champions of Filipino food and hospitality.
Mya Yn
Entrepreneur, Sixx Cool Moms of Northern VirginiaMya YN is a Northern Virginia-based food reviewer and community builder known for her honest, relatable take on dining experiences. Through her platforms, including Sixx Cool Moms of Northern Virginia and Northern Virginia Coffee Lovers, she connects thousands across the DMV to local food spots, events, and businesses. Her work goes beyond taste, spotlighting the full experience with candor, warmth, and a strong commitment to uplifting the community.