Dolla Dolla Baos Yall (baohaus 1 year)

Baohaus is 1 years old next week. This photo is from 3rd grade. It was some sort of elementary school career day and I went as a "chef". My pops owned restaurants and they all wore these hats there. We were lazy so with no intentions of ever being a chef, I threw on the hat and went to school. 25 years later... Pops, we came up, WHAT WHAT makin it happen... from yongkang to rivington, we goin platinum.



Couldn't have done it without my family: Emery, Evan, Mom, Dad and Wong Wong! Yall are the best. I want to say thank you to every one who has supported us from Day 1. From neighbors to customers to writers to other cooks, your support really made it happen. As a thanks to everyone, $1 chairman, jesses, and birdhaus baos all day Monday December 20th! 


For those who haven't followed the blog from day 1, this was a pipedream. I was laid off from Chadbourne & Parke in 2009 (great firm, much love) and started hustlin like it was 2001 again. I sat around the park "workin" and playin ball all day and would do comedy shows at night. Even though I was a bit "lost", it was one of the best years of my life. Ning and Steve would come to all the comedy shows, film my stupid bits, and we sent a tape and the haus bao recipe to the Food Network for URS.

I heard back from High Noon in July that I made the cut for URS, lost on the show in October and opened Baohaus in December '09. 6 months later, we signed with High Noon cause we loyal mother fuckers. 2010... I love you. I wanted to recap what happened, but it's kinda OD. Here are some quick hits.

1) Hotboxed the haus with neighbors in the joint
2) Shanked a neighbor who tried to punch me for free bao fries
3) Got hot tea thrown on me by a pregnant chick for not letting her use the bathroom (cause its illegal)
4) Hit a drunk fool with a can of condensed milk for pushing down a delivery girl.
5) Chairman Bao jockin my style
6) Four Loko ruined my life
7) Won Best Bun in NY
8) Mr. Town & Country - still the most hilarious honor we have ever received. ruv it.
9) Introduced Manhattan to the Taiwanese Lush Life
10) Met a lot of dope chefs and ingredients but Raekwon and headband are still my favorite.

Thank yous are in order

Sarah Di Gregorio/Rebecca Marx from the Village Voice - yall found baohaus first and let the interwebs know. Respect. That article is from Rebecca, but I'm pretty sure Sarah did a post just saying we were open on christmas eve...

Ligaya and Ahrin Mishan - thank you! I didn't know who Ligaya was when she came to eat but I hung out with Ahrin and the fam for a while eating peanuts. Life really changed after that $25 and under review. The day of the review, Asa and I showed up to work and there was already a line. We called in Simon and didn't stop till 6pm.



Danielle Chang and Frances from TVBS are really responsible for introducing us to Taiwan. After the above demo and the TVBS piece, we got in touch with a lot of old friends from Taiwan. To this day, my parents' favorite press hit is the World Journal that they got at the Chinese Grocery store haha.

Eater - to all the homies at eater: greg, raphael, yall are the best. keep it funky in 2011

Sam Sifton - thanks for the ass whoopin'. i thought asian discipline at home was bad, but it's definitely worse in print haha. for real, thanks.

Shopsin Family - Kenny, Zack, Luke ... still my favorite restaurant in the LES. Kenny's like the yoda of the food game for me. Dude always knows what to say. Zack, two words: vegan enchiladas.

Francis Lam - thanks for takin a photo of me with Statue of Liberty Jesus

Jenny Miller - supported us from day 1, had chinese new year dinner with us, stay on ur grizz girl.

Hyun - this dude never violated health code cause he always had the caddychack killa hat on, all jokes aside, thank you.

Coltrane and Team Epiphany - from timberlands to medal of honor, yall always introducin us to that next shit. #1 King Jaffe Joffer Bao Connoisseur: Coltrane Curtis

Alex Maz, Kp4short, Caitlin - Wodka, Wodka, Wodka, we go hard in the paint 105 Rivington all day erryday. Congrats on the 1 year.

Khuong and the Bullfrog Fam - Thank you for all the advice, I leave you with this: "who the fuck is james beard" - me at bullfrog meeting ... the kid stays ignant

Joe Di Stefano - you the man! met life

Jenny 8 Lee - erryone knows I read Fortune Cookie Chronicles while opening Baohaus. PROPS

Voice Street - Francesca, Camile, Jenn, u da best like DJ Khaled

Southern Foodways Alliance - thanks for havin me! Senor Edge, hardest dude this side of Machette.

Phil Chang - you already know... u makin korean history all day homie

Asa Stella - our first hire, breakin down baos and sellin em like gobstoppers

Simon Tung - thank you for bringing moutai to above party so that I ended up shirtless on the street in December... Awesome. Workin at baohaus since day 1, Simon's been family for a minute. Simon now has Macaron Parlour so peep that.

Steven Lau - this dude's been my right hand for the last half decade. we started hoodman together with ning, he worked at baohaus, and ate the first bao we ever served....(photo above)

Uncle Jesse!!! - what up homie, Uncle Jesse: a gangster and a vegetarian; half man half tofu; bagel shoppin', muffin toppin' mo fucker. 3 words: Platinum Club Nights ... oh and Starbucks

Raf - Prince of BK... your hands is too soft to work but the banzini meeting strategy is crucial

Stephane - the first mayor of baohaus

Lia Bulong - our second customer ever!

Kate Francis - baby girl you held us down!

Victoria - thank you. errybody love you!

Sarah Arden - you hilarious girl, dam funk and lazers for life

Joy Starang - hurricane starang up in this mug

Tobiax, Maxwell, Lil Mikey, Breeze, P.S. 41 crew - thanks for drinkin all the taiwan beer and johnnie walker... 2011 we go hard

Kash - thanks for drinking all the jack and ginger

Latoya Jenkins - Kash says thanks for the valtrax, i say thanks for funfetti

Christine/Amanda/Sushi Uo fools - sake in a can... thank you

Tyler Askew - when i wanted  a side dish, tyler dropped a bag of boiled peanuts from atlanta on the kid and i remixed it with my rice vinegar peanut recipe. Thanks duke!

Scott, Zach, Brandon, Jason, Big Kim Jeff - we doin it again in 2011!!!

Mom - thanks for the email and keeping me on the AT&T family plan

Dad - thanks for not sending any emails

Hunan Aunty #1 - thanks for teaching me how to red cook

Shandong Aunty #2 - thanks for teaching me how to cook ti pang

Evan/Emery - you guys probably did more than me for Baohaus. Grandma/Grandpa would be proud of yall. I know I'm the oldest and act like the youngest, but thanks for holdin me down. Love yall.

Wong Wong - You been thru it all w/ me..... Thank you... I know you doin well!

Doug Van Sickle - thanks for blowin up all my photos haha

If I forgot you I'm sorry! But...



Lemme buy u a drank