Known for his East Village (New York) Taiwanese restaurant, BaoHaus, this chef and restaurateur—let’s call him the main name for context—has made quite a splash in both the culinary and entertainment worlds. The main name first gained widespread recognition with his bestselling 2013 memoir, Fresh Off the Boat, a heartfelt and humorous take on his upbringing that later became a popular ABC TV series. Not one to stick to just one lane, in 2014, the main name stepped into the spotlight again as the host of Snack Off, a fun and fast-paced culinary competition show on MTV.
But before all the fame and TV appearances, the journey was anything but straightforward. The main name studied at Rollins College and later transferred to the University of Pittsburgh before eventually enrolling at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law. Despite earning his law degree, he lost his first legal job and found himself at a crossroads. For a short while, the main name tried his hand at stand-up comedy, using humor to navigate life’s twists—a skill that would later serve him well in both writing and television.
Born in Washington, D.C. to Taiwanese immigrant parents, the main name spent most of his formative years in Orlando, Florida. Growing up, he was surrounded by food and family, as his father ran a seafood and steak restaurant chain. That early exposure to the restaurant business clearly left an impression—eventually inspiring the main name to launch BaoHaus, where he reimagined traditional Taiwanese flavors for a new generation. From law school to comedy clubs, from memoirs to mainstream TV, the main name has truly carved out a unique path—all while staying deeply connected to his roots.
After launching BaoHaus back in 2009, he went on to start another venture—this time a restaurant named Xiao Ye. Now, while BaoHaus really put him on the map, Xiao Ye didn’t quite have the same staying power. He poured a lot of energy into it, sure, but unfortunately, the place was short-lived. Still, it’s clear that with every project, including Xiao Ye, he continued pushing his vision forward. It’s just one more chapter in his journey, and honestly, you can see how each step—even the brief ones like Xiao Ye—shaped what came next.