“I'm a strong believer that food can impact the world and that there is a lot of power in food.”

Chef Saeng Douangdara is a Los Angeles-based cooking instructor and personal chef. Inspired by his love of cooking and teaching, he travelled to his parents’ native Lao to learn more about the country’s cuisine. Today, he teaches the science and historical context of Lao’s food.

Chef Saeng has also published food photography and lectured at universities. His philosophy around cooking is to make it approachable and educational. He hopes to use food as a catalyst to teach people about the history and cultures of the Lao community.