RICHMOND, Va. -- Four Richmond-area cooks are coming together Sunday night to help raise awareness and support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
Vanna "V" Hem, Will Leung-Richardson, Daniel Harthausen, and Steve Yang wil prepare dishes paired with beer from Bingo Beer Co. from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Scott's Addition restaurant. Click here for reservations.
Vanna "V" Hem and Bing Beer Co. co-owner Jay Bayer discussed their reasons for holding and hosting the event.
CBS 6
What is the event? What can people expect? How do they get involved?
Hem
The event is a fundraiser, but doubles to raise awareness of the violence being inflicted upon the AAPI (Asian American & Pacific Islander) community; especially since the pandemic. The event is a celebration of Asian culture & food. As in many Asian cultures, feeding people is a love language; it is certainly is mine. The community can get involved by coming to the event, and purchasing food! All of our food proceeds will go to Stop AAPI Hate. Folks can also visit StopAAPIHate.org, or donate to gofundme.com/aapi. You can personally donate to the families and victims of these hate crimes via those organizations.
Bayer
In light of the murders in Atlanta and increasing rates of violence against the Asian American/ Pacific Islander community, V hit me up about doing a fundraising and awareness-raising event at Bingo with three other friends of his that are of Asian descent. Each of the four chefs/ cooks will be cooking a single dish.
Each dish will have a suggested Bingo Beer pairing that guests can have alongside. There will also be a couple of cocktails available. The finishing touches are being put on each dish and drink right now, but all will be served a la carte. We will not be serving the Bingo food menu during the event. A portion of all proceeds will be going to Stop AAPI Hate.
CBS 6
How did this event come about?
Hem
I planned this event after the horrific massacre in Atlanta. I couldn’t bear to see the Asian community take another blow from what has been one of the worst anti-Asian campaigns in the last century. I can’t stand by while our elderly get verbally and physically assaulted, or even killed, simply for existing. After all, they paved the way for us 2nd and 3rd generation Asian Americans to be successful. I owe everything to the women who came before me. Once I realized how I could help the community, I quickly reached out to other Asian cooks who felt the same passion for protecting our people and culture. The idea was born.
Bayer
I am certain that everyone involved in this event is disgusted by the premises for the inception of this event. I don’t think any of us want to be getting together for these reasons.
CBS 6
Why is an event like this important, especially now?
Hem
This event isn’t important just now. It has always been important. The Asian American community has long suffered from being thought of as the “model minority” while still being treated as second-rate citizens. Asian Americans have been quietly discriminated against for far too long. It is shameful that it has taken this amount of violence for our community to be recognized. I would like to see people take up arms in the same way that they did during the summer of BLM. The crimes against Asian Americans are not new, and we’ve always needed more support and representation.
Bayer
Everyone suffers when anyone is oppressed. As rates of violence against the AAPI community have increased over the past year, it is important to raise awareness to that which the community has been subjected and create avenues for allyship to exist and grow so that we can work to rid ourselves of hate anywhere in our communities, no matter how broad or narrow we define a community in particular.
CBS 6
The restaurant community is a diverse one that often leads the charge when it comes to social issues. What do you see when you think about the restaurant community's role in the broader community?
Hem
I want the restaurant community to do more. There are plenty of white-owned establishments making money off Asian culture; why aren’t they doing more to protect us? I have only seen a handful of RVA restaurants make statements about standing up for the AAPI community. Those who gain from our culture and our food need to make an effort to protect the community they “love” so dearly.
Bayer
When I see the restaurant community, I see the opportunity to share cultural experiences, to appreciate differences, to honor varied heritages, upbringings, stories. I see the table where we share food and drink, tell tales, and build relationships. I think that anyone who loves this industry and loves hospitality must have some appreciation for the legacies of oppression that truly represent the origin stories of so much of what we eat and drink. I think that when you access that history and work alongside so many people of different walks of life that it becomes very difficult to not take note of suffering in someone else's community. I believe many of us feel compelled to be an active partner in addressing social issues where diversity and respect for it are not honored.
