Shows
OFF THE WOK67. Transcending Genders with Cece ChowCece Chow (@thetransplanter) wears many hats. She is a model, a visual artist, a kokedama guru (if you don't know what that is, check out @official_kokedama), but most importantly, an advocate for positive Asian trans representation. Cece's journey has not been easy, growing up in a traditional Asian household, taking the usual path of getting a degree, getting married, having kids, but always thinking that something was missing or needed to change. In this episode, Cece shares her life story, from her earliest recollection of wanting to be different, to her eventual gender change at the age of 42...2024-08-221h 04
OFF THE WOK66. Doing Time with TomOur guest today has done some hard time...literally. Charged with the possibility of 25 to life, Tom was looking at a life much different than what he has presently. Today, we have the pleasure of sharing his story. From his first encounter with the police, to his time at the remand centre, to his eventual sentence and time in jail. Tom shares his experience with us, in an area where not many have ventured. This is gonna be a good one!2024-05-171h 07
OFF THE WOK65. Shooting some Knowledge with Felix ChanVideo marketing, it's something that we over here want to get into but for whatever reason have not been able to take that first step. But video marketing is a powerful tool that can boost your business up significantly, and Felix Chan of Live Inner City (https://liveinnercity.com/) uses that tool to gain more business success.
Felix is a realtor and team lead at Live Inner City and leverages video marketing to expand their reach with the ultimate goal of doing more business. His high-quality videos on Youtube (liveinnercity) are consistent and with almost 10K subscribers...2024-01-301h 10
OFF THE WOK64. Blind Date Series Part 4 - Post-Interview with SuAnd here we have the conclusion with Su's post date experience! Is it similar to what Trevor experienced? Or completely different? Do their stories clash or are they the same? Here's your chance to tune in and discover just that!
And if you are interested in being a part of the series, send us a DM and we'll be in touch!2023-12-1519 min
OFF THE WOK63. Blind Date Series Part 3 - Post-Interview with TrevorHere we go! Date is done and I'm sure all our listeners are anxious to hear about it. We've got Trevor back in the hot seat as he chats about what happened, where it happened, and how it ended which I'm sure many of you are curious about. So sit back and enjoy Trevor's take!2023-12-1419 min
OFF THE WOK62. Blind Date Series Part 2 - Pre-Interview with SuHere's episode 2 where we ask Su some IMPORTANT pre-date questions to see what she's looking for :) Check out episode 60 for her date's interview and maybe you can predict if there's gonna be a match...2023-12-1323 min
OFF THE WOK61. Blind Date Series Part 1 - Pre-Interview with TrevorWe heard you folks! Due to popularity, here is another blind date episode that Lance and I have had the pleasure of hosting. If you want to get a feel for how these work, check out episodes 54 to 57 for our first set of dates! We will be releasing one episode per day so stay tuned! We know you won't wanna miss this!2023-12-1226 min
OFF THE WOK60. Understanding Intergenerational Trauma with Amy YipIf you've ever tried just having (or more like attempted) a conversation with your parents to get a little bit of an insight into their lives before being shut down, this episode's for you. Heck, If you've ever really just tried to ask them a question before being shut down with a one-word response, this episode's for you. You might think it's them, but maybe, you're just not asking the right questions. This is where our guest, Amy Yip comes in. Amy is the author of Unfinished Business: Breaking Down the Great Wall between Adult Child and Immigrant Parents...2023-09-1355 min
OFF THE WOK59. Sustainability in Clothing with Sharon ThenFor our first episode of 2023, we sit down and have a chat with Sharon from Her Simple Sole (@hersimplesole). Sharon focuses on clothing sustainability, which includes clothing made from natural fibres like cotton, linen, wool and cashmere vs. processed fibres. Sustainability is looking at what a company is doing, how they are producing, are fair wages being paid etc. vs. fast fashion, which is mainly to chase trends and make money which in the end leads to more waste.
Sharon gives us a rundown of how she first started...then re-started with a clearer vision to become the...2023-01-1253 min
OFF THE WOK58. Talking Bags with Luxe Du Jour CEO Tammy PhanBag consignment, bag rental and bag spa, these are just some of the services available at Luxe Du Jour, a Canadian high-end luxury consignment company focusing on handbags but with other offerings including accessories, shoes, and (newly introduced) men's items. Founded in 2016, the company has grown exponentially and now has offices stateside as well. Tammy chats with us about her early lessons leading up to LDJ's success today and where it's headed. One particular highlight was the whole unauthentic "authentic" aspect of luxury bags nowadays where you could potentially be purchasing a fake bag at a retail store. You'll...2022-11-201h 00
OFF THE WOK57. Blind Date Part 4 - Post-Interview with EricThe moment you've all been waiting for is here! Part 4, the final part of our blind date series, where the guy in question is none other than our very own Eric! Check out episodes 54-56 if you haven't already so you can get a sense of the full story. And if you are interested and want us to do more episodes like this, please let us know! Or if you wanna participate...2022-09-2635 min
OFF THE WOK56. Blind Date Part 3 - Post-Interview with ChristineHere we go! The post-date interview! I'm sure some of our listeners who have listened to the first two episodes (episodes 54 and 55) have maybe made some inferences as to how the date might go, well now's your chance to test your theory! In this episode, Lance gets into the nitty gritty with Christine and breaks down the date; how it went, were there dealbreakers, how the guy's wardrobe was...if you wanna know more, be sure to check this one out! 2022-09-2233 min
OFF THE WOK55. Blind Date Part 2 - Pre-Interview with Mystery ManWelcome to part 2 of a four-part series of an actual blind date experiment that has occurred! In this episode, we hear the "mystery" man's side pre-date to see what his interests are, dealbreakers, and more. Listeners can compare this episode to episode 54 where we interviewed the woman's side pre-date and perhaps could draw some conclusions on how the date could go. If you liked these two episodes, wait till you hear the post-date discussion! Stay tuned for that soon!2022-09-1728 min
OFF THE WOK54. Blind Date Part 1 - Pre-Interview with Christine***DISCLAIMER*** Lance's audio in this episode was muffled as he was using the wrong microphone. After a scolding, he promises he won't be doing that again.
Welcome to a four-part series of an actual blind date experiment that has occurred! We set two people up, with pre-date interviews with each, followed by post-date interviews with each, to hear each person's side of how the date went. This is a complete blind date in every sense, where both people have not seen nor spoken to each other prior. We thought that this would be an interesting experience for...2022-09-1533 min
OFF THE WOK53. Cooking Some Campfire Eats with Melanie AngSummer is here and with summer comes...camping! And a big part of camping is the food! Whether you're camping out on a site or backcountry camping out in the wilds, food is an important element to it and for some, it's what they look forward to the most when camping. That's where Melanie comes in, she is the owner of Off the Path provisions (@offthepathprovisions), a company dedicated to providing people with delicious, dehydrated, plant-based (vegan and gluten-free friendly) meals in minutes. The bags themselves are also eco-friendly being 100% compostable. By far the coolest thing though are the...2022-08-0348 min
OFF THE WOK52. From Trial Lawyer to Life Coach with Jenny TohJenny Toh had a successful legal career spanning almost 3 decades in Malaysia and Singapore. Yet today, she is a life coach with River Life Coaching, a company she created back in 2020 that helps individuals who are seeking answers to the missing element in their lives. The how and why though, of this career change between these two different industries is a conversation Jenny was able to share with us. Throughout the chat, we get into her inspiration in starting, her moment of calling, and in particular, how she helps introverted clients have a voice while still maintaining their inner...2022-04-041h 18
OFF THE WOK51. Teaching with Cerebral Palsy - Yehee SonBeing a disabled female from an ethnic minority, Yehee Son has most definitely experienced roadblocks in her life. And yet through it all, she's persevered. In today's episode, Yehee tells her life story about growing up in an abusive home, going through high school not knowing whether she would be able to make college due to her status as an alien, and how certain influential people in her life made her want to be the teacher she is today. She talks about the advantages and disadvantages of teaching with cerebral palsy and her reasoning behind starting a TikTok channel...2022-02-211h 28
OFF THE WOK50. ReflectionsI can't believe we made it to episode 50! Considering we weren't even sure if we were gonna make it past 3 episodes, 50 is definitely a win. Today, we reflect on the last year and how we did, some of our favourite episodes, what some of our goals are, and stuff we need to keep working on. Also joining us in a rare appearance is our editor Ken! Off the Wok thanks all our listeners for your continued support and we hope you will keep wok'ing with us on our journey.
If you enjoy our episodes, please consider rating...2022-01-2449 min
OFF THE WOK49. Let's Talk Cancel Culture with Kallie PhamKevin Hart, Chrissy Teigen, Sean Chu and Kris Wu, all people from various backgrounds and various industries with one trait in common, they were all canceled. Cancel culture is the act of calling someone (or company) out, usually via social media as a form of group shaming based on certain things they may have said or done in the past. The question is, has cancel culture gone from a place of good intentions to a now toxic environment? Our guest @kalliepham joins us today and provides her answer to this question and much much more... and not just in...2022-01-031h 11
OFF THE WOK48. Dat Asian Hustle - with Husband, Father and Entrepreneur Gilbert BongFrom humble beginnings to being a founding member and president of wealth management platform Zelos Capital (@zelosglobal), Gilbert Bong has had quite the journey. He gets into the details of growing up to immigrant working parents and how they helped shape a sense of work ethic that Gilbert would later use in his own career path. He also talks about how he got his first taste of the industry starting in university and the sacrifices he had to make in his early years working 90-100 hour weeks to get to where he is today. Along the way, Gilbert has...2021-12-061h 11
OFF THE WOK47. Talking to Strangers with Richard Lee-ThaiRichard Lee-Thai (@excusestoconnect) recently did a Tedx Talk called "Finding Excuses to Connect" where he addresses the difficulty in connecting with people and which is the subject for this episode. We go into the inspiration behind his talk and why he started it. From adapting the "Humans of New York" theme into his own University of Lethbridge project to starting his own podcast (Excuses to Connect) and now also moving into personal coaching, Richard has turned his "excuses to connect" model into a lifestyle. For anyone who has ever wanted to connect with someone but stopped themselves, this episode's for...2021-11-0158 min
OFF THE WOK46. Exploring Model Minority with Florence HwangA term coined in the 1960's describing a status ranking among minorities, it's disguised as a positive stereotype, but according to Florence Hwang, a journalist with CBC, it's anything but as it pits minorities against each other. Florence is no stranger to model minority, she's written an article detailing her experience with it growing up and the mental toll it took on her. In this episode, we share stories of model minority and the bookful of stereotypes that accompany it.
If you're interested in checking out Florence's article, check it out here: https://www.cbc.ca/news...2021-10-191h 03
OFF THE WOK45. Enter Dungeons and Dragons with Daniel KwanTabletop role-playing has been around for a long time, with Dungeons and Dragons being the name most synonymously associated with it. D&D has been around since the 70s and has gotten increasingly popular over the decades (and even more so during the pandemic), which counts tens of millions of active players. So when we heard that Daniel Kwan wrote a Chinese themed D&D adventure in Candlekeep Mysteries, an adventure anthology, we had to reach out to him and get the lowdown on it!
Daniel (@aznsrepresent), a long time D&D player, gives us a top...2021-10-041h 37
OFF THE WOK44. Drifting into your ear with Veronica SiuAfter a quick break, we are back with another episode! This one is with Veronica (@veronisaurousrex) and her specialty within the motorsports scene, drifting. Based in San Francisco, Veronica details the drift culture, how she got (back) into it, her current inspirations, the (multiple) cars she's driven, her race events, and how she "drifts" through a predominantly male industry. "There's people who like to make their cars look nice, put them into car shows, bring them to car meets, I on the other hand like to put my cars to use."
We are always looking to share o...2021-09-201h 23
OFF THE WOK43. Gettin Your Sweat on with Jenny LamWorking out ain't easy, it takes time, dedication, and patience, and as such, usually falls to the bottom of a to-do list for people. Further to that, instead of working out, many Asians tend to invest more in weight loss machines/weight loss drinks with sometimes mixed results. This is where Jenny Lam (@trainwithjennyhk) comes in, a certified personal trainer and kickboxer with over 20 years of experience. Currently based in Hong Kong, she helps answer how she keeps her clients on track, the routines and exercises she incorporates, and most importantly, how to eat healthy in a city where...2021-08-231h 04
OFF THE WOK42. It's Gogo Time with The CommietearoomGogo dancing, we've all heard the term before, but chances are many of us either don't know what it actually is or tend to incorrectly associate it or group it with a bunch of other dance forms. This is why we have Carole and Pola from @thecommietearoom to help us clarify and educate. Along the way, we discuss the cultural stigma associated with the profession and how Carole and Pola have navigated this issue. Some of the highlights mentioned in the episode include the difference between gogo dancing and other forms of dancing like pole dancing and stripping, a...2021-08-091h 02
OFF THE WOK41. Living a Vegan Lifestyle with Rose Lee from Cheap Lazy VeganWhat does it mean to be vegan? As our guest Rose Lee (@cheaplazyvegan) describes, it is a way of living where you seek to exclude as much animal exploitation in your life as possible. This can include diet or fashion (think Canada Goose) or even entertainment (like going to the zoo). Rose details her beginnings with being vegan and what got her started (make sure to check out the book Skinny Bitch and film documentary Earthlings), her process for gradually reducing animal-related products in her life, and how she turned it into a full-time career as a Youtuber. Along...2021-08-021h 12
OFF THE WOK40. Brewing a Brewery with Boaz Leung and Jacob MayWhat do you get when you cross two beer-loving buddies (Boaz Leung and Jacob May), amazing food, and a great creative mind? Two Pillars Brewery (@twopillarsbrewery). With a small commercial brewhouse allowing two kegs per brew, it gives Two Pillars a chance to constantly innovate and create different unique and exclusive beers. Boaz and Jacob give us their background story on how they started, the process behind the brew, and some of the quirks (like haikus printed on the beer cans showing a description of the ingredients) Two Pillars has to offer. If you're ever in the Calgary area...2021-07-2646 min
OFF THE WOK39. What is Boudoir Photography? with Rex SzetoWhen you think of boudoir photography, what do you think of? Many of us who haven't experienced it before or are not part of the industry tend to make certain generalizations or misconceptions about boudoir photography, misconceptions that our guest Rex Szeto (@rexszetophotography) is happily able to clear up. Rex is a boudoir photographer based in Calgary and among other things, he talks about what boudoir photography really is, a celebration of yourself.
We are always looking to share other people's experiences with us! If you'd like to be a guest on our show, email us at...2021-07-1950 min
OFF THE WOK38. xoxo The Game of Love with Sahib Gill xoxoSorry in advance for my horrible intro singing but although my singing might be horrible, this episode is not as it talks about a popular topic among our listeners, and that is love! Joining us today is Sahib Gill (@sahib_gill), who immigrated to Canada when he was 13. Sahib gives a breakdown of his experience with dating (hint: you need a strong beard game), relationships, wedding traditions (including his own!), and more associated with Sikhism. And if you've never attended an East Indian wedding, after this episode, you're most definitely gonna want to!
We are always looking...2021-07-121h 25
OFF THE WOK37. From Oil & Gas to Tattooing with Al ChuHow does one go from a 9 to 5 to tattooing full time? Al Chu (@alchutattoos) of Flipside Tattoos knows, and he gets into details of how he (with a little bit of luck) got into the business. Drawing has always been in him since he was young, it just never registered as a potential profession until much later in his life. Al chats about how his training started, the type of art he specializes in, what clients should do when getting their first tattoo, and more, and along the way he sprinkles in some awesome tattoo stories too. It's always...2021-07-051h 08
OFF THE WOK36. The Science of CGICGI is everywhere in film nowadays, and it's something a lot of us take for granted when we watch movies. But there's a huge team responsible for making these amazing scenes/effects/creatures come to life and it's something we're having a chat about today with Cobol Yu, a VFX designer who works in Vancouver. He shares his knowledge and experience in the industry as he has worked on films like The Justice League, Terminator, Spiderman, and most recently, Godzilla vs. Kong. Next time you watch a movie, make sure to watch the end credits as there's a lot...2021-06-2857 min
OFF THE WOK35. Is Asian Lateness a Thing?A random topic that came about while we were waiting for Ken to show up to a meeting (he was late again) got us thinking, is Asian lateness a thing? It's something that we've heard of and been guilty of before but is it actually a thing? To help us with that conversation is Cristabel Tan (@xtabelll on Insta), she's from Malaysia and over there, they have what's known as "running on Malaysian time" which I'm sure she will be able to dive deeper into. Get ready for some funny stories as we all try to figure out whether...2021-06-2145 min
OFF THE WOK34. The Gay Narrative with Ricky K.Happy Pride Month! We have an especially great episode for you as we are joined by Ricky from his podcast The Gay Narratives (IG @gaynarratives). Ricky shares his story of growing up gay in an Asian family along with his internal feelings, emotions, and uncertainties associated with it. Ricky provides his narrative on when he found out he was gay, how and when he came out to his family, his reaction to the discovery of the larger gay community, how he met his partner, and much much more. For those of us who have never been in his shoes...2021-06-141h 05
OFF THE WOK33. Skeleton Talk with Jon ChuPicture yourself running with a tiny one-person sled just so you can jump on it and start sliding down a frozen track at speeds of up to 120km/h...head first, that's Skeleton. A sport that's particularly rare in terms of membership, Jon Chu (@chu_jonny on Instagram) is one of a handful of people who have participated and trained for it. He goes into how he got started and dives into the particulars of the sport. Coming from an Asian family, where culturally, academics is preferred over sports, he also talks about how he managed to balance out...2021-06-0759 min
OFF THE WOK32. Let's Talk About Men's Mental Health with Kings of HeartsBecause it's a subject that's often taboo to talk about. Whether it be society's norms, the media, or just an old way of thinking, men are somehow led to believe that it's not okay to talk about their feelings or emotions, that it shows weakness and shouldn't be discussed, even among close friends. The problem is that it's not healthy and if left unchecked, it can lead to potentially serious consequences later. Luckily, for those who don't know where to turn to, there are organizations that can help, one example is Kings of Hearts, a non-profit co-founded by Andy...2021-05-311h 01
OFF THE WOK31. Big Brothers Big Sisters with Henry LuongBig Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) is a non-profit organization that dedicates itself to providing one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteers and youths. One of the oldest and largest youth mentoring organizations in the US, it operates in all states and 13 countries around the world. Today, we focus on one member within the Calgary chapter, Henry Luong, who has been with the organization for over 10 years. Henry tells us how he started with BBBS, and shares his knowledge on how the matching process works, the activities he does with his matches, the length of time it takes to mentor, the...2021-05-241h 05
OFF THE WOK30. Starting a Podcast with Behind the BusinessSo today we got ourselves our first joint episode with Jason and David, hosts of their podcast Behind the Business. We are going to be talking about the "behind the scenes" for our podcasts because there is a ton of stuff that goes on in the background before a final product gets pushed out. We get into editing, finding guests, platforms used to broadcast, mics, editing software, social media, costs, time, and a whole lot more. It's going to be especially helpful for some of our listeners out there who might want to start a podcast but also want...2021-05-171h 26
OFF THE WOK29. Being Disciplined as a Child Versus How You Discipline Your Children TodayOur conversation today takes us into how we were disciplined growing up versus how we discipline our kids today. Joining us in our chat are Giselle and Harlene, co-hosts of their Hard as a Mother podcast. Being mothers themselves, they share stories about the ways they were disciplined and the "tactics" that were used, and how ultimately it affected their relationship with their parents. Learning from their past, they relate it to how they discipline their kids now and show us that there really is no right formula. All kids respond differently and that the point of discipline is...2021-05-101h 17
OFF THE WOK28. Frugality Part 2: Web EditionWe had such a fun time talking about our life hacks growing up (for those who don't know, it was episode 10) that we decided to do a second episode on it! This one's the web edition version where we chat about internet hacks we do to save ourselves a little money. Joining us again is Johnny, who's got a couple of tricks up his sleeve he's gonna share (if you haven't listened to him before, check out episode 19). Take a listen and share with us any hacks you might know!
If you'd like to check out Johnny's...2021-05-0353 min
OFF THE WOK27. Acting Asian in HollywoodAlthough Asians have been associated in one way or another throughout Hollywood's history, their roles have rarely been significant. Many Asians were typecast to roles like the weak nerd in glasses who helps out the main protagonist, or as an evil mystical person out to get the protagonist and fail. Either way, they were relegated to second-class roles. That, however is finally starting to change with the advent of Asian movies with a wholly Asian cast. Successes like Crazy Rich Asians, Minari, and Kim's Convenience are starting to cement the Asian presence within Hollywood. But, It's only a start...2021-04-2653 min
OFF THE WOK26. The Stigma Behind Asian Mental HealthMental health has always been a taboo subject among Asians and growing up, you weren't expected to talk about your anxiety, or your stress, or even your feelings to your parents or even anybody because of the stigma attached to it. That you saying anything would somehow bring shame to not only the family but yourself, that it shows weakness or that it's just another excuse where you're complaining. The problem with not having this outlet though, is that it gets bundled inside you, and sooner or later, it's either going to explode in a bad way, or lead...2021-04-191h 09
OFF THE WOK25. Travels Abroad - From Accounting...to Netflix and Dropbox...to EntrepreneurHow does one go from doing accounting at McGill University in Montreal to Dropbox in San Francisco? Our guest Brendan Wong can give you a little insight into that. A native Calgarian, Brendan tells us how he was working in finance in Canada to get his CPA, before checking himself and deciding to move to San Francisco. From there, working at Ernst and Young, his first client was Zynga and that's where his foray into tech began...If you wanna hear more, be sure to listen to the rest of his adventure. I'll give you a hint, it ends...2021-04-1248 min
OFF THE WOK24. Dat Asian Hustle - From Dropping out of College to Launching an Events CompanyTalk to any Asian parent and they'll tell you that education is the key to success. So when our guest Leanne Lam told her parents that she was dropping out...AFTER she already dropped out, it's safe to say her parents weren't pleased. But it turned into the best decision she ever made as from there she started a very successful events company called Le Lumiere Events. Join us as Leanne gives us the reasoning behind her dropping out of university, how she got into the events space, the hurdles and barriers she's had to overcome, how COVID is...2021-04-0549 min
OFF THE WOK23. Dat Asian Hustle - Figuring it out as you goWe are starting a new sub-series! And we are calling it... dat Asian hustle! It will focus on individuals and their accomplishments, their successes, failures, and how they got to where they are today. We're hoping that these stories break the stereotypical traditional career path of Asians and to let our listeners out there know that if you wanna do something, just fucking do it. And what better way to start than with us. In this episode, Lance talks about starting his bubble tea business Banana Jaks at the tender age of 23 and all the struggles accompanying it including...2021-03-2944 min
OFF THE WOK22. Is COVID the Trigger Point for Asian Hate?1 year later and finally we are seeing some progress in the fight against COVID. With vaccinations in full swing, our hope is that everyone will be vaccinated by fall. What hasn't seen progress? Racism. According to stopaapi.org's national report, almost 4000 cases of discrimination and racism have been reported between March 2020 to 2021 in the US. And these are the cases that were reported, there are probably thousands more unreported. In Canada, the situation is just as bad if not worse on a per capita basis, with anti-Asian hate crimes rising by 700% in Vancouver alone. As a podcast centered around...2021-03-2245 min
OFF THE WOK21. Living a Gluten-Free Lifestyle as an AsianPicture this: you're traveling in Hong Kong and start getting hungry so you're searching for places to eat. Easy right? Hong Kong is like the mecca of food in the east, with everything from fine dining to local food stalls on every street. There's a catch though, you need to eat a gluten-free diet. And in a city where gluten is like the second ingredient after salt, finding a restaurant that offers gluten-free dishes with no cross-contamination, or heck, even finding a place where the waiter will understand what gluten-free means, will be much more difficult than you think...2021-03-1556 min
OFF THE WOK20. How not to Bribe Police in MalaysiaIn 2014, Eric embarked on a journey to Malaysia with his business partner to launch a startup in the dating sphere. For 2 years, he lived there to build Sparka, a dating app specifically aimed at SE Asia before coming back in 2016. Although the app was ultimately unsuccessful, the experiences he lived and breathed while in Malaysia will always be positive and life learning. Join us as we delve into Eric's problems with visa hopping, language barriers, the food he had, the food he missed, run-ins with the law and more.
We are always looking to share other people's experiences abroad! if...2021-03-0856 min
OFF THE WOK19. GG - "Growing up Gaming" with Johnny LuongGaming nowadays is considered cool. People scramble for the latest sold-out systems or newest hottest games because it's not only fun to play, but is also now socially acceptable. Gaming has evolved into a recreation for both the young and old, and this evolution has turned it into the billion-dollar industry it is today. Esports is now a thing and can be considered a full-time job with the possibility of earning millions from it.
But it wasn't always so, esports wasn't an everyday word 10 years ago and was probably non-existent in the 90s (with the exception of...2021-03-0151 min
OFF THE WOK18. Who am I? With The Why MomentsLet's talk about the concept of who am I? But not in the context of that awesome 1998 Jackie Chan movie, but more in a cultural context as an Asian born to immigrant parents in Canada. Growing up, we get influenced by two cultures, one from our family, and one from outside our family, a western influence. Both are equally strong and as such, it can be difficult to know what you identify as. Are you Chinese? Are you Korean? Are you Canadian? Or are you both? It's a great conversation to be had and on this episode, we are...2021-02-2252 min
OFF THE WOK17. xoxo The Game of Love with Shit We Don't Tell Mom xoxoA very special vday episode for our listeners out there. Today, we talk about looooove and all the many things centred around it. But it's not just gonna be Lance and I talking, helping us with this chat are Kristy and Angie, fellow podcasters from Shit We Don't Tell Mom (insta @shitwedonttellmom). If you haven't listened to their stuff yet, please do cause we guarantee you're gonna like what they have to say! You can find them on every platform you can find us on.
Join us as we talk about what we look for in potential...2021-02-151h 09
OFF THE WOK16. Year of the Ox with Magan from Jing Wo Cultural AssociationMagan from Jing Wo has graciously agreed to school Lance and I on the basics of lion dancing, something we've all watched at least once somewhere yet never really bothered to figure out the significance of it. Lion dancing is a huge part of Lunar New Year and we are grateful for Magan to come on and educate us (and possibly some listeners) on it. As well we talk about all things New Year, and why I'm searching on Amazon for a red case...
If you'd like to learn more about the Jing Wo Cultural Association, you...2021-02-0852 min
OFF THE WOK15. What's in a Name? With Special Guests!Today, we explore the origins of your name and how you (or your parents/whomever) came up with it. Many of us have Asian names with meaning and purpose, the English counterpart? That's a different story...
We'd like to thank the following people for their contribution to this episode:
Suzanne, Archie, Leslie, Cuong, Elena, Douglas, Katie, Marco, and Daven.
Thank you for sharing your stories with us!2021-02-0133 min
OFF THE WOK14. 3 to 1 odds...Let's do it!With Chinese New Year around the corner, one past time that gets busted out with family gatherings is mahjong! This led us to the topic of gambling in general and why so many Asians gamble and the superstitions around it. Now Lance and I aren't gamblers, however, our special guest Michelle is...2021-01-2542 min
OFF THE WOK13. Off the Wok Airlines Presents: China!Today we start a brand new series of people traveling abroad and our first guest is none other than Lance! Lance will talk about his 2-year adventure in China and provide us with a rundown of his experiences and how he navigated through them. Hopefully, this will be a great help to those thinking of moving to China (after this pandemic of course). This will be a recurring series so stay tuned to more of these episodes in the future! 2021-01-1847 min
OFF THE WOK12. Are Asians Non-Confrontational? The SequelSooooooo on a previous episode (titled Are Asians Non-Confrontational?), there was mention of a certain "intense" cousin, well here she is for the sequel! Jocelyne will give her take and experiences on when being direct is right, when it's not the right time, and when it's time to take the rings off...2021-01-1138 min
OFF THE WOK11. Food for ThoughtLet's talk about food! We talk about our experiences with asian food growing up, while traveling, and some of our favourite foods or most unique foods ever tasted. Make sure you listen to this on an empty stomach!2021-01-0440 min
OFF THE WOK10. Frugality level: AsianWhat is the difference between being cheap and being frugal? Today we discuss that and also draw upon our own experiences growing up in a frugal household. Let us know if you grew up with similar experiences and If you have any frugal tips and tricks, please comment on our Instagram or share with us via email!
Happy New Year from Off the Wok!2020-12-2837 min
OFF THE WOK09. Christmas Culture Clash! Part 2 with Jenn and BrendanA true culture clash with our friends Jenn and Brendan, a mixed married couple (Jenn is asian and Brendan is Caucasian). We get to chat about their childhood holiday traditions separately growing up, before we see how their traditions have either changed or remained the same after the merging of East and West. Enjoy and Happy Holidays from Off the Wok!
PS: Eric's mic had some issues so the sound is slightly muffled, will be good for the next time!2020-12-2137 min
OFF THE WOK08. Christmas Culture Clash! Part 1 with LeslieToday we have a chat with Leslie, a friend of ours whose annual holiday traditions growing up are unlike Lance and I, even though she is also a second generation Canadian like us. We discover what her traditions were (and perhaps still are!) and why her family's traditions were different. What are your holiday traditions? Share them with us!2020-12-2134 min
OFF THE WOK07. Red Beans Roasting by the Open FireWhat were your Christmas traditions growing up? Or did you even celebrate Christmas? Let's see how Off the Wok experienced it and you might be able to relate as well. Tell us all the Xmas traditions you had when growing up by commenting on our Instagram or emailing us!2020-12-1525 min
OFF THE WOK06. Hello, Bonjour and Ni HaoWhat did you grow up speaking? How many languages do you speak? Do you speak different languages at home vs. outside? Ask yourself these questions as you listen to today's episode on mother tongues2020-12-0745 min
OFF THE WOK05. Abidas or Adidas?I know the price is cheaper, but how's the quality? We talk about the Asian fake goods culture and our experiences growing up with it, accepting it and as we get older, turning our backs more and more to it. We also talk about China and the lengths they go to in counterfeit culture.2020-11-3038 min
OFF THE WOK04. Just Me, Myself and LanceWell here's a little story that must be told,
about 2 cool brothers who became all bold,
and decided to get up and do a little talk,
on a podcast you all know as off the wok.2020-11-2320 min
OFF THE WOK03. Let's Talk About Race...ism?Today we go into some of our past brushes with racism...or was it? Along with some sprinkles of racial profiling and stereotyping. You might wonder how we fit that in a half hour, well the answer is...there's gonna be a part 2.2020-11-1632 min
OFF THE WOK02. Are Asians Non-Confrontational?Exploring the stereotype of Asians generally being the non-confrontational, sit down and doing your work type. Does it come from our parents? Or are there other factors? And discussing which topics really grinds Asians gears.2020-11-1329 min
OFF THE WOK01. Happy Halloween!Today we discuss Halloween from our perspective as second generation kids and how we celebrated (or didn't). And any other stuff we decide to talk about.2020-11-0932 min