Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristie Hang.
Kristie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m a food and travel TV host and journalist that travels the world. I’m was born and raised in Los Angeles and Pre-COVID would find myself constantly on a plane traveling to explore new places and meet new people day in and day out.
When I’m back home in Los Angeles and not traveling, I discover and write about food for Eater. In addition to sharing my expertise on shows like Master Chef, CNN, PBS’ Confucius was A Foodie, Investigation Discovery, and MYX TV, to name a few, I also have been featured on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown.
I received my Bachelors from UCLA and my Masters in Broadcast Journalism from USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism.
I think food is the best way to learn about a person. You can’t travel to somewhere new and not be changed by that experience, which is why I’m so passionate about food and travel.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being a journalist as a career path has not been an easy road. Most of the classmates I went to graduate school with no longer work in the industry. It’s definitely not the glitz and glam job that many people may think it is.
I’ve covered international protests across the globe and even taken on red carpet hosting duties for award shows like the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Emmys. I can confidently say that no one sees all the hard work and things that go on behind the scenes to get those few good minutes of content.
As for covering immigrant populations like the San Gabriel Valley, there are many times when sources don’t want to speak to journalists. It takes a lot of hard work, persistence, and determination to gain their trust before they decided whether or not to speak to you and grant you that interview.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m known for my storytelling. It doesn’t matter if the restaurant has a C rating or if it’s a Michelin restaurant, you can find me getting down with the locals and finding my followers the best there is to offer.
Whether I’m hosting a show or reviewing a restaurant, I like to add my take on culture and personal stories into my pieces. I enjoy sharing my knowledge of food and Chinese/other Asian cultures with my readers and followers. I think someone’s background plays such a big part of their story so I always try to bring in that personal touch in whatever I’m covering.
People may just see that a new restaurant opened up, but I like to examine the food and the owner or chef’s family history and why this dish came about. Is this a traditional dish they are making or did their family background play a part in what it is?
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wish I took things less seriously in school. I was a huge nerd in school. From preschool to graduate school, I literally never missed a day! Perfect Attendance! I took all sorts of extracurriculars and I was in school from before it started at 0 period to after the day ended for my sports teams, AP class study sessions, and Student Council duties.
Grad school taught me that grades weren’t that important and that social skills and networking were much superior skills. A few classmates that could care less about their grades ended up getting great jobs because they didn’t take themselves too seriously.
I wish I didn’t spread myself too thin and didn’t try to do everything. You know how they say Jack of all Trades, but master at none? I think I should have concentrated on a few things in high school and took it easy. In retrospect, grades really aren’t that big of a deal. And… maybe missing a day or two wouldn’t have killed me.
As for career advice, I wish I did more study abroad programs when I was in college and grad school. I also wish I started learning more languages at an early age.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristiehang
Image Credit:
2 Photos with mic with Westfield The Taste in background are courtesy of Steven Lam
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