Self-taught chef, content creator, and best-selling author Jon Kung joins Anita Sharma for a conversation about third culture cooking, finding creative freedom in Detroit's emptiness, and why teaching people to make tomato sandwiches matters more than showing off culinary skills.

Jon opens up about his first vivid food memory, eating raw spiny lobster straight from the ocean in South Africa at 16, and how growing up in Hong Kong and Toronto gave him the confidence to never apologize for being an Asian American. We discuss teaching himself to cook during law school, turning down a sought-after prosecutor job while sitting in his car, and running underground Chinese pop-ups in abandoned Detroit warehouses and factories during the recession.

In this episode, Jon talks about being an early TikTok adopter, posting survival recipes during the pandemic, and why his camping cooking videos (his slowest, most peaceful content) are a direct response to what he calls "violent" food content. He shares his philosophy on teaching through simplicity (the viral tomato sandwich series), why his equipment reviews perform best on YouTube, and how his corn kernel remover is the kitchen gadget that actually matters.

We also explore Jon's bestselling cookbook "Kung Food," his deep connection to the drag community, why he doesn't watch other food content to relax, and his death row meal that would probably be the thing that kills him. Plus: the great pineapple on pizza debate gets settled by a real chef.

This episode is about finding space to experiment, teaching with intention, and cooking food that brings people joy.

Follow Jon: @jonkung

Disclaimer: I'm a lawyer, but this podcast isn't legal advice. It's for general information only. Listening doesn't make us attorney and client, so if you need legal advice, please talk to a lawyer in your area.

Credits:

Produced by: Anita Sharma & Phoebe Dunn

Creative Producer: Khairi Williams

Script Editor: Mac Montandon

Technical Production Support Provided By: Seth Richardson

Edited by: Carmine Mattia

Social Media Strategy: Maureen Lloren Sedlak

Signed Theme Music By: Carmine Mattia

Creator behind the viral "Things I Wish I Knew Before I Was In My 30s" series Sidney Raz joins Anita Sharma for an honest conversation about 18 years of grinding before "making it," building a real media company, and why he's now vlogging the most personal story of his life.

Sid opens up about posting his first YouTube video in 2007, working at React Media for five years as his "trade school," and posting on TikTok every single day for a year and a half to grow from zero followers to 90K. We discuss how corporate America taught him to be the best emailer in the creator game, why he posted a TikTok on his wedding day at 7,000 followers, and the moment he realized the "life hacks" format was his lightning in a bottle.

In a heartbreaking twist, Sid shares how losing his daughter Delfina at 26 weeks led to genetic testing that discovered the stage T1a stomach cancer that would have killed him. He talks about building 11,000 newsletter subscribers as something "nobody can take away," publishing a real book with DK, and why, after everything, he's come full circle to daily vlogging.

This episode is about persistence, pivoting, and owning your story completely.

Follow Sid: @sidneyraz

Disclaimer: I'm a lawyer, but this podcast isn't legal advice. It's for general information only. Listening doesn't make us attorney and client, so if you need legal advice, please talk to a lawyer in your area.

Credits:

Produced by: Anita Sharma & Phoebe Dunn

Creative Producer: Khairi Williams

Script Editor: Mac Montandon

Technical Production Support Provided By: Seth Richardson

Edited by: Carmine Mattia

Social Media Strategy: Maureen Lloren Sedlak

Signed Theme Music By: Carmine Mattia

Sexologist, intimacy expert, and best-selling author Shan Boodram joins Anita Sharma for an honest conversation about sex education, building a career in an unconventional field, and why intimacy is about so much more than sex.

Shan opens up about growing up in a conservative Caribbean household, writing her first book "Laid" at 24, moving to LA with nothing but $5,000 and a dream, and why a failed BET pilot pushed her to YouTube. We discuss the most common questions she gets about sex (mismatched libido tops the list), why she stopped reading comments after having kids, outdated sex myths that need to die, and how her content has evolved from "where is the clitoris" to exploring friendship and family love.

She also shares why she'd never abandon YouTube despite it no longer being her main platform, the emotional toll of sharing vulnerable relationship moments online, and her new passion for drumming.

This episode is for anyone navigating intimacy, relationships, or building a career in a space where you have to educate while you create.

Follow Shan: @shanboody on TikTok and @shanboodram on Instagram

Disclaimer: I'm a lawyer, but this podcast isn't legal advice. It's for general information only. Listening doesn't make us attorney and client, so if you need legal advice, please talk to a lawyer in your area.

Credits:

Produced by: Anita Sharma & Phoebe Dunn
Creative Producer: Khairi Williams
Script Editor: Mac Montandon
Technical Production Support Provided By: Seth Richardson
Edited by: Carmine Mattia
Social Media Strategy: Maureen Lloren Sedlak
Signed Theme Music By: Carmine Mattia