Brand Builder Eugene Chan redefines how Asian brands reach International audiences 擴建餐飲文化版圖 • 陳汝軒

As a child, Eugene Chan spent Saturday nights wedged between relatives and neighbours in bustling Chinese restaurants north of Toronto, plates clattering, chopsticks flashing, laughter cresting above the din. Yet, even in the warmth of community, he noticed an absence. “Why,” he wondered, “are these places always full, but never with a single westerner?” The question lingered for years. It’s now the driving force behind Accencis Group, the company Chan founded to help Asian-led brands break new ground, connecting with audiences across Canada and into new markets.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseMay 1, 2026chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, Personal StoriesComment

Braden Chong: New Flavours in Chinese-Canadian Cuisine 第三代尋味•張一飛

“Food was always at the centre of my family,” says Braden Chong, executive chef at MIMI Chinese and Sunnys Chinese, two acclaimed restaurants in Toronto. “I loved eating. I was curious about how it was cooked and why I liked it so much.”

Born in 1994, Chong grew up in a Chinese-Canadian household as the youngest of three brothers. His grandparents immigrated from the Guangzhou region to Canada in the 1950s, bringing with them the flavours and traditions of southern China.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseApril 14, 2026chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, Personal Stories, Food, food, Chinese FoodComment

Canada’s Glamorous Gourmand Mijune Pak Talks About Building A Life in Gastronomy 殿堂級食評家•白敏令

Her curiosity is boundless, as is her appetite. So it’s jarring to hear that Mijune Pak had trouble keeping food down while travelling through Dubai, Oman, Qatar, and the Maldives earlier this year. “Za’atar. Cumin. Normally, I love all that stuff,” she says, making a face at the memory. But normal wasn’t her state at the time: she was in her first trimester, expecting her first child. Those scents simply weren’t agreeing with her.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseApril 10, 2026chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, Personal StoriesComment

Lang Lang: Connecting Hearts with Every Note 以琴聲連結世界•郎朗

In a world where music transcends language, Lang Lang is a global ambassador, carrying the soul of Chinese heritage to the world’s grandest stages. With a Steinway piano at the command of his fingers and audiences across continents rising in standing ovation, he continues to redefine what it means to be an artist — not only by mastering his craft, but by embodying the power of cultural connection.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseMarch 30, 2026chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, Personal StoriesComment

Master Builder Joo Kim Tiah Has Big Plans for Vancouver, Starting with Its Tallest Tower「青出於藍」畫出溫哥華更人性化的天際線房地產巨擘 • 程如錦

On a video call from his Vancouver office, Joo Kim Tiah sits with the city’s skyline behind him, a skyline he’s about to transform with what may be his most defining project yet.

The real estate developer’s vision: a $2.8-billion development that would rise from two downtown blocks, an architectural statement that will become Vancouver’s most ambitious mixed-use complex to date.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseMarch 24, 2026chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, Personal StoriesComment

The Double Life of Liann Zhang: The Vancouver-Born Author’s Debut Thriller, Set In The Cut-Throat World of Influencers, Is As Sharp And Addictive As The Feeds It Skewers 新世代小說家•張麗安

“I love being a dragon,” Liann Zhang says when the subject of the Chinese zodiac comes up. “It’s this random mystical beast in the middle of it all. I feel very powerful.”

Dragons, she adds, are brave and up for adventure, qualities that suit anyone writing a novel. Zhang just did. At just 23, she’s already seeing her debut thriller, Julie Chan is Dead, become one of the buzziest Canadian novels of the year, thanks in part to its setting in the murky world of influencers. The title is a tease; the story is even sharper.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseMarch 19, 2026Asian representaton, chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, Personal StoriesComment

Flying High: Skye Chan Never Planned on Pageants, Television Hosting or Health Advocacy. But Pragmatism Has a Way of Opening Unexpected Doors 陳倩揚 • 每次轉身，活出自己節奏的港姐

During a break from her flight schedule in 2008, Skye Chan spotted a television advertisement for Miss Hong Kong pageant entrants. Most flight attendants might have dismissed the idea immediately. Chan had built her reputation on efficiency and professionalism, not the polished glamour typically associated with beauty competitions.

Yet something about the opportunity intrigued her. At twenty-three, Chan knew the eligibility cutoff of twenty-four made this her only opportunity to apply, so she downloaded the form and asked her mother to be her nominee. “You never know until you take a step forward,” she says.

Chan had no illusions about her chances.

Annie Huang Finds Purpose Helping Young Musicians in Toronto 重譜第二人生 • 黄靜

On screen, Huang sat in a softly lit room at home, framed by an intricately carved wooden cabinet, its surface etched with ancient figures and traditional buildings. She smiled, glanced back at the cabinet and let the moment linger.

Off camera, one can imagine that cabinet, rich with the charm of Chinese design, has witnessed many changing seasons since her arrival in Toronto from Shanghai nearly a decade ago. It seems to speak for itself: solid, silent and carrying its own history into a new country where Huang has built a new life.

Justine Yeung: Still Perspectives 楊應琪: 電影定格

For a long time, many members of the Hong Kong film industry, both on and off screen, have moved to North America or constantly traveled between the two places for work, education, or simply in search of a better life. You can find them on film sets and post-production studios all over Hong Kong and Asia, while simultaneously making their mark in many North American film studios or international film festivals.

Personal Stories, Film & BooksFête ChinoiseAugust 12, 2022Asian Representation, Personal Stories, photography, FilmComment

Artistry in Motion : Emily Gao 高婧瑤：用耳飾捕捉生活中「動」的瞬間

Born in Harbin, China, and raised in Toronto, Emily had a traditional Asian upbringing. This included parents who, naturally, encouraged her to pursue a livelihood that would be financially sound. She dutifully fulfilled her parents’ expectations, studying business and starting a stable career. They were pleased.

Personal Stories, Art and FashionFête ChinoiseJuly 18, 2022Asian Representation, Personal Stories, ArtComment

The Creative Mess that is Emma FYi Khoo: Photographer, Creator and Academic

Artistic soul Emma or “FYi” Khoo has straddled many mediums, including modelling, makeup and photography. She also is an accomplished singer, is pursuing a PhD and has an architecture background. Proudly showcasing her culture, Emma’s content includes stories that she grew up with, including anime, Ancient Egypt, Greek myths to Chinese legends and novels Journey to the West and the Three Kingdoms.

Personal StoriesGuest UserJune 29, 2022Asian Representation, Personal Stories, ArtComment

A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DESIGNER: JULIUS HUI 許瀚文: 建築更美的文字風景

Typeface or font designers are a rare breed. And Chinese typeface designers are even more scarce, which one can understand given this context: The average Western/Latin typeface is comprised of about 200 glyphs (the symbols that make up a writing system, including letters, numerals, punctuation, accents, etc. ) to create a functional set, whereas the average font used for Traditional Chinese in Hong Kong or Taiwan requires over 13,000 glyphs for basic usage. That number jumps up to a staggering 20,000 glyphs for when you add other Chinese dialects and regions, such as the characters in Simplified Chinese!

Personal Stories, Design DialogueGuest UserJune 17, 2022Asian Representation, Personal Stories, Art, typographyComment