New Lisa Ling HBO docuseries redefines American cuisine beyond hamburgers, pizza and apple pie

Lisa Ling, right, will host a docuseries featuring Asian American cuisine and the people and
the people and restaurants creating  and redefining the newAmerican food.

In the numerous rallies against hate incidents directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, every once in a while a sign will pop up saying: "Love Us Like You Love Our Food" pointing out the irony that while sushi, boba, chow mien, and pho may be part of America's cuisine but the people who created those dishes are still viewed as "outsiders."

Award-winning filmmaker Lisa Ling has produced a new HBO docuseries, Take Out With Lisa Ling, which uses food as an entry point to the Asian cultures and people who have become part of the American mosaic.

When it comes to choosing where to eat out, Chinese, Indian, or Japanese food is as ubiquitous as pizza and burgers. These days, there are Asian restaurants in practically every mall food court and Main Street across the United States. Yet, little is known about the diverse communities behind them. Asian Americans have long been lumped together, misunderstood, exoticized, and even purposefully cut out of our history books.

In Take Out With Lisa Ling, hosted by Ling — who’s own family story began in a Chinese restaurant — travels from the bayous of Louisiana to Orange County’s Little Saigon, exploring the foods Americans love while shining a long overdue spotlight on the contributions Asian Americans have been making to the United States since before the United States was even the United States.

SCREEN CAPTURE

A Filipino American version of a meal known as a "Boodle Fight" is shown in the trailer for HBO's "Take Out With Lisa Ling."

The press release from HBO didn't specifically name which restaurants are being featured, but the trailer did reveal a shot of a "Boodle Fight," a Filipino custom of piling a whole lot of food in the middle of the table and letting everybody help themselves.
 
 The Max Original docuseries, Take Out With Lisa Ling, debuts with all six episodes Thursday, Jan. 27 on the streaming network, HBO Max. 

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