Last week, Lisa Ling debuted a new show streaming on HBO Max. In Take Out with Lisa Ling, the award-winning journalist and television host travels the country in search of the diverse cuisines and untold histories that make up Asian America.

Throughout the series’ six episodes, Lisa travels from the bayous of Louisiana to the suburbs of Washington, DC to shine a light on their Asian American communities and to share in their food and culture. Along the way, she shares her own journey toward discovering and embracing her identity and her family’s restaurant roots.

Lisa recently sat down with me to share how she got the project off the ground and why it’s important to show all of the facets of the Asian American experience. We get into it about the dissonance between the rise in Asian representation and Asian hate, the formulation of Asian American identity, and why I believe American Chinese food deserves more respect as a uniquely Asian American cuisine.

All episodes of Take Out with Lisa Ling are currently streaming on HBO Max.