The food: Heart of Tomato with Fried Tofu and Greens

Where to find it: Viet Chay Restaurant, Vietnam

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This Valentines Day and #FoodEntrepreneur Friday I’m going to get mushy, brake open my heart and share why I love to film food entrepreneurs. This post involves passion, success after hard work and a deadly war hero.

Firstly, I’m proud and honored to announce great news for TASTE with Kevin Longa—the documentary series we’re creating about food entrepreneurs: One of the first videos we’ve created, “Hands in the Orchestra,” was chosen as a Top 10 food video for Real Food Media. You can watch & vote for it here.

Out of 156 video submissions from international film teams, our video made the top 10 and will be judged and distributed by food entrepreneurs & media leaders like Jamie Oliver, Alice Waters, Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser. And it will go to top online content curators like GOOD and Upworthy.

“Hands in the Orchestra” shares the story of the Mexican-American food entrepreneur who “cooks with passion” and “cooks with his heart.” For this #FoodEntrepreneur Friday and Valentines Day I’m going to serve up a little story of why I love and dedicate countless hours to developing a documentary series about food, people and their stories.

The story takes place during one of the best meals of my life:

Quan’s milky-white eye stared back at me as if shouting, “I’ve killed a few of your kind, American. And you’re what’s for lunch.” A chill sliced through the Mekong heat and slivered down my spine. I had ventured far into the Ben Tre province with my Vietnamese hosts, and at the outdoor lunch table I sat opposite Quan—a war hero from what their nation calls the ‘American War’. In the kitchen, Linh grilled bahn xeo, literally “sizzling cake”. With each crack of the fire, an image from Saigon’s War Remnants Museum flashed in my mind. Pop—naked, crying children fleeing a napalm explosion. Snap—deformed spines of Agent Orange victims. I traveled to Asia to film food and people who make it. Little did I know I would swallow the medicine of history, as well. To lighten my anxiety, I broke the silence with a story of how I split my pants performing “the helicopter” breakdance move. Quan chuckled. Before he could speak further, Linh and my hosts ushered in a court of Vietnamese fare: spring rolls, stuffed bitter melon, coconut salad. Without looking, I reached for my favorite: the bahn xeo. I tried to pick up the savory fried pancake, but I felt a tug. I looked up and saw Quan’s grizzled fingers clutching the other end. He chuckled a little heartier and smirked, “Want to split it?” In this moment, I internalized a lesson I only thought I knew: stories and food unite people.

Like, breaking bread at the “table of brotherhood” MLK Jr. preaches about, I seek a little empathy for others. Food transcends cultural barriers, and countless food entrepreneurs around the world create food because that’s what they love. I hope TASTE with Kevin Longa can usher in a little common understanding, and maybe share the love, as well.

Happy Valentines Day!

Spread the love. If you like entrepreneurs, food-lovers, immigrants, healthy food, sustainability, creating food from scratch, San Francisco, Bay Area, Asians, Mexicans, Hispanics, dreamers or doers then watch our “Hands in the Orchestra” video here. Vote for it. And share it with others who love food and the international people who make it.

That’s what we’re all about at TASTE with Kevin Longa.

Much love,

Kevin