Irene and Mei Li – Believe In Your Dream
15 January 2018
Irene & Mei Li , sibling co-founders of the Mei Mei empire in Boston, Massachusetts (USA), discuss the trials and tribulations of turning a foodservice dream into a brick and mortar reality. They’ve expanded from a food truck popular with residents and visitors alike to add a full-service restaurant., as well as bottled sauces They share what it’s like to work with family, and talk about what they did to help make their small business a true success, including inspiration from our Episode 1 speaker Air Weinzweig below. An inspirational cookbook is in the works. Hear what Irene and Mei Li have to say and then you’ll want to book your trip to Boston for the scallion pancake sandwiches!
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How 3 siblings were able to balance work and personalities in a family-owned business
- How 3 siblings started a food truck with a lot of passion about and interest in food, but no foodservice experience
- Why introducing an open books policy with company employees contributed to greater employee commitment to the business
- How you don’t need to be a professional writer to write a cookbook
- The importance of visioning
Born in Las Raíces, San Juan del Cesar, Colombia, Mabel Esther Vega Montaño honors with her life the name of the place where she was born. A rural teacher and guardian of traditions, she combines formal education with the transmission of ancestral knowledge about respectful cultivation and harvesting of the land. Through fique weaving, she connects communities and promotes rural tourism intertwined with local gastronomy, where the wooden pestle, the totumo achiotero, and the wood-fired stove accompany the preparation of traditional dishes that celebrate the living memory and deep roots of the territory to which she has devoted her life. Learn more about our new Taste of Place Movement and how you can support it and the work done by Mabel and others like her.
In Loving Memory and with Deep Gratitude: Honoring Brian F. Lorge
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 80: “Mexico Beyond the Myths” featuring Ximena Velasco In this episode of the Taste of Place Podcast, we chat with Ximena Velasco, founder of the ¡Qué Gusto! festival in France. Originally from Mexico, Ximena has dedicated the past decade to changing perceptions of Mexican food abroad, proving that it is far more than fajitas or chili con carne. She shares her journey from working with Atout France to creating her own cultural platform, the challenges of promoting Mexican gastronomy in a country so deeply proud of its own food traditions, and the victories that come from perseverance, creativity, and trust in her instincts. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel.
Quarterly tales from the ambassadors of the World Food Travel Association
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 79: “Peace Through Food” featuring Paula Mohammed In this episode of the Taste of Place Podcast, we sit down with Paula Mohammed – podcaster, cultural explorer, and founder of In My Kitchen. Paula’s story begins with a unique multicultural upbringing as the daughter of a Pakistani father and a mother from New Zealand with Māori heritage, raised in both Canada and New Zealand. She shares how a childhood memory of curried peas sparked a lifelong passion for connecting cultures through food. From organizing events and working in sports marketing, to launching In My Kitchen and facilitating culinary exchanges worldwide, Paula has built a life around creating peace through food — one dish and one story at a time. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel.
Chef Dela Acolatse from Ghana is the newest certified ambassador for the World Food Travel Association.
