Ronny Chieng Talks Lunar New Yr, Asian Eating places, and What It’s Wish to be Asian in America

Comic Ronny Chieng‘s cultural roots have been cultivated everywhere in the world: he was born in Malaysia, raised in Singapore and New Hampshire, and went to school in Australia. Chieng moved to New York Metropolis in 2015 when he was employed as a correspondent on The Every day Present and is about to have fun his decade-mark within the metropolis. (He’s now one of many late-night present’s rotating anchors, injecting his personal model of humor into the comedy world, just like the bit on Lunar New Yr prosperity needs that grew to become so common he sells “Hope You Get Wealthy” crimson envelopes on his website.)

Humor apart, Lunar New Yr, which kicked off this 12 months on Jan. 29, is a time of custom for the 39-year-old. He advised Journey + Leisure he rang within the Yr of the Snake at a good friend’s home with about 15 friends, having fun with a potluck dinner and enjoying mahjong, popularly performed throughout the vacation. He additionally follows lots of the superstitions and habits, like consuming vegetarian for the day. “On the extra disgusting facet, we don’t wash our hair,” he advised T+L, abiding by the customized of avoiding “washing away” success, which additionally applies to not cleansing, sweeping, or mopping.

On a extra private word, his spouse Hannah Pham, who he married in 2016, additionally launched their very own custom, “the place we have now an prolonged Facetime together with her household and change well-wishes fairly formally.” 

However above all else, Lunar New Yr is about reuniting with household and having fun with symbolic meals, so he and Pham teamed up with scotch model Johnnie Walker to have fun the model’s limited-edition Blue Label Yr of the Snake to showcase their favorites, like yu sheng or lo hei salad, which is communally combined in a prosperity toss.

“You’ve bought to shout stuff if you do it,” Chieng mentioned in regards to the prosperity toss, referring to auspicious sayings uttered for good luck, well being, success, and, in fact, prosperity. “You must say lots as a result of nobody phrase covers all of it.” Understanding the right four-word idioms is an indication of training. “The extra you’ll be able to say, the extra educated you might be,” he mentioned.

Chieng himself realized the phrases as a child. “I studied Chinese language formally late in life, at eight years previous, so that they drilled all these idioms into us,” he mentioned, explaining that they run the gamut from new year-specific ones to on a regular basis sayings, like one which interprets to don’t randomly decide stuff up on the road.

Sure fortunate meals are additionally vital to eat throughout Lunar New Yr, like dumplings, believed to convey prosperity since they resemble gold ingots. Chieng’s favourite “hidden, off-the-beaten spot” is Wonderful Dumpling Home, a former Chinatown staple now in Chelsea. Although he joked that the mainstay in all probability moved so they might cost triple, he mentioned they’re an “wonderful Chinese language restaurant throughout,” particularly going for its pan-fried dumplings. 

Noodles are one other important eat, believed that their size symbolizes an extended life. Chieng’s most well-liked selection is pho, which he enjoys from the West Village’s Hey Saigon. “It’s arduous to seek out good pho in Manhattan,” he admitted, including that this eatery hits the spot and provides stable decisions throughout its menu.

In the case of his Malaysian roots, he’s a fan of Fish Market, which has two places in Manhattan. “It’s very uncommon, however it’s in a sports activities bar,” he mentioned of the South Avenue Seaport unique. “They’ve soccer, military, and navy flags in all places, screens enjoying sports activities, and the bartenders are all from Kansas or one thing.” Juxtaposed with its environs, nasi lemak, fish congee, curried hen, and bok choy are served up. “It seems like a hidden menu,” he mentioned. “I am not even joking, like, it is in all probability the most effective Malaysian meals I’ve had in America!”

Going again to his time in Singapore, whereas the delicacies is just like Malaysian, he says Lou Yau Kee has an amazing Hainan hen rice, whereas one other latest discover was the speakeasy behind Kei Izayaka. (Although he admits the bar he frequents probably the most is Comedy Cellar, the place his photograph went up on the wall in 2017.)

The funnyman additionally usually heads to Manhattan’s Chinatown since his tailor is there, however it’s additionally the place Pham — who has a YouTube channel Pham Bam Kitchen, the place she shares favourite Asian recipes from Vietnamese hen curry to Taiwanese beef noodle soup — usually picks up groceries at Hong Kong Grocery store. Chieng mentioned he finally ends up going to espresso retailers round Chen’s Watches, which he additionally extremely recommends for repairs.

Whereas Chieng has established himself as a staple in iconic Asian American movies — Loopy Wealthy Asians in 2018, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021, Pleasure Experience in 2025, and Kung Fu Panda 4 final 12 months — his comedy specials, together with final month’s Netflix particular Like to Hate It and 2019’s Asian Comic Destroys America, are the place he usually delves into cross-cultural points, particularly these which might be difficult to navigate. 

“Being Asian in America, you are consistently making an attempt to determine in any given second whether or not you are speculated to be representing Chinese language individuals, or whether or not you are supposed to only be American,” he advised T+L. “After virtually 10 years right here, I’ve realized there’s no arduous and quick rule. The secret is that it must be you who decides — not another person.”

However what he has seen this 12 months is there may be extra of an understanding. “I undoubtedly seen extra individuals wishing me a cheerful Lunar New Yr,” he says. “I believe it’s as a result of they train it in faculties now, so children inform their mother and father, and after they go to the workplace it’s one thing they consider after they see an Asian particular person, which I do not suppose has occurred earlier than.”