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The AWE Salon Series was designed as a unique approach to mentorship conversations, with a focus on deeper dialogue with experts and peers that build key relationships to support our community’s aspirations. Check out our previous AWE Salon Series dinners here.

This upcoming dinner will be centered on connecting exceptional AAPI women entrepreneurs and leaders in e-commerce, retail, and direct-to-consumer businesses through conversations on how to scale and sustain your business and navigate the consumer and entrepreneurial landscape.  

Scaling Success
Thursday, March 13, 2025 
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM 
Private Residence in Studio City
Address to be shared in confirmation email before date of event.

Special Thanks to: Ellen Chen for generously providing the event space.

Dinner provided by Chef Katie Chin, Wok Star Catering:

Conversations will be guided by the following experts:

Ellen Chen, Co-founder of Mendocino Farms, Investor and Advisor. Since stepping down from the daily operations of Mendocino Farms, which she co-founded in 2005, Ellen Chen has dedicated her time to investing in female- and minority-founded businesses. With 20 years of experience growing food brands, she helps early-stage founders define their purpose, operationalize values, and secure resources. She serves on the boards of Mendocino Farms, Sugared + Bronzed, and HomeState and advises several startups. Recognized as an industry leader, she was named to Nation’s Restaurant News' Power List and 50 Most Influential Women in Foodservice. Ellen is also deeply committed to community impact, serving on the boards of Teach AAPI and AAPI LA.

Jing Gao, the founder and CEO of Fly By Jing is a chef, expert on Chinese cuisine and the author of James Beard Award-winning cookbook The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp. Fly By Jing brings thoughtfully crafted pantry staples to the modern kitchen, like their cult-favorite Sichuan Chili Crisp, the fiery condiment that has taken America by storm. Jing was born in Chengdu, but grew up everywhere, and uses her experience as a chef and entrepreneur to share meaningful flavors that evolve culture through taste, and expand palates and minds. She is the Founder of award-winning modern-Chinese fast casual restaurant Baoism in Shanghai, and is the Co-Founder of modern Sichuan grab-and-go eatery Suá in Los Angeles. 

Made Possible with Support From:

More about Chef Katie Chin: 

Celebrity Chef Katie Chin is an Award-winning cookbook author, caterer and Culinary Ambassador to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.  After growing up working in the kitchens of her late mother Leeann Chin’s award-winning Minneapolis-area restaurants, Katie pursued a career in film and television marketing but eventually left her executive position to return to her culinary roots. 

Katie co-hosted the national PBS cooking series, Double Happiness, in conjunction with her mother and together they wrote Everyday Chinese Cooking. On her own, Katie wrote 300 Best Rice Cooker Recipes and the award-winning bestsellers Everyday Thai Cooking and Everyday Chinese Cookbook:  101 Delicious Recipes from My Mother’s Kitchen. Katie’s fifth cookbook, “Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook” was released in June 2021.  She has been featured in many publications such as Forbes Magazine, Huffpost, O Magazine, Cooking Light, Bon Appetit, Elle, Real Simple, and Epicurious as well as The Wall Street Journal.

Her numerous appearances on national television include The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly & Mark, The Today Show, The Real, Hallmark Channel, The Real, Cooking Channel and as a guest judge on Food Network’s Iron Chef America. She has appeared as a chef contestant on Cutthroat Kitchen, Beat Bobby Flay, Supermarket Stakeout, Battle of the Decades and most recently on Chopped.  In 2013, Katie was a featured chef at the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House under the Obama administration.

Thanks to in-kind support from:

If you are interested in hosting or sponsoring an AWE Salon Series dinner, 
please reach out to [email protected].