Saengthong Douangdara is a Los Angeles based cooking instructor and personal chef. He was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after his parents fled Laos. He was raised in Wisconsin. For over 5 years, Saeng worked in higher education as a counselor. During his time as a counselor, he nurtured his love of cooking and teaching. He decided to pursue his food ventures full-time and headed out to Laos for the first time for a full month to learn more about the food of his country. Since he’s been back, he’s expanded his digital chef and cooking class endeavors. He teaches cooking students the science and the historical context of foods. His diverse background growing up as a Lao American in the Midwest where he pursued a bachelors degree at the University of Wisconsin – Madison following his master’s at the University of Hawaii at Hilo has given him a wide appreciation of foods around the world. With his education in understanding the significance of foods in underrepresented communities and promoting a holistic balanced mental and physical health, he has combined his passion in cooking and teaching in his interactive lectures about food. He has published food photography artwork in magazines, lectured at universities, provided cooking lessons across large food retailers, and cooked for Hollywood events. His philosophy around cooking is to make it approachable, educational, and fun! He hopes to use food as a catalyst to teach people about the history and cultures of underrepresented communities.