Taking place in Long Beach, California’s Marina Green Park on September 29th and 30th, the Music Tastes Good festival is a weekend-long celebration of music, food, and arts. On-site this year will be a Taste Tent carrying the theme of “Port Cities of the West Coast,” as offering all attendees a chance to sample offerings from the chefs as south as the Baja California del Sur all the way up to Vancouver, British Columbia. In turn, the festival-goers of Music Tastes Good can not only try new foods, but also meet chefs from other cities and listen to chef demos and panels.
Khanh N. Hoang served and bartended her way through nursing school. After working as a nurse for about 7 years for a private hospital and the Veterans Association, she used her experience to begin Company Of Khanh, a pop-up dinner series that promotes “culture to table.” After collaborating on a few pop-up dinner parties with Music Tastes Good and being a featured chef on the 2017 festival lineup, creative director Chris Watson invited Khanh to return as Chef Relations.
Born and bred in East Vancouver, Wesley Young worked in his parents’ green grocer, where food was central to everything in their lives. After completing his culinary training at Malaspina University College and Vancouver Community College, he earned his stripes working with the Four Seasons. In 2005, Wesley moved to London and joined critically-acclaimed Tom Aikens in London. He then returned to Canada and worked at Montreal’s 357c before coming home to Vancouver at the award-winning West. Now with PiDGiN, he has evolved into a calm and industry respected teacher.
I had the pleasure of speaking with both Chef Khanh Hoang and Chef Wesley Young on behalf of A Global Lifestyle. More on these chefs and the Music Tastes Good festival can be found online at www.mtglb.co.
How did you first get involved with Music Tastes Good?
Chef Khanh Hoang: Company Of Khanh began hosting community pop-ups to promote more culture to table. There are so many things that can divide a community and I wanted to bring people together. People love a good dinner party, so I started hosting with my home-cooking, paired it with worldly music curated by an old friend, and handmade cocktails by another. I got involved with Music Tastes Good because the team recognized that our mission to introduce people to good food and music aligned. We have since collaborated on a few events, and I was a featured chef in 2017.
Chef Wesley Young: The festival organizers reached out to us. They were looking for restaurants all along the west coast and we were thrilled to get a call.
What was it that draws you to the festival?
Chef Khanh Hoang: I moved to Long Beach 16 years ago for college. I have been fortunate to be able to see it change from the inside, politics aside. There’s always exciting things developing in terms of food, art, and music. I love how the festival team is made of people that share the vision Josh had for Long Beach. The Music Tastes Good festival embodies that by being a platform, introducing and challenging us to novel possibilities. Also, it was so nice to run into friends from the community throughout the entire festival weekend last year.
Chef Wesley Young: It’s always fun to participate in events that straddle different industries an professions. But more specifically, music and food have always been the two biggest passions in my life.
If you manage to get some downtime, is there a particular artist at the festival you’re hoping to see live?
Chef Khanh Hoang: Of course I am thrilled to see the headliners, but I am looking forward to discovering some new music if I can manage to get away for a bit.
Chef Wesley Young: New Order.
Music Tastes Good aside, what is coming for you?
Chef Khanh Hoang: I am constantly looking for new cultural foods and ideas to share at my events. I’m focused on finishing up school for now and then seeing how my nursing degree can influence the food industry. Hoping to combine my career and passion into something that will help the community and people I care for.
Chef Wesley Young: What’s coming for me? Like what’s in my future? More travel, more businesses, expanded consciousness…?
Finally, any last words for the kids?
Chef Khanh Hoang: Afghan mantu dumplings — find some, enjoy!
Chef Wesley Young: Just the basics. Enjoy yourselves, be smart, stay hydrated and be respectful.
