Ep. 293 | David Tran

In this 293rd CHP episode, we feature the Sriracha Chili Sauce King, David Tran. His life is a great immigrant success story and an inspiration to many aspiring immigrants and entrepreneurs. It's not often that a living person is featured on the CHP. David Tran's ancestors came from the Chaozhou region of China and emigrated to Vietnam in the 19th century.

After a traumatic turn of events that forced him to flee his country, he ended up on the US west coast. There he went on to build his dream and ultimately become another great American immigrant success story. His culinary creation, Sriracha chili sauce, and his company, Huy Fong Foods, became a huge sensation in the US and later, all over the world.

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Terms in Episode

1907-2014ChineseEnglish/Meaning
Xí Jìnpíng习近平General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, President of China
Run Run Shaw邵逸夫1907 - 2014, Hong Kong entertainment tycoon and philanthropist
Li Ka-shing李嘉诚Business Tycoon and philanthropist
Cháozhōu潮州City in southeastern Guangdong near the Fujian border, called Teochew in the local language
Lim Por-yan林百欣1914-2005, Hong Kong industrialist and founder of Lai Sun Development
Vincent Lo刘銮雄Hong Kong industrialist and boss of the Shui On Group
Chin Sophonpanich陈弼臣1910-1988, Thai-Chinese entrepreneur and founder of Bangkok Bank and Bangkok Insurance
Dhanin Chearavanont谢国民Senior Chairman of the CP Group, founded bu his father Ek Chor
Leow Chia Heng廖正兴1874-1931, Co-founder of the Sze Hai Tong Banking & Insurance Company Limited, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Singapore Po Leung Kuk
Trần Họ陈德David Tran
Wǔhú五胡The Five Northern Barbarian tribes of Xiōngnú 匈奴, Xiānbēi 鲜卑, Dī 氐, Qiāng 羌 and Jié 羯
Míng Dynasty明朝Chinese imperial dynasty that lasted 1368-1644
Emperor Yǒnglè永乐帝Ming Emperor who reigned 1402-1424. Son of the Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang
HuáAbbreviation for China or Chinese
Chợ Lớn District堤岸The Chinatown of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
huājiāo花椒The Sichuan peppercorn
málà麻辣numbing and spicy, one of the many flavors of China
Làjiāō辣椒A chili pepper
Zhōngguó Nóngshí中国农食 A Chinese agricultural journal
Liáoníng辽宁Province in northeast China
Huy Fong Foods匯豐食品The name of David Tran's company
Sriraja PanichThe top chili sauce in Thailand
tương ớt辣椒酱Chili sauce (in Vietnamese)
Lee Kum Kee李錦記Founded in 1888, makers of Chinese sauces of all kinds. Most famous for their Oyster Flavored Sauce. Almost as ubiquitous as the Sriracha sauce from Huy Fong Foods
Zhāngzhōu漳州City in southern Fujian
Hokkien福建Fujian or people from mostly southern Fujian
Hokchiu福州Fuzhou and people who came from this northern Fujian region
Hakka客家People from one of the five major linguistic groups of southern China who are found around the world
nước mắm鱼露Fish Sauce
chả giò春卷Fried Spring Rolls, eaten Vietnamese style, wrapped in lettuce

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Ep. 294 | The Warlord Ma's of Northwest China

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Ep. 292 | Olive Yang