Eddie Huang

Edwyn Charles Huang was born on March 1, 1982, in Fairfax, Virginia, to Taiwanese immigrant parents. He was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, and later Orlando, Florida, where his father owned a successful group of steak and seafood restaurants. Huang developed an early appreciation for African-American culture, particularly hip-hop. He pursued higher education, earning a B.A. in English and Film from Rollins College in 2004, where he also received literary awards and worked on the school paper. In 2008, he earned a J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, during which he was involved with the Innocence Project and served in leadership roles for minority law student associations. Following law school, Huang initially worked as a corporate attorney at Chadbourne & Parke in New York City, but was laid off due to the 2008 financial crisis, leading him to explore new career paths including stand-up comedy and operating a streetwear company called “Hoodman Clothing” from 2006 to 2009.

Huang’s culinary career began with the opening of BaoHaus, a Taiwanese bun shop, in December 2009 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The restaurant quickly gained recognition for its innovative offerings and contributed to his growing reputation in the food world. In 2011, he relocated BaoHaus to a larger space in the East Village with an expanded menu, further cementing its status as a culinary hotspot until its permanent closure in October 2020. Huang’s experiences and insights into food and culture led him to hosting television shows, including “Cheap Bites” on the Cooking Channel in 2011 and later “Huang’s World” for Viceland, where he explored global cultural identities through cuisine. His written work also gained prominence, particularly his acclaimed memoir, “Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir,” published in 2013, which received favorable reviews and became a New York Times bestseller.

The success of “Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir” led to its adaptation into an ABC sitcom titled “Fresh Off the Boat” in 2014, with Huang narrating the first season. While the show brought his story to a wider audience, Huang publicly expressed concerns about the adaptation’s artistic direction. He continued his literary contributions with “Double Cup Love: On the Trail of Family, Food, and Broken Hearts in China,” published in 2016. More recently, Huang transitioned into film, directing and writing “Boogie,” a coming-of-age movie released in 2019 about a Chinese-American basketball player. He also directed the 2024 documentary “Vice is Broke,” further diversifying his creative endeavors across various media platforms.