PS: How are you supporting small businesses right now as an industry leader?
PL: A personal project that I started to help create a community space and highlight small businesses is through my initiative More Than Our Bellies. More Than Our Bellies is a testament to the appeal and power of food, but it's also a testament to personal experience and the power of sharing experiences with others. Food is the best way to bring people together. Bring bread to a table, and you can create an instant community. Across cultures and throughout history, food is the universal language.
"Bring bread to a table, and you can create an instant community."
MTOB celebrates open-mindedness, humility, and a willingness to make mistakes. It embraces the spirit of imperfection, of improvisation, of doing and learning things yourself, both with and for others. It is a community of generalists, of dabblers and amateurs, of home cooks and beginners. We've collaborated with the likes of Viviane Sassen, Sho Shibuya of PLACEHOLDER Brooklyn, Hye Min Studio, Michael Gurrado, and Amy Wan. This month, 15 percent of proceeds from all sales go to GiveIndia for AAPI Heritage month. With the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, GiveIndia is directly supporting those in need with oxygen, sanitary materials, and food supplies.
