Eastern Hunnies

“Chinese school left me with a deep fear of authority and a catastrophising mind.” In this very special Christmas episode, we sit down with none other than Phil Wang, Chinese-Malaysian-English comedian, writer and actor. Together we discuss TV, turkey, traditions and childhood trauma. What are the holidays for, eh!? Phil Wang – the newest judge on BBC’s Great British Menu – has starred in two epon...

“Enjoy your body. Celebrate it. And don’t worry what anyone else thinks about it.” Mel and Iz sit down with Duane Nasis , Filipino-British multidisciplinary movement artist based in London; and one fifth of Dragon BoiZ, a queer Asian dance troupe that’s here to ‘ruin the family hotpot’. Duane explores a diverse range of practices from physical theatre, clowning and cabaret, to contemporary dance,...

It’s Eastern Hunnies Monday and this week, we’re sitting down with the award-winning Mixed Up podcast duo, Emma and Nicole, to spill the tea on dating as a mixed person, fetishisation, stereotypes and bias . We unpack microaggressions, explore Black and Asian allyship, and laugh (a LOT) while talking about the messy, beautiful complexities of mixed-race identity. Self-interrogation is the theme of...

Happy ESEA Heritage Month! In this special episode, we sit down with Rahel Stephanie , the Indonesian supper club chef, Sunday Brunch regular, Wagamama collaborator, and food creative, for an honest, funny, and deeply insightful conversation about food, diaspora, and the complexity of identity. Rahel opens up about her journey into the culinary world, why Indonesian food is criminally underrated,...

“Football is the excuse. Community is the goal.” In this summer sports special, we chat with Darren Tsang to explore how community, identity, and creativity collide on and off the pitch. Darren, known as Humothy, is a creative thinker, community builder, documentary photographer, and is founder of Rise United and 1314FamilyStyle. Born in Hong Kong, raised in London, and driven by purpose, Darren s...

Chewy, squishy, and suddenly everywhere : Little Moons has rocketed from a two‑person kitchen hustle to a global frozen‑mochi phenomenon. In this episode, Mel and Iz sit down with Little Moons co‑founder Vivien Wong to unpack the 15‑year “overnight success” of the brand: leaving a corporate career and switching stilettos for Uggs, bootstrapping for 12 straight years, and turning a family bakery le...

Maria Garbutt-Lucero is in the house! We sit down with the trailblazing Filipino-Japanese-English-Irish voice in UK publishing to discuss her inspiring journey from corporate publishing, to running Florence Welch’s online book club, "Between Two Books", to co-founding the ESEA Publishing Network. Named The Bookseller Shooting Star in 2023, Maria dives into how her mixed heritage shapes her work -...

Hollywood is in the building! Mel and Iz sit down with British-Chinese actor Jason Wong to discuss his journey from London’s West End to Hollywood, starring in hits like ‘ Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves ’ and Guy Ritchie’s ‘ The Gentlemen ’.   Jason opens up about challenging Asian male stereotypes on screen, navigating representation in the industry, and how martial arts sh...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains conversations about death and grief In this episode, Mel and Iz chat with Laxmi Hussain, a London-based artist inspired by the human form, motherhood, and nature. Born to a Filipino mother and Indian father, Laxmi’s multicultural background shapes her art, exploring identity, self-love, and acceptance. Trained in architecture, she shifted to art after becomin...

Pod crossover time! We sit down with Bunch of Bananas , aka Kevin Lam and Eric Huynh—the British-born, Chinese-Vietnamese duo. Their comedy podcast dives into everything from cultural identity and corporate struggles to food debates, and Asian representation in the UK. Kevin and Eric talk about their journey as content creators working to amplify UK Asian voices and using comedy to address racism....

Ang sarap! Mel and Iz sit down with Ferdinand ‘Budgie’ Montoya , the Filipino-born, Australian-raised chef, writer, and culinary consultant, to explore all things Filipino food and third culture identity. They talk about what Michelin stars mean for Philippine cuisine, how cooking became a way to decolonise himself, and how migration has shaped the Filipino food story. Budgie also opens up about e...

Season 2 is here! ✨Dive into our chat with Denise Devenish: a mixed British-Japanese therapist, mental health advocate and music artist at the intersection of creativity and mental well-being.  Denise's roots in the music industry means she has an exceptional perspective as ‘the artists therapist’ – she brings serious insight into the highs and lows of being a creative, and shares why artist...

For 20% off DELLI market use discount code EASTERNHUNNIES (valid until 28th Feb 2025) or follow this link: https://delli.market/discount/EASTERNHUNNIES To celebrate #LunarNewYear, this special episode features Matt Nguyen! Matt is a Vietnamese-British entrepreneur, chilli oil connoisseur and founder of food brand Mother Land, and founder of Jolly Awesome Art. Mel, Iz and Matt sit down to have an h...

The Season One finale is here and it’s an extra special one hour special! Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about Christmas, community and connection. In this episode, hosts Melissa and Isabelle share the highs and lows about celebrating the festive season as British-Filipinos. They unpack how going home for the holidays can be a triggering experience, the differences in British vs Asian Christ...

In this ep, Mel and Iz sit down with Venus Wong, a travel and lifestyle writer, content creator, and OG Eastern Hunny from Macau. Venus shares her experiences working as a journalist across New York, Hong Kong, and London, and her insights on being a Chinese woman in British media. They dive into her solo travel expertise, the nuances of her multicultural background, and the dynamics of marrying i...

In this episode, Mel and Iz chat with Nicole Chui, a London-based embroidery artist from Hong Kong and Malaysia. Nicole’s "messy, brash, and disruptive" approach to art challenges societal expectations of perfection placed on women and works to create more inclusive spaces in sports. Nicole shares her journey of moving to London, the freedom she found in football, and the importance of embracing o...

Join Melissa and Isabelle as they sit down with James Kai Wei Lau - musically known as Kai Wei - a Chinese-Malaysian hip-hop artist and creative force from Manchester.  They discuss Kai Wei's upbringing as an East Asian man in Britain has shaped his artistry, being the only Asian production staff on movie sets, how Northern accents create more unique rhyme schemes, and how it feels seeing the...

In this episode, Melissa and Isabelle welcome Maya Welford, a corporate baddie and the British-Japanese host of "That’s My Name” – a podcast that delves into the fascinating stories, cultures, and traditions behind names. The conversation explores Maya’s journey of exploring identity through names and her views on taking a partner’s surname after marriage. They talk about cultural capital in the U...

There’s lots to unpack in this ep! Sit down with hosts Melissa and Isabelle as they rawly explore the complexities of being British-Filipino women in the UK and share their personal experiences growing up as Southeast Asian women in London. They delve into topics like the fetishisation, objectification, and reduction of Asian female bodies - particularly in the context of interracial dating - and...

In this episode, Melissa and Isabelle chat with David Zhou, the visionary Founder and Director of Eastern Margins, a record label and community that amplifies music from the ESEA diaspora. David, who left his role as a senior legal counsel at TikTok to fully embrace his passion for music and culture, is at the forefront of representing alternative Asian music narratives. They delve into his journe...

Melissa and Isabelle chat with Muriel Gonzales , also known as Muri , a Filipino artist and violinist who recently released her debut EP 11ème . Muri has roots in Manila, Paris, and London, and is a member of the indie-folk band The Ransom Collective. This episode feels like a warm hug! Muri shares her experiences as a nomadic polyglot who has lived across Europe, how culture and heritage influenc...

Melissa and Isabelle sit down with Jason Kwan, the pop star, singer-songwriter, queer Asian advocate and all-around gorgeous human inside and out. They discuss gender pronouns, coming out, being Asian in queer spaces, finding a drag family with The Bitten Peach, how queerness is perceived differently in the UK vs Hong Kong, the beauty of melancholy and love, being an advocate for underrepresented...

Happy Filipino-American Heritage AND Black History Month! In this episode, Melissa and Isabelle sit down with Nicole Ocran, the Filipino-Ghanaian American author, podcaster, and fashion influencer.  They discuss the UK’s obsession with mixed race models, how Blackness and mixed heritage identities are perceived differently in the UK vs in the USA, the pressures placed on mixed children, the b...

Melissa and Isabelle are joined by Johnny Lee, a British-Chinese visual artist and founder of New Territories Training. In this episode they discuss defying Asian male stereotypes, the legacy of Bruce Lee, raising multi heritage children, and creating your own culture - plus they debate the verrrry fine line between cultural appreciation and appropriation. Johnny’s work at @newterritoriestrai...

Meet the hosts! British-Filipino creatives Melissa Legarda and Isabelle Landicho welcome you to Eastern Hunnies and find their feet on the mic. They dive right into what it's like being one of the 'firsts' in their culture, being a person of colour in a UK workplace, the need for code-switching, the difference between being a first- and second-generation Asian migrant, how ethnic minorities are vi...