Every May, communities from all over the United States celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. It’s a reminder of all the ways these communities have shaped our history, society, and culture for generations.

At work, it’s the perfect opportunity to honor AAPI employees, bring teams together, and support small AAPI-owned businesses. What better way to do that than with food? Delicious catered meals are a win for everyone — and a chance to ensure the money you spend has a local impact.

As part of our own effort to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, we reached out to three AAPI-owned businesses featured on ezCater. We asked each owner how their restaurant got started, what inspires them, and their advice for supporting small businesses like theirs. Here’s what they had to say.

Bamboozle Cafe

Before becoming a restaurateur, Lynn Phan was a network engineer. She enjoyed her job but was eager to indulge her creative side. One day, Phan made a decision: quit her career and pursue work that motivated her. And so Bamboozle Cafe was born.

Located in Tampa, Florida, this charming restaurant serves a variety of Southeast Asian dishes. One look at the Bamboozle Cafe menu, and you’ll find an eclectic blend of flavors and textures from all over the region. For example, diners can order hearty Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches filled with pickled ingredients. Or they can feast on spicy yet refreshing green papaya salads from Laos.

Yet Phan didn’t just want to make delicious food.

“I wanted to introduce a healthy way of living and eating to the public,” she told us. With a lofty goal in mind, the Bamboozle Cafe owner threw herself into Southeast Asian cuisine. “This is what I grew up eating. It nourished me and made me feel good,” she says.

Running such a successful restaurant means wearing many different hats, and for Phan, that’s a good thing. She revels in every aspect of owning Bamboozle Cafe, from creating new recipes to building relationships with diners and staff.

If you’re near Tampa, Florida, don’t leave without sampling some fresh rolls from Bamboozle Cafe. Stuffed with meat or fresh veggies and dipped in flavorful sauces, they’re a feast for the senses. It’s no wonder they’re a best seller — and Phan’s favorite item on the menu.

Be sure to branch out to other new-to-you dishes, too.

“Try a new menu item each time you visit,” Phan recommends to anyone wanting to support small AAPI-owned businesses like hers. “Get familiar with our culture.”

Banh Appetit

Banh Appetit has been serving Vietnamese sandwiches in Minneapolis since 2019. But opening this popular spot wasn’t a complete leap into the unknown for owner and founder Sherman Ho.

“I grew up in the restaurant industry and around food, people, and everything else that comes with it, so it’s just natural that I ran my own food business,” he told us.

One way Sherman Ho is departing from tradition, however, is by giving banh mis a modern makeover. His sandwiches don’t feature the classic Vietnamese fillings you’d expect. Instead, he loads up the baguettes with ingredients from all over East and Southeast Asia. Just open the Banh Appetit menu and you’ll see. From Thai chicken curry to Korean grilled beef, and Filipino-inspired pork, this Minneapolis eatery leads diners on a rich culinary tour.

There’s more to the menu than just banh mis, though they are the best-sellers. Banh Appetit also serves other types of dishes. Savory wraps, vermicelli salads, and rice bowls are all popular with diners.

No matter what Ho cooks on any given day, running a successful restaurant makes him happy. The best part of the job? Feeding hungry customers.

“I love serving people and when I can make their day by serving them a delicious meal, that’s the best feeling,” he says. 

That’s what drives many other Asian American restaurant owners, too. For Ho, the best way to support AAPI-owned businesses is to simply give them a chance. He recommends trying new foods with an open mind, sharing them with friends and family, and spreading the love on social media — all actions that make a big difference.

Mochiko Cville

Riki Tanabe is the chef and founder of Mochiko Cville, a Hawaiian deli and grill with a humble start. First, it started as a food stall, then it became a food truck. Today, Mochiko Cville is a lively sit-down restaurant serving authentic Hawaiian eats in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Diners have plenty to choose from here. Just like Hawaii is a melting pot of culture, so is Mochiko Cville’s menu. Tanabe incorporates ingredients and cooking methods from all over the Pacific into his dishes. For example, one of his favorite menu items — the chicken katsu bowl — draws inspiration from Japanese cuisine. Other popular recipes play with Korean, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Filipino flavors.

Hawaiian restaurants are few and far between in this part of central Virginia. For Tanabe, the highlight of owning a successful restaurant goes beyond just sharing the Aloha spirit.

“It’s being able to comfort a homesick Islander who is 5,000 miles from home,” he told us. That’s a big deal, especially considering that a majority of Native Hawaiians live on the mainland.

This May — and all year long — visiting AAPI-owned restaurants is a great way to support these communities, and Riki Tanabe agrees. He urges curious diners to sample Mochiko Cville’s menu and share it with friends. 

Celebrate May with Asian and Pacific Islander catering

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month honors so many identities. Seize this monthlong opportunity to broaden your team’s horizons, get familiar with new cultures, and foster a healthier and more inclusive work environment. It all starts with grabbing a delicious bite. To kick off your celebrations at the office, order AAPI-friendly catering at ezCater today. Ready to order? Use ezCater’s “Diversity of Ownership” filter to discover AAPI-owned restaurants near you.