CHICAGO — To honor Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, ABC7 is spotlighting inspiring stories through its series “Our Chicago: Breaking Barriers.”
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Crying Tiger
In a recent segment, Eric Horng sat down with Thai Dang, the head chef at Crying Tiger, to discuss his culinary journey.
Dang, who was born in Vietnam, moved to the United States at the age of 7. As one of nine siblings, he developed a passion for food early on, largely influenced by his mother, Tin Thi Do, whose cooking left a lasting impression on him.
After relocating to Chicago, Dang honed his skills at the renowned L2O restaurant under the mentorship of chef Laurent Gras, gaining invaluable experience in Michelin-starred fine dining. He later achieved acclaim as the chef at Embeya, which was recognized as one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants.
Following this success, Dang launched HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen in 2017, quickly earning a reputation as one of Chicago’s premier Vietnamese dining spots. In 2025, he expanded his culinary ventures by opening Crying Tiger in collaboration with Lettuce Entertain You.
Sherrie Tan
In addition to profiling chefs, the series also features interviews with influential figures from various industries. Cate Cauguiran recently spoke with food influencer Sherrie Tan about her impact on the culinary scene.
Tan is a Chicago-based lifestyle and food influencer best known for her Instagram platform, @sherriesavorsthecity, where she highlights the city’s diverse dining scene and hidden gems.
She grew up in the Philippines, and at 19 years old, moved to New York City to go to culinary school. She was succeeding as a pastry chef and decided to start an Instagram account 12 years ago, just posting pictures of her pastries. Her Instagram really took off with reels and posting new restaurants. She especially likes featuring Filipino spots and introducing Chicago to new kinds of foods.
Dr. Tsai
Judy Hsu interviewed Stephanie Tsai. Dr. Tsai is an oncologist and associate professor at Loyola University Medical Center. She serves as the unit medical director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and specializes in bone marrow transplants, hematology disorders and cellular therapies. Dr. Tsai focuses on advancing cancer treatment, improving patient outcomes and addressing disparities in cancer care, particularly among underserved populations such as Asian American communities. Both of her parents were born and raised in Taiwan and are physicians.
Justice Tailor
Ravi Baichwal interviewed Justice Sanjay Tailor. Born in Maryland to immigrant parents and raised in New Jersey and Delaware, he originally worked in scientific research before pursuing law. After earning his law degree from Loyola University Chicago, he worked as a private attorney, corporate counsel and assistant state’s attorney.
He became a judge in 2003 and served for over two decades in the Cook County courts and Illinois Appellate Court. In 2026, he was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court, becoming the first Asian American justice in the court’s history. He is also known for his work in legal education and his commitment to improving access to justice.
Linda Yu
Once a young girl from China, Linda Yu, became one of Chicago’s first Asian American journalists, breaking ground in an industry where few looked like her. She became one of the city’s most trusted voices.
Hsu sat down with Yu at ABC7 Chicago’s station on State Street to reflect on the legacy she built and the barriers she refused to accept.
“Our Chicago: Breaking Barriers” airs on ABC7 at 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 p.m. Sunday.
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