Danielle Chang turns to Taiwan for latest season of ‘Lucky Chow’

Chang’s passion for culture, travel, and identity is at the forefront as she explores boar hunters, rice farmers, and some of the island’s most beloved food vendors. Ahead of the premiere, JoySauce spoke with Chang about her journey from art curator, to festival founder, to TV host, and why Taiwan was the natural next step for Lucky Chow.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Anjana Pawa: I'd love for you to tell me a bit about how you started, from founding LuckyRice to hosting Lucky Chow, now in its seventh season and going abroad for the first time.
Danielle Chang: I've done a lot of different things because I started very young. I was always promoting Asian culture in different forms. When I started LuckyRice, I saw an opportunity to bring Asian culture to a broader audience through food, something universal. It began with festivals—night markets, grand feasts, panels—and eventually grew into a nationwide festival. Along the way, I met so many fascinating chefs and farmers. That's really how Lucky Chow was born. CAAM and PBS approached me about creating a show highlighting Asian food, and I ended up hosting it almost accidentally. 

AP: Over the course of your career, you’ve probably had so many rewarding moments. Is there one that stands out to you?
DC: There have been so many milestones along the way. It’s hard to pick just one. But if I had to choose, I’d say it’s the moments when doors opened and people welcomed us into their cultures with open arms. One example that stays with me is when we visited a Sikh temple in L.A. They let us participate in prayers, cook food with them, spend time as part of the community for a day. That kind of generosity and those human connections makes for the best experiences, both on and off camera.

AP: As a first-generation immigrant, how has your cultural background shaped your passion for food and storytelling?
DC: I think you are what you eat and I’m definitely very Chinese. I was born in Taiwan and grew up in Houston, where I felt like the only Asian kid in all of Texas. From kindergarten through 10th grade, I really felt my difference. That experience, that imprint, is always with me when I produce Lucky Chow. It’s not a conscious editorial mission, but the stories I’m drawn to reflect that part of me.

AP: How would you describe your relationship to food in just a few words?
DC: Enthusiastic, curious, and self-satisfying.

AP: This season of Lucky Chow is particularly exciting—you go abroad for the first time, and to Taiwan, where you were born. What was it like bringing the show there?
DC: It was truly an adventure. In many ways, I think we broke the mold of what culinary programming usually looks like because so much of this season is about travel and discovery. We didn't just focus on food; we traveled across the entire island and explored places I had never even known existed.

AP: What do you hope viewers will take away from this new season?
DC: I hope it inspires curiosity. I want them to feel like they’re going on a field trip to Taiwan. It’s a place that’s been in the headlines a lot, but it’s also filled with so much beauty, history, and resilience that goes far beyond the news cycle.

AP: Was there a specific place you visited while filming that left a deep impression on you?
DC: I was amazed by how quickly you could leave the city behind. Just an hour outside of Taipei, you’re surrounded by lush tea plantations, gorgeous rice farms, and breathtaking landscapes. There’s so much natural beauty so close to the city that often gets overlooked because everyone focuses on Taipei itself.

AP: When you touch down in Taiwan, is there something you have to eat right away?
DC: There's this little shaved ice place on Dihua Street, they make an almond snow ice that’s just unbelievable. The texture, the grains of almond throughout, it’s unlike anything else. And because Taipei has a tropical climate, it’s always the perfect weather for it.