Eddie Huang is not like any other chef who’s made it big. He may remind you of Anthony Bourdain, for his outspoken and large personality, or even of Ming Tsai, for his ability to bridge Chinese and American cultures through food. But Huang is making his own unique mark in the culinary world, breathing passion, life and a bit of hip hop into his cooking.
“What can I get you, buddy?”
The pleasant voice belongs to a young man behind the tiny register. He doesn’t quite break out in a big jolly grin, but looks at the hungry customer with friendly eyes, happy to make a dinner recommendation or explain what “tingly spicy noodles” actually means. Watching him, it’s hard to glean that this unassuming college grad is living and breathing the dream of foodies everywhere: running his very own restaurant in the heart of Manhattan.
Meet Mark Bao, Diane Keng, Jessica Mah and Pooja Upadhyaya – If you haven’t heard of their names before, you’re bound to read about them again soon. At 20 or under, these incredibly talented entrepreneurs have founded and pioneered products and companies from the ground up. Though each of these young entrepreneurs followed unique paths, their collective accomplishments are a great example that anything can be achieved with a combination of brains, drive and conviction.
We’ve heard it all before: college is the time to make new friends, discover yourself and enjoy the kind of freedom you didn’t have in high school. But in the midst of all the adventure, classes are just as important. If you’re feeling stressed about keeping up, don’t worry—Mochi staffers (who have been through it all) have gathered our top tips on acing college classes and leaving those pesky final exams in the dust.