Eleanor Lisney (Thoe Chooi Wah) writer and cultural leader, embarks on a journey exploring identity. In Between Nasi Goreng and Fried Rice podcast, Eleanor interviews guests who share her East and South-East Asian identity about food, culture, disability and more.
She digs deep to explore the intersections of being disabled, a woman and LGBTQ+.
Subscribe to the Between Nasi Goreng and Fried Rice Substack here to receive the podcast in your inbox every month. Transcripts for each episode are available on Substack too.
A BIG thank you to Osian Clifford who did all the editing – it wouldn’t be the same without them
And to Ash Johnston (@bbsway) who composed the theme music.
I’m grateful!
Crossing Continents
In conversation with Dr. Ahneez Abdul Hameed
Dr. Ahneez Abdul Hameed is a Malaysian medical doctor specialising in clinical microbiology.
By day, Ahneez is unraveling the mysteries of microbes, and by evening—or on her days outside the hospital—she is a cafe-hopping, globe-trotting foodie with a love for pretty skies, lush gardens, vibrant flowers, Michael Jackson’s timeless beats, the magic of musicals, and the purr-fect company of cats.
We caught up recently when Ahneez came here to do some exchange work. I asked her to make some time to do a podcast with me, and she graciously agreed.
It was wonderful to hear about her professional life in Malaysia as a medical doctor since I had no idea of the work she does there.
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.
The Personal is Political
In conversation with Pierre Tran
This week, I sat down with Pierre Tran. Pierre is a Paris based reporter who has worked for specialist websites, newspapers, international news agencies, and magazines, covering corporate news, politics, and financial markets.
Pierre and I first met in 2023 at the National Union of Journalists Delegates Meeting in London. We had lunch together with other union members, and since then, I’ve followed his reporting.
When I was last in Paris, we met up, and I got him to agree to record an episode of Between Nasi Goreng and Fried Rice. I know nothing about defence and weapons, so when he came to London for this year’s NUJ delegates meeting, it seemed like the perfect opportunity!
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.
Craving Something Real
In Conversation with Anthony Leung
I first met Anthony Leung when I was hotdesking at the Design district. Anthony is the founder of Mean Write Hook, a media and marketing company with vision. He moved from Hong Kong to Canada and then to London.
In our conversation, he talks about the impact living in such different places has had on him – he feels as much Canadian as he does being from Hong Kong. We also talked about cultural influences from food to music to sport. We talked about his work, what he does and future plans.
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.
‘Returning home’ as Malaysians
In conversation with David Kam
David and Eleanor discuss the concept of ‘balik kampung’ – ‘returning home’ as Malaysians. What does that mean and how does being queer or disabled affect that choice?
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From Vietnam to England
In conversation with *Lin, a trainee acupuncturist
*Lin’s decision to study acupuncture for the next stage of her life and her journey up until now highlights that there are many East and South East Asian disapora who have stories just like this. However we seldom get a chance to meet or encounter their stories.
Today’s episode was an opportunity to delve into that – her leaving Vietnam as part of the boat people in her mother’s stomach. Moving from Hong Kong to the UK, and to the U.S. Coming back to London as a single mother. It was not easy
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.
Balancing ESEA motherhood with a career
In conversation with Bonnie Chui
Bonnie is a Forbes Senior Contributor writing on gender and diversity, and has been invited to speak in over 18 countries and by corporates about social entrepreneurship and social impact.
In today’s podcast, we discuss being a mother in an intercultural and multicural context. I ve been in a similar position but I was a full time mum while she also runs a business.
Considering she is also the Founder of Lensational, an award-winning social enterprise which provides storytelling and photography training to marginalised women and girls in 23 countries and platforms to sell their work how does she balance the two roles?
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.
A Hero Born
In conversation with Daniel York Loh
Daniel York Loh is a phenomenon in the cultural scene – as an actor, writer, playwright and director. He is also an activist.
In this podcast we discussed his works and his philosophy and our interest in Wuxia (Chinese martial) films plus novelist and co-founder of Ming Pao, Jin Yong’s work.
We also discussed being ESEA and mixed race, intersectionality being disabled and representation. How do these all work in film and media?
Do successful actors such as Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheong represent us? We also talked about the films, A Touch of Zen, Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger and Chinese dramas, including Nirvana in Fire1m.
Daniel’s reading of A Hero Born: Legends of the Condor Heroes, Volume I is available to listen to on Audible.
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.
What makes inclusive and universal design?
In Conversation with Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Naziaty (Naz) and I first met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia when I was there on a family visit. I’ve always admired her work as a disabled activist and her work as a lecturer. She fights for accessibility and access.
In this podcast we talk about her work, her passion and her life. We also discuss the intersection of being disabled and Malaysian and her work with inclusive and universal design and accessibility.
We discussed the difference in access and legislation in London and Kuala Lumpur. Plus disabled activism in Malaysia and the importance of mental health when getting older.
Go here to learn more about Naziaty’s work and listen to her podcast Talk Architecture. This episode was recorded in Kuala Lumpur.
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.
Who are the Global ESEA diaspora?
In conversation with Eric Wu
Eric Wu is a Master of Public Health student at Imperial College London. He is a registered dietitian and award-winning Community Organiser and Leader who takes pride in being able to help and support the wider community. He has worked with BAME communities across the UK.
I first met Eric during the production of a performance we did at Moongate Mix in 2023. Moongate Mix is a regular salon series at the Omnibus Theatre in Clapham. Artists in Residence, Moongate Productions, who champion ESEA artists whilst challenging stereotypes produce and program the series.
The ‘Angry Asian Anonymous’ salon was comprised of four people. We begun with a mock type list of “how to be the perfect Asian child”, making fun of the cultural expectations of what Asian cultures and the media envision the perfect Asian child to be.
The second part of the piece is a telling of three different stories and backgrounds of how we deal with the outside world judging and making assumptions about us based on their expectations of our identities. For example, loyalty or putting our identities into neat boxes.
The last part pulled together the first two pieces into a “Angry Asians Anonymous” help group. Essentially saying to us that the microaggressions which we face are still impactful to us, and that we are allowed to be angry, to be loud, to stand up for ourselves despite what they tell us about being the perfect Asian child.
In short, the work plays with the themes of identity, anger, and stereotypes.
It was a blast and this first podcast with Eric encapsulates a great deal of why I wanted to produce this podcast. It’s to have a conversation about our East and South East Asian identities. The influences that impact us by having this heritage. We come from a diaspora that spans the globe. In Eric’s case, from the US to Singapore to London.
Connect with Eric on Linkedin here.
Click here to listen to the episode on whatever platform you usually listen to your podcasts.