If you never got a chance to experience Japan and its culture of simplicity, don’t worry because now you can. The CHAYA family of restaurants has finally marked its territory on the busy streets of Downtown, Los Angeles. To usher in the summer season of outdoor events and live music all in the pleasantly warm weather, CHAYA DTLA is hosting its annual Japanese Summer Beer Garden event. Happening every Monday-Friday, from 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Audrey went in to see what the rave was about.

Read our article on the multi-talented Asian Fusion CEO, founder and Indonesian Cooking author published in the Audrey Magazine spring issue featuring cover girl Hannah Simone.
Audrey Magazine: Is there a particular ingredient you enjoy cooking with most?
Dina Yuen: Garlic. Food is not food without garlic. Its pungency is incredibly alluring in every aspect. Most people don’t realize how diverse garlic can be in regards to its strength and subtlety. The presence or absence of garlic can make or break a dish.
AM: What do you appreciate the most about your ethnic heritage?
DY: My background is a mix of Chinese and Russian. (My historical fiction novel, The Shanghai Legacy, tells the romantic adventure of how this came about). I feel incredibly blessed to come from two culturally rich heritages that have contributed a great deal to the world. Admittedly though, I identify much more closely with my Chinese roots since in my generation, there is only a little Russian remaining and I’ve not had the opportunity to spend as much time in Russia as I’d like. With regards to my Chinese heritage, I am obsessed with Chinese history, philosophers, martial arts and of course, food.
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