182. Charles Wong on BBQ, Culture & What Comes Next

182. Charles Wong on BBQ, Culture & What Comes Next

From I am Consciously Curious by Victor Chan

April 14, 2026 · 1h 45m

About this episode

Charles Wong discusses his journey in creating a unique BBQ experience that blends his cultural heritage.

One meal at Franklin Barbecue lit a fire in Charles Wong that spreadsheets never could. Since then, he's been quietly building something special — Texas-style BBQ layered with Chinese and Vietnamese heritage, served up through pop-ups and residencies that turned first-time customers into loyal community. After a heartbreaking near-miss on a food hall space, Charles regrouped, reflected, and set his sights on what's next: a brick-and-mortar that he hopes will finally give his community — and h...

People in this episode

Host: Victor Chan

Guest: Charles Wong

Topics covered

  • BBQ
  • Cultural Heritage
  • Community Building
  • Food Industry
  • Entrepreneurship

Keywords

  • BBQ
  • Cultural Heritage
  • Texas-style
  • Community
  • Food Hall
  • Pop-ups
  • Entrepreneurship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Franklin Barbecue

Places: Texas, Vietnamese, Chinese

More episodes of I am Consciously Curious

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the I am Consciously Curious podcast page.