Tracy Chang Launches Roundtable to Spark Community Conversations
image credits: Dylan Castellanos
Imagine a restaurant full of dinner guests, most of whom have arrived as strangers, but are now chatting and mingling as if they’ve known each for years. That’s the scene you’ll encounter when you attend a Roundtable at Pagu, Tracy Chang’s Spanish-Japanese tapas restaurant in Central Square, Cambridge. Together with a dedicated team of volunteers, Chang has launched a food-and-drink event series at the restaurant to foster community conversations among chefs, activists, and diners about some of the most challenging issues of the day.
The series launched in April with a gathering focused on seafood sustainability. In May, guests gathered for a sold-out event highlighting the experiences of Asian American Pacific Islanders, with food by Chang herself, as well as KT Cheung (formerly of Cloud & Spirits), Jason Doo (Wusong Road), Laurence Louie (Rubato), Alex Nystedt (Hot Chix), and Ted Woo (Mimi’s Chuka Diner). The stories that punctuated the night’s proceedings were lively, surprising, and often poignant.
We sat down with Chang to hear more about her mission, and how she’s centering dining and dialogue. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.