Good Morning Sabah People,
There's just two weeks left of our Nashville Spring Residency at imogene + willie. Fresh colors & patterns are flowing in, so if you haven't made it by yet, or perhaps have, but want a second pair for Summer - come see us at 2601 12th Ave S.
Otherwise, our series highlighting Nashville creatives continues. Today, we feature two women from the Music City's vibrant & dynamic food scene: Duolan Li and Mailea Weger.
They're wearing our buttery soft and, fittingly, delicious Camel Sabahs. Read on for more... Bon Appétit!
Sincerely,
The Sabah Dealer
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Duolan created and co-owns Xiao Bao with Chef Josh Walker, her partner in business and in life. It's one of our favorite restaurants in Nashville, both for the seriously delicious food and the dynamic environment Duolan has created.
The couple first opened Xiao Bao Biscuit in Charleston, SC in 2012. 10 years later, they brought the concept to Nashville in 2022 as Xiao Bao Nashville. The two restaurants are a reflection of the couple's love for food, music, dance and travel; and of course, a reflection of Duolan's roots from China, but mostly her travels throughout Asia with her family & husband. The cuisine pulls inspiration from all over Asia.
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In her own words:
"I was born in 80s China in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. My mom was the first wave of students from China to study abroad and once she started pursuing her PhD at the University of Washington, I was reunited with my parents at the age of six in Seattle, WA.
‘Xiao Bao’ is a Chinese term of endearment which translates to ‘little bundle.’ We do have Chinese dishes on the menu but it’s a curated selection based on flavors discovered during our travels in Asia and comfort foods from my childhood. Some dishes are entirely our own creation, informed by Asian flavors."
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When I asked Duolan what Nashville means to her, she responded:
"We are back and forth between Charleston and Nashville, but Nashville is home base now. I LOVE Nashville. It’s such a vibrant, creative, weird city and moving here helped me rediscover my creative spark. It started with the design of Xiao Bao Nashville, which is my interpretation of feeling Asian- it reads like an Haruki Murakami short story set in a timeless, placeless diner.
The community and friends I have made here are priceless. Life, routines and the roles we embody is hard and often times stifling, but I have met more people here that have a sparkle in their eye and a full-bodied laugh. Everyone here knows how to have a good time. I feel so fortunate to have our restaurant be a gathering space for this community."
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And, Where to Next?
"I’m in a one year sewing program at the Nashville Sewing Training Academy. My love for design and fashion finally led me here and I’m so grateful to be a student again. I’m keeping my restaurant boss lady hat but my daughter will appreciate my new role as her sewist."
We can't wait to see what you create next, Duolan!
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Mailea Weger is a Southern-California born chef who began her career in the fashion industry, and then fell in love with cooking while traveling through Europe in 2009. Her instagram profile puts it more succintly: "california chef, by way of nashville & paris." It was on an extended trip in Europe when she turned 30 that she stopped in Paris and worked in a restaurant to make ends meet.
She then went on to open Lou - one of Nashville's most acclaimed & beloved eateries - with an aim of bringing European influenced dining to Nashville, along with an impressive natural wine list.
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When we asked Mailea what Nashville means to her, she responded:
"The Nashville community gave me the space to execute a vision and freedom to run Lou in a way that our team finds most value in: employee wellness, supporting local & sustainable small business, and standing up for social equality."
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When asked, "Where to Next?" Mailea responded:
"I live life really one day at a time, but more realistically in 3-month short stories. For now, I'm here, spending everyday in Lou re-establishing connections within the city, staff and purveyors, focusing on our menu and morale."
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Thanks for making the time, Mailea. We'll be back for brunch soon... yum!
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Come see us on 12th Ave S -- we're right outside of imogene + willie under the portico! Open daily, 10am to 6pm.
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Traveling through Porto in our well worn Fort Worth Brown Sabahs!
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