Cambodian-American Chef Sophina Uong has been fascinated by Southern cuisine since she started cooking 25 years ago at some of San Francisco Bay Area's most acclaimed restaurants. In 2021, the "Chopped" Grill Master Champion opened her first solo restaurant, Mister Mao, in New Orleans. There Chef Uong melds the flavors and ingredients of Laos, Cambodia, and other Asian Pacific islands with Southern technique and tradition, resulting in bold, flavorful "inauthentic" cuisine. Diners can expect dishes like such as Kashmiri Fried Chicken; Plaquemine Parish Kale Pakora; Pani Puri with Camellia red beans and fiery mint water, Alabama Corn Pudding, and Backwater Duck Confit. Since opening, Uong has earned raves and accolades for her out-of-the-box creative cuisine including “50 Best New Restaurants 2022” by Bon Appètit; Restaurant Hospitality’s “Chefs Power List 2022;” Thrillist “Best Restaurants New Orleans,” and Houston Chronicle “Best New Restaurants in New Orleans