Sarah Ahn Author Talk • Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes

Randy Lau is a father of 3, a proud son of two Chinese immigrants, and the creative engine behind Made With Lau, his family's media brand highlighting Randy's dad's Cantonese recipes and celebrating their heritage. Launched in September 2020 during the height of the pandemic, Made With Lau is among the fastest growing food channels on YouTube and social media. In just 4.5 years, they've become one of the most popular and trusted authorities for Chinese cooking online, with a community of 2.5M+ total followers and two James Beard Awards for their critically acclaimed content. 

Umma — Sarah Ahn’s viral food videos of her and her mom have captivated millions of viewers with their behind-the-scenes look at Korean cooking and multigenerational home life. This collaboration is now a must-have cookbook blending the emotional intimacy of Crying in H Mart with practical culinary advice from Nam Soon’s lifetime of kitchen experience. The recipes are framed by mother-daughter conversations that are funny, profound, and universally relatable—plus all the food is backed by the recipe-testing power of America’s Test Kitchen.

• Thorough ingredient guide: Walk through a Korean grocery store with a Korean umma for in-depth guidance on what pantry ingredients and fresh produce and protein to buy.
• Recipes both traditional and contemporary: Learn to make everything from simple banchan, a variety of kimchi, and foundational stews to an assortment of yasik (midnight snacks) and inventive desserts.
• Kitchen wisdom from mother to daughter: Shared confidences open a window onto a level of family intimacy rarely seen in cookbooks.

The Ahns understand that when generations come together in the kitchen, so much is shared: not only food, but also knowledge, advice, family history, and love.