tien has been writing about food and culture for over a decade.

She is the co-author of three books: the New York Times bestseller L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food with chef Roy Choi, which was Anthony Bourdain’s launch title for his eponymous imprint at Ecco; Flavor Bombs: The Umami Ingredients That Make Taste Explode with restaurateur Adam Fleischman; and The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook, one of NPR’s 2021 Books We Love.

She was previously the Senior Food Writer for L.A. Weekly, and her work also has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Lucky Peach, L.A. Taco, Interview, and Jarry, among other publications.

Tien was an inaugural fellow in the 2019 Jack Jones Literary Arts Culture, Too conference for cultural critics of color, and her work has been honored by the Association of Food Journalists. She also teaches food journalism at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.