Luis Chen Brings Flavor, Visibility, and Heart to Houston’s Asian LGBTQ Scene

Luis Chen wears plenty of hats. One of the Houston Asian community’s most visible leaders, Luis is a digital creator, restaurant critic, chef, tour guide, business promoter, writer/blogger, speaker, presenter, organization president, major event planner, social media expert, and one of the biggest boosters of Houston’s Bellaire Asian District. He has lived on three continents and speaks English, Mandarin, Spanish, and Portuguese. Moreover, he’s a proud and out gay man who also happens to be a connoisseur of all things bear.

Luis has lived an exhilarating life. Born in Taiwan, his earliest memories might surprise those who know what he has achieved. “I dreamed of being a delivery truck driver or a construction worker,” he recalls. Instead, at the age of 14, he made the near-mythic decision to cross the ocean to Paraguay, leaving behind his parents in Taiwan. From Paraguay, he crossed the border to Brazil, where he lived in South America’s largest city, the wildly diverse metropolis of São Paulo.

Though he enjoyed his time in São Paulo, he recalls “I felt I had to pretend I was Japanese to fit in.” He returned to Asunción in Paraguay, where he found greater acceptance of people with Chinese ancestry, and he prospered there after becoming proficient in Spanish. It was here, too, where at a chance lunch at a cantina, a waitress, unable to pronounce his Chinese name, suggested several typical Spanish names. The one he liked most was “Luis,” which he adopted as his own.

Through his family, he made the long and complicated immigration journey to the United States. He moved to San Jose, California, and did a two-year stint in the Army. And though he had known of his attraction for men since he was a child, it was around this time that he came out to his family who has always accepted him for who he is.

Luis would later marry a wonderful man with whom he lived for eight years in Honolulu. The couple decided to move back to the Mainland. and while driving between coasts they passed through Houston. Heavy construction on I-10 forced them to stay in a hotel in the Memorial area, and it didn’t take long for the city to reel them in. “My first impression was that Houston was very welcoming,” he says. “We decided to call Houston our home.”

Luis began working with Comcast, where he still works and has been involved with the OUT@Comcast Employee Resource Group, promoting diversity, awareness, and inclusion for LGBTQ employees and allies. Always one looking for ways to create synergies across boundaries, he has also been actively involved with the company’s AAPI Employee Resource Group and the Black Employee Network.

The vast diversity of Houston and its bustling Asian community has piqued Luis’ creative juices. Just a glance at his YouTube channel, “Lou Can Cook”, shows his impressive versatility. His culinary mantra is “writing tasty recipes for healthy lifestyles,” and he cooks low salt, low sugar, and low fat dishes without sacrificing deliciousness. Though not a vegan, he also is a strong proponent of vegan cooking. On his channel, you can find everything from easy-to-follow videos for making chow mein and dumplings to his own recipe for bulgogi tacos and the classic Chinese New Year’s cake, nian gao. His favorite dish to make? Vietnamese spring rolls, which he serves with a pineapple fish sauce.

His videos do much more than showcase his cooking. Expect to find discussions on everything from the intricacies of Chinese teas to the sights of Houston’s vibrant Asian community. Videos explain Chinese customs like red envelopes and unique holidays. He also throws in his experiences in the local and national LGBTQ communities, including Pride festivities.

One way to really get to know Luis is through his Chinatown Crawl foodie tours. He and his team create personalized tours for any size group.  The goal is to take “tourists” to places that typical tours would usually skip, while providing invaluable insights. These tours have opened the eyes of both Houstonians and visitors to the richness of the local AAPI community. His website, visit.chinatownhtx.com, acts as a restaurant directory to attract customers to dine and shop in the area. Luis speaks passionately of his goal to make Houston Chinatown a tourist destination, and his list of favorite eateries includes Dim Sum King, Royal Buffet at Dynasty Plaza, and Tainan Bistro for authentic Taiwanese food “that reminds me of my mom’s cooking.”

Since 2018, Luis has been a member of Houston’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA), which promotes AAPI culture through education, creative expression, and celebration. He is the current president and has made it a goal to make AAPI heritage something that’s celebrated not just in its traditional month of May, but throughout the year. He adds, “I am very excited to partner with other organizations to share our common goals.”

In what little free time his frenetic schedule allows, Luis enjoys meditation sessions, working out in the gym, and attending Unity Church. “Playing with my ‘roommate’ cat also brings me a sense of calm, and I love visiting parks and discovering all that Texas has to offer.”

And what about those bears, you ask? “My husband, who passed away, was a bear. Although I tried to gain weight to fit in with the bear community, it didn’t work out. I ended up accepting my appearance as is, which is where my body positivity comes from.” Luis continues to carry on the tradition and memories of his beloved late husband through ongoing participation in and admiration for the local bear community. He is the historian of the Houston Bears organization, where responsibilities involve taking pictures and sharing them online. “It’s a perfect fit, as I already enjoy photography and sharing images, and it allows me to contribute to an organization I genuinely love and enjoy being a part of.”

For more info, visit linktr.ee/loumchen