Desk Job to Pit Boss: Charles Wong’s Umamicue Leap
Career Development
April 30, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location
OSSB Space (1600 Student Services Building)
Calendar
Download iCal File
💡RSVP: go.uic.edu/UmamiLeap
Join AASAP on Wednesday, 4/30, at the OSSB Space (1600 Student Services Building) for a career development talk and lunch with Charles Wong! ⭐️💫
Chicagoan Charles Wong will talk about his career journey transitioning from a career in finance to starting and running Umamicue, a barbecue pop-up focused on Chinese/Vietnamese flavors. He will discuss his professional transition, how he navigated the conversation with his parents, who expressed disappointment in his decision, and how he incorporated his learning from his background in business to building his company. He has also offered to mentor students who resonate with his story and are making decisions about careers to pursue and balancing family expectations! 🌱
➡️About Charles: Charles Wong is the owner of Umamicue, a Texas-style barbecue concept infused with Chinese and Vietnamese influences. Born and raised in Chicago, Charles earned his finance degree from DePaul University and spent 12 years working in the industry before making the leap to pursue his passion for barbecue full-time in late 2019.Since then, Umamicue has earned widespread recognition, including being named Best New Pop-Up by the Chicago Reader in 2022, receiving a 3-star review from the Chicago Tribune, and being honored as a 2024 Rising Star by StarChefs.
Date posted
Apr 23, 2025
Date updated
Apr 23, 2025