Like her restaurant’s pimento cheese wontons, Anita Hsu is a true Southern delight with loads of Chinese and Malaysian influence.
The co-owner of seven restaurants—including Sweet Auburn BBQ, the Michelin-starred Lazy Betty, Tio Lucho’s and Gezzo’s West Coast Burritos—Anita Hsu grew up in Stockbridge, Ga., and attended Woodward Academy in College Park from Kindergarten through graduation.
After getting a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Georgia (smartie!), it’s likely the influence of Hsu’s hard-working entrepreneurial parents and two brothers who brought her back to her restaurant roots in Atlanta.
“My childhood was spent either working the floor, doing prep work, or doing homework at my parents’ Chinese restaurant, Hunan Village, after school,” remembers Hsu. “Stockbridge was a small town, and my parents owned the first Chinese restaurant in all of Henry County. Everyone in Henry County ate there because the food was the best, and they knew my family. To this day, I still get stopped in grocery store aisles by strangers asking, ‘Are you Betty Hsu’s kid?’”
Anita also spent time being a typical kid and hanging out around metro Atlanta at various friends’ homes because Woodward Academy attracts families from all around the city. “Folks were always friendly, but a bit ignorant about different cultures,” she says. “I never took offense because they simply didn’t know better. People often asked if I was Mexican or why my English was so good. They were more curious than anything.”
Hsu thought about becoming a doctor after graduating from UGA. “I wanted to help people and be a positive influence in my community,” she says. “But I’ve found that I can do that in the restaurant business too. People come to my restaurants to celebrate graduations, propose to their future spouse, or unwind after a tough day at work. Being able to bring joy and help create special memories for people is the true gift of what I do.”
I first met Hsu when I went to a Mahjong Media Night at Sweet Auburn BBQ in Poncey-Highlands. Her Southern accent, friendly nature and undeniable sense of hospitality instantly put me and my friends at ease.
I also became slightly addicted to those aforementioned pimento cheese wontons.
And her Dad, George, who was cracking me up as he taught me and my friends how to play Hong Kong-style Mahjong became a crowd favorite.
When Anita started serving the group smoked pulled pork fried rice (so Two-Sided Southern!) I had to know more about this fellow Southerner who seemed incredible refined and successful, and yet so down home. So I threw a bunch of questions at her and this is how she answered:
I feel like you’re the epitome of Two-Sided Southern. You’re obviously so cultured and a savvy business owner, but also so likable and down to earth. What do you think makes your life Two-Sided Southern?
There are so many ways! I am Chinese-Malaysian, but also a Southern peach. My family reunions are filled with buckets of Southern fried chicken and pots of Malaysian curry. I love a good tailgate party cheering for UGA (Go Dawgs!), and I also love a hot-pot dinner party, which is my family’s go-to gathering activity.
Also, I enjoy hosting poker game nights at my house just as much as I enjoy hosting a Mah Jong night with the girls. I love visiting cities like Savannah and Charleston, which ooze with Southern history and culture, just as much as spending days at night markets in Singapore and Taiwan, where the smells bring me back to my family travels as a child.
I’ve also traveled a lot. I love the bold patterns of the South, the colorful aesthetic of Baja California and Mexico, and the textiles and patterns of Malaysia. I don’t have just one style. And I enjoy wearing a little black dress and heels to see the Atlanta Ballet, as much as wearing my 20-year-old jeans and eating a plate of smothered, covered, and chunked hashbrowns at Waffle House.
How did you become a business entrepreneur and restaurateur?
I didn’t want to be in the industry because I had to work at the family restaurant so much as a kid. But after graduating with a degree in Biology and earning my certificate in Acupuncture in China, I realized I needed to do something that allowed me to be creative. I love food, so returning to restaurants made sense.
I also love the thrill of rush hour in a restaurant. Everyone is working in rhythm, completely focused. There’s a dizzying rush of energy all around—guests are laughing, glasses are clinking, and the smells from the kitchen are intoxicating.
Are there any other Southern chefs/restaurateurs or cooks that you admire, conspire with, adore?
I really love what Chef Parnass is doing at Talat Market. I also love Chef Mia (of Kamayan), who did one of her first pop-ups at Lazy Betty and Sweet Auburn BBQ. They’re really showcasing the bold, beautiful spices of Asian flavors in an approachable way.
Chef Cam Floyd at Gezzo’s Coastal Cantina does an amazing job working with local farmers in his Coastal Mexican cuisine. Chef Arnaldo Castillo at Tio Lucho’s is creating Peruvian food with local ingredients—everything he makes is to die for. My brother, Ron Hsu, is a genius in his own right—his dishes are delicious, creative, and breathtakingly beautiful [at Lazy Betty].
What is something your family would make that strikes you as Southern that you have great memories around?
My parents embodied the spirit of Southern hospitality. They owned seven Chinese restaurants, and they made every guest feel like part of the family. They knew everyone’s kids by name, what sport they played, and their favorite dish to order, making each person feel like a VIP when they walked through the door.
Their hospitality also extended to their staff, who affectionately called them “Papa George” and “Mama Betty” because they were cared for like family. Southern hospitality is just like that—people are kind to each other because it’s simply the right way to live.
Ok, now I have some rapid fire questions for Anita Hsu:
Favorite high-end southern dish you love: Buttered biscuit with truffle butter
Best down-home southern dish: Buttered biscuit with peach jam
Favorite high-end, hoity toity dessert/sweet: Crepe mille feuille
Favorite low-brow dessert/sweet: Banana pudding
Top high-brow restaurant in the South: Lazy Betty
Best low-brow restaurant in the South: Waffle House
Favorite high-end fashion store: Bergdorf Goodman
Favorite low-brow fashion store: Rag-O-Rama in Little Five Points
Southern dish you always serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas? Mac and Cheese
What are some Southern cliches that you totally embody or subscribe to:
I address anyone older than myself as “Mr.” or “Ma’am.” And I drink sweet tea almost daily.
Are you a theater or a concert person?
I love both. Recently, I saw The Lion King on Broadway, and it’s no wonder it’s the longest-running show there. I also saw Billie Eilish at Music Midtown last year, and she was amazing. It’s too hard to choose.
Favorite sports teams:
UGA Bulldogs! Atlanta Braves! ATL UTD!
Bringing it back to food… Was there any local hometown place that was distinctly Southern that you crave?
I grew up going to Harold’s BBQ [on the Southside of Atlanta]. [It’s closed now.] They had the best cracklin’ cornbread! We used to stop by there on our way home from Woodward to grab takeout. My mom always ordered the Brunswick stew extra hot and steamy. We make an amazing jalapeno cheddar cornbread at Sweet Auburn BBQ. I would love it if the Harold’s folks came to try it!
