A Haili Delicious Q &A

Originally from the Shandong Province of China, Haili Li has made a name for herself in the past six years she’s lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Photo by René DeAnda on Unsplash

Not only is she a beloved member of the community, but she owns and runs Hi-Licious Street Kitchen, the only food truck in Lake Charles with authentic Asian food.

I sat down with Li at Starbucks the other day and asked her a few questions about her and her food truck.

Mariah Evely (ME): How long have you lived in Lake Charles?

Haili Li (HL): Almost six years, and I like it here very much. I love it here because there is a lot of water and I love the tall pine trees.

ME: Where did you move to Lake Charles from?

HL: I’m originally from the Shao-Dong Province in China, but I’ve lived all over the United States, including NYC, Texas, Michigan, and Missouri.

ME: What gave you the idea to open your own food truck?

HL: I like to eat and sometimes I’m really homesick. I cannot find the same type of food here as at home, so I have to cook it myself. I think that in America, when they cook Chinese food, it’s not really actual Chinese food. I think it’s a kind of way to get people more open-minded…