Hi! I’m Xiangling (pronounced shiāng-líng)

I’m a storyteller and business professional based in Tokyo, working at the intersection of food, culture, and business. I explore how food shapes identity and community—especially within diasporic, immigrant, and indigenous contexts, 2) connects local cultures to the world, and 3) drives regional economic and cultural vitality by linking people, traditions, and experiences.

I believe food is more than what we eat—it’s a universal language of memory, heritage, and connection. Through photography, writing and project planning, I aim to create work that helps people feel truly seen, heard, and understood.

What I Do
I help brands and projects turn food and culture into stories and experiences that resonate across markets.

• Gastronome: Deep knowledge of global food cultures, coffee, wine, and sake. WSET Level 3 certified. Master’s in Food Culture, Communication, and Marketing from the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG), Italy.

• Zine-making & Design: I created off the table, an independent publication that explores everyday food from fresh and diverse perspectives.

• Photography: My work has been featured on the official blog of the UNISG.

• Writing & Cultural Storytelling: I write about food, culture, and identity, often bridging professional insights with creative storytelling.

• Strategy / Branding/ Business Design / Product Development : Previously, I spent 10 years in tech and management consulting, solving complex, large-scale problems and launching products and services from concept to growth. This experience gave me deep expertise in customer insights, strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and multilingual communication.

Let’s Connect
I’m always excited to collaborate on projects involving food media, cultural storytelling, photography, or zine-making. Let’s create something that resonates and leaves a lasting impact.

📩 Email: lixiangling@outlook.com
📷 Instagram DM: @xiangling.it