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Hau Chu

Hau

Hau Chu is a food, arts and culture reporter at The Banner covering Montgomery County and its surroundings. He previously spent nearly a decade at The Washington Post writing about life and oddities across the D.C. region, primarily for the Local and Features/Style sections. Before that, he also worked at the New York Daily News. Hau was born and raised in the Virginia suburbs of D.C. and attended George Mason University. Please reach out to him with any tips on stories, new local bands and overlooked eateries.

The latest from Hau Chu

Sunflower Bakery fills orders ahead of Hanukkah — and trains chefs with special needs
Sunflower Bakery, based in Montgomery County, provides job training in pastry and culinary arts as well as resources for adults with learning differences and developmental disabilities.
Marion Pitcher, left, pastry chef instructor, works alongside Kareem Amaout and Courtney Wheeler at Sunflower Bakery in Rockville.
7 things to do in Montgomery County, from menorah lightings to holiday concerts
Rock- and go-go-inspired holiday concerts, menorah lightings and more festive things to do in Montgomery County this week.
Dec 11, 2025
Billy Coulter Band and Ruthie and the Wranglers will return to Hank Dietle's Tavern in Rockville for their 13th annual Rockin' Holiday Show.
It’s frigid and the ceiling drips, but Toys for Tots finally has what it needs to play Santa this year
Montgomery County’s Toys for Tots was in desperate need of a warehouse, and they finally got one.
Dec 9, 2025
Toys for Tots volunteers Vontice Carter and Crystal Wright pack bags full of toys at the organization’s Gaithersburg warehouse.
7 things to do in Montgomery County, from ‘Nutcrackers’ to European film festival
Two offbeat versions of “The Nutcracker,” the European Union Film Festival and plenty of holiday activities are some of the standout things to do in Montgomery County this week.
Dec 4, 2025
The Puppet Co. will stage their 37th annual edition of "The Nutcracker" in Glen Echo with nursery rhymes and musical accompaniment to the holiday tale.
Authorities found child sexual abuse materials at Kensington home of firefighter’s mother
Evan Laurence Morrison, 18, who was affiliated with the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Bethesda Fire Department since 2023, uploaded child sexual abuse materials to his Discord account.
Dec 3, 2025
Two Story Chimney Ciderworks announces closure before year’s end
The cidery and gluten-free brewery in Gaithersburg will have its last day of operations on Dec. 21.
Dec 3, 2025
Two Story Chimney Ciderworks in Gaithersburg announced it will close after Dec. 21. Customers often brought their own food to the tasting room for ciders made with apples grown on the orchard and gluten-free beer from its partner operation, Silly Yak Beer.
Montgomery County Public Libraries announces limited Sunday operations
The change in Sunday operations, effective Jan. 11, will affect 10 branches within the county “to ensure consistent staffing” and “sustainable operations,” according to library officials.
Dec 2, 2025
Ten branches in Montgomery County Public Libraries will scrap Sunday hours starting on Jan. 11
What some of Montgomery County’s best chefs are cooking for Thanksgiving
Standout chefs and restaurant owners in Montgomery County are serving up traditional American dishes alongside cuisine from their own homelands, including Italy, China, Jordan and beyond.
Nov 26, 2025
The Chang family, which operates a regional restaurant empire including Q by Peter Chang in Bethesda, prefers to have a Chinese-style hot pot for Thanksgiving. The spread, seen here at their Virginia home, typically includes beef tenderloin, blue crab, bean curd and more.
7 things to do in Montgomery County, from a play’s American debut to a ride with Santa
Turkey trots, the American stage debut of a holiday comedy, a chance to ride a historic trolley with Santa Claus and more things to do around Montgomery County this week.
Nov 26, 2025
The National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville hosts HollyTrolley Festival this year starting Nov. 29 through Dec. 22. Guests can take a ride on a historic street car with Santa Claus and view a holiday model railroad display,
Strathmore unveils its first in-house jazz orchestra
The Strathmore Jazz Orchestra is composed of 17 musicians led by conductor and composer Daniel Jamieson and will perform their first concert in February.
Nov 20, 2025
The interior of the Music Center at Strathmore. The venue will host the debut show from its in-house jazz orchestra on Feb. 13.
Mark Hallett, neuroscientist who helped pianist Leon Fleisher reclaim use of his hand, dies at 82
The longtime Bethesda resident and researcher at the National Institutes of Health worked on Havana Syndrome and used Botox to help renowned classical pianist Leon Fleisher regain function of his right hand.
Nov 20, 2025
Mark Hallett on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i in January 2022.
7 things to do in Montgomery County, from tiny art to big turkeys
Things to do around Montgomery County this week include a Thanksgiving parade, a showcase of local authors and a 10-year-anniversary celebration of a Rockville brewery.
Nov 20, 2025
Some of nearly 700 works of miniature art are laid out for processing before going on display at the Mansion at Strathmore starting Nov. 22 at 1 p.m.
Michelin-recommended soup dumplings — and a robot — debut at this Montgomery County mall
Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings opened in October at Montgomery Mall. The restaurant, which began in New York, is part of an expansion across the Northeast.
Nov 14, 2025
A spread of dishes at Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings includes a side of shredded ginger for diners to add soy sauce, black vinegar and chili oil.
7 things to do in Montgomery County, from holidays to a Renaissance festival
Things to do around Montgomery County include holiday celebrations, a Renaissance festival at a brewery and more.
Nov 13, 2025
A scene from "Cherry-Colored Funk," directed by Chelsie Pennello, which will screen at the 2025 Local Short Film Showcase at AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center on Nov. 17.
A Strathmore program helps musicians find a career in the arts
Strathmore launched the Artists in Residence program in 2005 to provide training and mentorship to musicians. The debut concert for this year’s class is Wednesday.
Nov 11, 2025
Strathmore's 2026 Artists in Residence, from left, Michael McSweeney, Juan ManĂș, Ellen Gira, Chris Hon, Kanysha Williams and Cyrus Mackey.
Vietnamese seniors bond over karaoke in Silver Spring
"Active Golden Karaoke" at Holiday Park Senior Center in Silver Spring takes place twice a week and provides a second home and family for some Vietnamese residents.
Nov 7, 2025
Host Quyen Duong, left, sings with other members of the Love Vietnamese Seniors Club at the Holiday Park Senior Center on Halloween.
7 things to do in Montgomery County, from modern art to ‘Urinetown’
This week in Montgomery County offers an exhibit at Glenstone, “Urinetown: The Musical” and more.
Nov 6, 2025
Glenstone will showcase "Jenny Holzer: what you love" from Nov. 6-9. The projections are a new work created for the Potomac museum. “In the Same Space” is from The Complete Poems of Cavafy by C. P. Cavafy, English translation by Rae Dalven.
Takaat, a trio of musicians from Niger and Rockville, experiments with noise
Mikey Coltun, 33, was raised in Rockville and is the bassist and musical utility knife for Mdou Moctar, an ascendant rock quartet that plays Tuareg music.
Nov 6, 2025
Takaat was formed from the rhythm section of Mdou Moctar. The group of musicians primarily come from Niger and bassist Mikey Coltun was raised in Rockville.
A steak and cheese in Rockville has been more than 40 years in the making
Z&Z Manoushe Bakery will serve the sandwich on Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The owners’ father, grandfather and uncle served the sub in shops around Montgomery County from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
Nov 4, 2025
Dubbaneh's grandfather Fayez Khawaja and his uncle, David, owned and operated Chicken Tonight at 1111 Nelson St. in Rockville from 1982-2006.
Generations of the Whitman High School community compete in ‘It’s Academic’
The long-running quiz bowl show has sparked generations of brainiac competitors across the region. Whitman’s Class of 1970 challenged this year’s team and a trio of staffers to a game Thursday afternoon.
Oct 31, 2025
Host Hillary Howard, left, asks a question during a special “It’s Academic” quiz bowl between students, teachers and three members of the class of 1970 at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.
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