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Japanese soufflé pancake gaining popularity in US, yet origin story begins in Hawaii 15 years ago

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Japanese soufflé pancake gaining popularity in US, yet origin story begins in Hawaii 15 years ago

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As the Japanese soufflé pancake has grown in popularity amid the recent U.S. expansion of a Canadian-headquartered dessert café, its origin can be traced to a Hawaiian restaurant and its pancake-averse chef.

Nathan Tran is proprietor and general manager of the Cream Pot, a popular breakfast and brunch spot for Japanese tourists and Hawaiian residents in the Waikiki neighborhood on the south shore of Honolulu.

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There, Chef Tran routinely prepares his signature dish – the one that brought him internet fame and made the Cream Pot a destination. But it wasn’t always like that, Tran told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview with his restaurant as a backdrop.

‘SCRAMBLED PANCAKES’ CAUSE VIRAL STIR ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ‘THIS IS A CRIME’

Tran’s intent, when he first opened the Cream Pot in 2008, was to serve up a brunch menu of sweet entrées such as crêpes and “pain perdu” (French-style French toast) and other savory dishes. Absent from the menu, however, were pancakes.

“We never had pancakes on the menu because we didn’t want to make anything that we didn’t like eating ourselves,” Tran said. “I wasn’t too fond of typical pancakes … They were just not for me.”

A Japanese soufflé pancake is pictured. Nathan Tran, who opened the Cream Pot restaurant in Hawaii in 2008, discussed with Fox News Digital how he created the concept of the Japanese soufflé pancake. (iStock)

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But within the first six months of business, it became apparent there was an interest in pancakes, especially among Japanese customers, Tran said.

When customers learned it was the only typical breakfast dish missing from the menu, “they would do a 180 [degree] U-turn and go away,” Tran recalled.

“We do it the classic way in terms of the ingredients.”

Unwilling to “sell out” and give in to making pancakes, Tran, who is of Japanese descent, decided to combine his love of soufflés and his interest in sweets into a dish that would appeal to both his sensibilities and the pancake crowd.

DO YOU LIVE IN A PANCAKE STATE OR A WAFFLE STATE?

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“I thought a great idea would be to do a freestanding souffle with a twist so it kind of resembles the looks of a pancake,” Tran said. 

Cream Pot owner and chef Nathan Tran is shown at his restaurant in Hawaii while speaking to Fox News Digital via Zoom video.  (Fox News Digital)

“A pancake is essentially a quick bread, but a classic souffle doesn’t really have any flour in it. So, we do it the classic way in terms of the ingredients.”

And with that, the soufflé pancake was born.

Birth of a breakfast soufflé

Tran shared with Fox News Digital how he makes the soufflé pancake at his restaurant. 

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“There’s no flour in ours,” Tran said. “It gets its rise from meringue and some custards and creams and cheeses.”

It’s also gluten-free, Tran revealed, “but we don’t advertise it that way.”

Cream Pot owner and chef Nathan Tran says he created the Japanese soufflé pancake because he’s always liked sweets and didn’t particularly care for pancakes, although his customers did. At right, one of his creations.  (Fox News Digital/Nathan Tran)

“With ours, we make some custards that we blend in with some cheeses,” Tran said. 

“And then with the meringue, we mix it, blend it and we fold it, and then we’ll put it onto a skillet or a flat iron. And we’ll sear it on both sides first to get its shape, and then we’ll bake it. And then we bake it to a certain point where the inside’s just cooked but still soft and custardy like an actual soufflé.”

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Each soufflé pancake is about 70% baked, Tran said.

“We leave it and then right before we serve it, we’ll bake it again to get the maximum rise on it,” he said. “They’ll deflate if you leave them sitting too long.”

The soufflé pancake that he makes, said Tran (not pictured), gets its rise “from meringue and some custards and creams and cheeses.” (iStock)

‘Just advertising on a chalkboard’

In the beginning, Tran said, “we were just advertising on a chalkboard. And slowly people started ordering them.”

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As Tran explained it, his creation soon caught the attention of a Japanese magazine profiling breakfast places in Hawaii. From then on, Tran said, the international and national media took notice of this “really interesting-looking item because it was nice and thick and fluffy and soft-looking.”

Eventually, Tran was approached by Japanese companies looking to partner or franchise with him.

“A pancake is essentially a quick bread, but a classic soufflé doesn’t really have any flour in it,” said Tran. “So, we do it the classic way in terms of the ingredients.” (iStock)

“I just wanted to keep it boutique and keep it small,” Tran said. “I didn’t want to be involved with something like that. I knew it’s just going to go out of control in terms of the quality and stuff like that. So, I just stayed away from it.”

THESE ARE THE TOP 5 US CITIES FOR BRUNCH, PLUS SOME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

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There was also plenty of interest from others looking to replicate the soufflé pancake, Tran said.

“A lot of people started coming and trying to study the product,” he said. “It was funny.”

Soufflé pancake goes mainstream

Almost a decade after Tran debuted his dish in Hawaii, Benson Lau created his own rendition of the soufflé pancake more than 4,000 miles away in Canada.

Lau founded Fluffy Fluffy – known internationally as Fuwa Fuwa – in 2018, a year after studying pastry in Tokyo. 

Lau said he is self-taught in the art of the soufflé pancake.

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Benson Lau is founder of Fluffy Fluffy, North America’s largest dessert soufflé café, its website claims. “I didn’t learn from anyone,” Lau said.  (Fluffy Fluffy)

“I didn’t learn from anyone,” he told Fox News Digital in a telephone interview.

Two years after the first Fluffy Fluffy opened in Toronto, the business began franchising outside of Canada and eventually expanded into the U.S., becoming North America’s largest dessert soufflé café, according to its website.

The first Fluffy Fluffy in the U.S. opened in Orlando last year and its newest U.S. location in Miami opened last month. Besides Florida, there are also Fluffy Fluffy locations in California, Texas and Georgia.

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Fluffy Fluffy’s version of the soufflé pancake is “fun and authentic,” a sort of balance between the East and the West, Lau said.

“I basically tested the recipes over 1,000 times,” Lau said, to find the right “balancing texture between a pancake and a soufflé.”

Lau said Fluffy Fluffy’s soufflé pancakes are “made with egg whites and very low sugar.” 

Fluffy Fluffy is a dessert soufflé café that offers the classic soufflé pancake and variations such as the tiramisu soufflé pancake. (Fluffy Fluffy)

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He said many Fluffy Fluffy customers come in the middle of the day to “enjoy a bite of happiness.”

There are various menu options, too, including the matcha tiramisù and blueberry cheese soufflé pancakes.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

Back in Hawaii, Tran remains focused on his day-to-day duties at the Cream Pot, aware of the craze surrounding his creation but seemingly unmoved by it all. 

Tran said he doesn’t have any regrets about his decision.

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“I make enough money,” he said. “I’m not trying to become some tycoon or something like that. It’s not my thing.”

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Montana

Ye & French Montana Sued Over Sample of Paparazzi Fight Video: ‘Don’t Take No Photos!’

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Ye & French Montana Sued Over Sample of Paparazzi Fight Video: ‘Don’t Take No Photos!’


Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) is facing yet another lawsuit over allegations of unlicensed sampling — only this time, it’s centered on a video clip of the rapper’s infamous 2013 fight with paparazzi.

In a case filed Wednesday (July 15) in Los Angeles federal court, the celebrity news agency Bauer-Griffin claims that Ye, French Montana (Karim Kharbouch) and others used audio from the headline-grabbing incident in “Where They At,” released in 2024 off French’s Mac & Cheese 5.

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The May 2013 video, which also features a pregnant Kim Kardashian, shows West charging at a photographer outside a Los Angeles restaurant and shouting “don’t take no photos” and a string of profanities: “All of you m*therf*ckers stop it, man!”

The clip appears prominently in the intro to Montana’s song — a use that the lawsuit calls “blatant and willful” copyright infringement.

“Given Mr. Ye’s history of numerous confrontations with paparazzi, the video was highly newsworthy,” the agency’s lawyers write in legal documents obtained and first reported by Billboard. “Listeners immediately recognized the audio sample that begins the infringing record as being copied from the video.”

Ye has been sued over a dozen times for allegedly using unlicensed samples and interpolations in his music, including a high-profile battle with Donna Summer. In May, he lost a jury trial over using an uncleared sample in an early version of the Grammy-winning “Hurricane” from Donda. He had testified at trial that he’s “very generous” about giving credit and compensation when it’s due, but that “a lot of people try to take advantage of me.”

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In Wednesday’s complaint, Bauer-Griffin says the creators of “Where They At” showed no such respect to its rights in the video of the paparazzi incident, using it despite being well aware that sound recordings must be licensed when any amount is directly sampled into a song.

“In the music industry, copyrights are prevalent and well understood,” lawyers for the agency write. “Every defendant knew that they needed to have but did not have permission to use the audio sample.”

Reps for both stars did not immediately return requests for comment. The lawsuit also names as defendants producers Dem Jointz (Dwayne Abernathy Jr.) and BoogzDaBeast (Jahmal Gwin), as well Gamma, the label that released the song, and its distribution unit Vydia.

The confrontation at issue in Wednesday’s lawsuit was one of two high-profile scuffles with paparazzi that year for the rapper, who was then still known as Kanye West. Two months later, he clashed with photographer Daniel Ramos outside of LAX, resulting in a civil assault lawsuit that the star eventually settled two years later on the eve of trial.

As many celebrities have learned over the years, simply appearing in a photo or video does not give someone any legal rights to it. Ownership of such material is always retained by the creator — an inconvenient fact that has sparked lawsuits against Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa.

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It’s unclear who filmed the May 2013 incident, which happened outside a Beverly Hills restaurant minutes after the star had also been filmed accidentally banging his head into a signpost while trying to avoid other photographers. But the rights to the footage have been owned by Bauer-Griffin from the beginning: When TMZ first posted it at the time, it came with a watermark crediting the agency.

“The infringing record has been widely distributed on various streaming platforms, in flagrant violation of plaintiff’s exclusive rights under copyright laws,” Bauer-Griffin’s attorneys write. “Plaintiff brings these claims to vindicate those rights.”

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Nevada

Rural Nevada ice cream shop named best in the state by Yelp

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Rural Nevada ice cream shop named best in the state by Yelp


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When foodies think of the best ice cream in Nevada, their minds might immediately go to the world-class eateries in Las Vegas or the independent dessert shops in Reno. As it turns out (or at least according to Yelp) the best ice cream isn’t in either of Nevada’s most urban areas.

Last year, Yelp released its list of 100 best U.S. ice cream shops ahead of National Ice Cream Day on July 20, naming one rural spot as the best place to get a frozen treat in the entire state.

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Luckily for Renoites, the best ice cream spot in Nevada isn’t far away. Here’s a look at the only Silver State location that made the list.

What is the best ice cream shop in Nevada?

Steve’s Homemade Ice Cream in Fernley was the only Nevada location to make Yelp’s best ice cream spots list. Steve’s is at 1360 US Hwy. 95A N., Suite 5, or just off the second highway exit going into Fernley from Reno, in the outdoor mall across the street from the Starbucks.

Yelp reviewers appreciated Steve’s variety of homemade ice cream flavors, the shop’s cleanliness and aesthetic appeal, and the owner’s friendliness.

How did Yelp make its Top 100 Best Ice Cream Shops list?

Yelp used the reviews of businesses in the ice cream category, then used factors such as the total volume of ratings and reviews to create its “all-time list of the Top 100 Ice Cream Spots in the U.S..”

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When is National Ice Cream Day 2026?

Sunday, July 19, 2026, is National Ice Cream Day.



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New Mexico

Think New Mexico Hosts Four 2026 Summer Leadership Interns To Assist In Researching And Developing Policy Proposals – Los Alamos Daily Post

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Think New Mexico Hosts Four 2026 Summer Leadership Interns To Assist In Researching And Developing Policy Proposals – Los Alamos Daily Post


Gathered for a luncheon Tuesday at La Plazuela at La Fonda Tuesday in Santa Fe, front row from left, Think New Mexico 2026 Summer Leadership Intern Viviana Ornelas, Board President Roberta Ramo and Intern Marly Fisher. Back row from left, Think New Mexico Field Director Noah Apodaca, Intern Ian Hernandez, Think New Mexico Board Secretary Liddie Martinez, Intern Awlen Salazar and Healthcare Reform Director Lauren Leland. Courtesy/TNM

Gathered Tuesday at La Plazuela at La Fonda in Santa Fe, front row from left, Think New Mexico 2026 Summer Leadership Intern Viviana Ornelas, Board President Roberta Ramo and Intern Marly Fisher. Back row from left, Think New Mexico Intern Ian Hernandez, Think New Mexico Board Secretary Liddie Martinez and Intern Awlen Salazar. Courtesy/TNM

Think New Mexico News:

Each summer Think New Mexico offers four paid Leadership Internship positions to college or graduate students. Interns have the opportunity to meet with Think New Mexico board members and leaders in state government, as well as to assist Think New Mexico’s staff in researching and developing policy proposals.

The 2026 Summer Leadership Interns include:

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Marly Fisher grew up in Albuquerque and graduated from Albuquerque Academy in 2023. As a senior in high school, she and three peers spearheaded a successful effort to pass a bill implementing period products in New Mexico’s public schools. She has since interned for Representatives Melanie Stansbury and Gabe Vasquez. Fisher is a senior in the dual degree program between Sciences Po Paris and Columbia, majoring in Political Philosophy and History, and serving as Senior Editor of the Columbia Political Review. She is passionate about improving education in New Mexico.

Ian Hernandez was born and raised in Santa Fe and graduated in the top 1% of his class from the MASTERS Program Early College Charter School. He was a 2023 recipient of the Davis New Mexico Scholarship, which allowed him to attend and graduate from the University of Denver this past June. Hernandez earned his B.A. in Socio-Legal Studies and History and hopes to begin law school in the fall of 2027. As an undergraduate, He interned with U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO). He also worked as a teen journalist for the Santa Fe New Mexican, and as a teacher and tutor for Breakthrough Santa Fe. Hernandez hopes to use his education and life experiences to improve the lives of as many people living in New Mexico and the American Southwest as possible.

Viviana Ornelas is a Santa Fe native who graduated as Valedictorian of her Capital High School class. She received Davis and LANL scholarships to study at the University of Chicago, where she is earning a B.A. in Psychology and Public Policy with a minor in Education and Society. In high school, Viviana led a chapter of the New Mexico Dream Team. As an undergraduate student, she has worked as a research assistant in Dr. Levine’s Cognitive Development Lab where she helped conduct studies to understand the relationship between solving math word problems and spatial skills. Ornelas has also worked as a tutor for the Neighborhood Schools Program in Chicago and a teacher for Breakthrough Santa Fe. She hopes to return to New Mexico to pursue a career in education policy.

Awlen Salazar is a graduate of New Mexico State University (NMSU), where he earned a B.A. in Political Science with minors in Public Administration & Policy and Public Law. He is pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the University of New Mexico. Throughout his time at NMSU, Salazar was a part of the Associated Students of NMSU, where he held roles in the legislative and executive branches as public relations officer and as one of three standing committee chairs for the Senate. At the start of his senior year, Salazar re-chartered the NMSU College Democrats after the club’s two-year hiatus, and he served as President of the club until his graduation in May 2026. Since then, he continues to be involved in the Young Democrats of New Mexico, where he now serves as National Committee Representative. Off campus, Salazar worked closely with nonprofit sector leaders throughout Doña Ana County. In the summer of 2025, he interned for the Doña Ana County Resilience Leaders, where he helped advocate for policies to mitigate adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s) and expand access to affordable housing. Salazar also worked with NM Comunidades en Accion y De Fé (NM CAFé) as Social Media Associate.

Think New Mexico is New Mexico’s think tank – a results-oriented think tank whose mission is to improve the lives of all New Mexicans, especially those who lack a strong voice in the political process. It fulfills this mission by educating the public, the media, and policymakers about some of the most serious challenges facing New Mexico and by developing and advocating for enduring, effective, evidence-based solutions.

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Its approach is to perform and publish sound, nonpartisan, independent research. Unlike many think tanks, Think New Mexico does not subscribe to any particular ideology. Instead, because New Mexico is at or near the bottom of so many national rankings, its focus is on promoting workable solutions that will lift all New Mexicans up.

Consistent with its nonpartisan approach, Think New Mexico’s board is composed of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. They are statesmen and stateswomen, who have no agenda other than to see New Mexico succeed. They are also the brain trust of this think tank.

Think New Mexico began its operations Jan. 1, 1999. It is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. In order to maintain its independence, Think New Mexico does not accept state government funding. However, contributions from individuals, businesses, and foundations are encouraged, appreciated, and tax-deductible.

As an independent, statewide, results-oriented think tank, Think New Mexico measures its success based on changes in law or policy that it helps to achieve.

Think New Mexico’s results include:

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  • Making full-day kindergarten accessible to every child in New Mexico;
  • Repealing the state’s regressive tax on food and successfully defeating efforts to reimpose it;
  • Creating a Strategic Water Reserve to protect and restore New Mexico’s rivers;
  • Establishing New Mexico’s first state-supported Individual Development Accounts to alleviate the state’s persistent poverty;
  • Redirecting millions of dollars a year out of the state lottery’s excessive operating costs and into college scholarships
  • Reforming title insurance to reduce closing costs for homebuyers and homeowners who refinance their mortgages
  • Winning passage of three constitutional amendments to professionalize and streamline New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission
  • Modernizing the state’s regulation of taxis, limos, shuttles, and moving companies
  • Creating a one-stop online portal to facilitate business fees and filings
  • Establishing a user-friendly health care transparency website where New Mexicans can find the cost and quality of common medical procedures at any hospital in the state
  • Enacting the New Mexico Work and Save Act to make voluntary state-sponsored Individual Retirement Accounts accessible to New Mexicans who lack access to retirement savings through their jobs;
  • Making the state’s infrastructure spending transparent by revealing the legislative sponsors of every capital project;
  • Ending predatory lending by reducing the maximum annual interest rate on small loans from 175% to 36%;
  • Repealing the tax on Social Security for middle and lower-income New Mexicans with incomes under $100,000 as individuals or $150,000 as married couples;
  • Enhancing the training and transparency of local school boards;
  • Leading a campaign to make financial literacy a high school graduation requirement, now in place in 46 districts reaching nearly 48% of New Mexico students; and
  • Establishing a $2 billion permanent trust fund for Medicaid.

Think New Mexico is headquarters in the historic Greer House at 505 Don Gaspar in Santa Fe, at the corner of Paseo de Peralta and Don Gaspar, directly across the street from the state Capitol. To learn more, visit thinknewmexico.org.



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