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Have You Eaten Yet? Stories from Chinese Restaurants Around the World
From Haifa, Israel, to Cape Town, South Africa, Chinese entrepreneurs and restaurateurs have brought delicious Chinese food across the globe. Unravelling a complex history of cultural migration and world politics, Cheuk Kwan narrates a fascinating story of culture and place, ultimately revealing how an excellent meal always tells an even better story.
Dotting even the most remote landscapes, family-run Chinese restaurants are global icons of immigration, community and delicious food. The cultural outposts of far-flung settlers, bringers of dim sum, Peking duck and creative culinary hybrids like the Madagascar classic soupe chinoise, Chinese restaurants are a microcosm of greater social forces—an insight into time, history and place. From Africa to South America, the Jade Gardens and Golden Dragons reveal an intricate tangle of social schisms and political movements, offering insight into global changes and diasporic histories, as the world has moved into the 21st century.
Author and documentarian Cheuk Kwan, a self-described “card-carrying member of the Chinese diaspora,” weaves a global narrative by linking the myriad personal stories of chefs, entrepreneurs, labourers and dreamers who populate Chinese kitchens worldwide. Behind these kitchen doors lies an intriguing paradox which characterizes many of these communities: how Chinese immigrants have resisted—or often been prevented from—complete assimilation into the social fabric of their new homes, maintaining strong senses of cultural identity, while the engine of their economic survival—the Chinese restaurant and its food—has become seamlessly woven into cities all around the world.
An intrepid travelogue of grand vistas, adventure and serendipity, Have You Eaten Yet? charts a living atlas of the global Chinese migration, revealing the synergies of politics, culture and family.
Dotting even the most remote landscapes, family-run Chinese restaurants are global icons of immigration, community and delicious food. The cultural outposts of far-flung settlers, bringers of dim sum, Peking duck and creative culinary hybrids like the Madagascar classic soupe chinoise, Chinese restaurants are a microcosm of greater social forces—an insight into time, history and place. From Africa to South America, the Jade Gardens and Golden Dragons reveal an intricate tangle of social schisms and political movements, offering insight into global changes and diasporic histories, as the world has moved into the 21st century.
Author and documentarian Cheuk Kwan, a self-described “card-carrying member of the Chinese diaspora,” weaves a global narrative by linking the myriad personal stories of chefs, entrepreneurs, labourers and dreamers who populate Chinese kitchens worldwide. Behind these kitchen doors lies an intriguing paradox which characterizes many of these communities: how Chinese immigrants have resisted—or often been prevented from—complete assimilation into the social fabric of their new homes, maintaining strong senses of cultural identity, while the engine of their economic survival—the Chinese restaurant and its food—has become seamlessly woven into cities all around the world.
An intrepid travelogue of grand vistas, adventure and serendipity, Have You Eaten Yet? charts a living atlas of the global Chinese migration, revealing the synergies of politics, culture and family.
260 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2021
About the author
Cheuk Kwan
1 book9 followersCheuk Kwan was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, and has also lived in the US, Saudi Arabia and Canada. He is the co-founder of The Asianadian, a magazine dedicated to promoting Asian Canadian arts, culture and politics, and a film production company, Tissa Films. His documentary Chinese Restaurants: Latin Passions won the Special Jury Prize at the 24th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
October 16, 2022
I picked up this book from the library on the first week I moved to Vancouver from Hong Kong. It turned out to be the perfect book for me as I try to navigate my new life in this foreign country I now call home? I am part of the exodus leaving Hong Kong after the 2019 protest, hoping to find a future outside a city coming under authoritarian control. I find myself in a similar disposition as the author, caught between many worlds and identities, a state that I sometimes relish, but sometimes feel lost in. I found comfort in reading the stories of the many immigrants who created their own little havens in far corners of the world, sometimes arriving without even speaking the language of the land. Reading stories about people escaping Communist China, swimming to the shores of Hong Kong and Macau, and then taking the leap to another foreign land, strangely resonated with happenings in Hong Kong today. After decades spent abroad, these people and their offspring become part of the community while bringing comfort to their neighbours by providing good Chinese food with twists catered to the local palate. There is Indo-Chinese food, Peruvian, Brazilian, Turkish, even Norwegian. In modern society, sometimes one consumes food in a rush and mindlessly, but when used to connect to a place and to people, sharing a meal can be a wondrous thing.
December 26, 2022
This was a fascinating read that was also very different from the food-themed books I’ve read in the past due to how much ground it covered theme-wise. While on the surface, this book sounded to me like a travelogue food memoir, I quickly discovered that it was actually so much more than that – the food (especially Chinese cuisine) played a huge role of course, and the author, Cheuk Kwan, also spoke a lot about his personal family history and experiences, however there were also elements related to travel, history, politics, culture, immigration, etc. that made this book stand out. Cheuk Kwan was born in Hong Kong, but also grew up in Singapore and Japan and at different points in his life, lived in various countries including Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Canada. As a documentary filmmaker, magazine writer, and activist, Kwan spent most of his career traveling around the world, profiling Chinese restaurants in different countries and documenting the stories as well as experiences of the Chinese diaspora from a global perspective. Starting off in Canada, where Kwan currently lives, he travels across several continents – from Israel to Madagascar, to the Caribbean, Kenya, Mauritius, Turkey, Norway, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Peru (and so many more) – interviewing a diverse group of restaurant owners, workers, chefs, etc. who were ethnically Chinese, but from different backgrounds. Many of them had vastly different experiences in terms of how they (or, in many cases, their ancestors and other family members) arrived in the country where they ended up as well as how they got into the restaurant business. Most fascinating to me though, was learning about the evolution of Chinese cuisine around the world and seeing the different ways in which so many of the Cantonese dishes I was most familiar with were adapted for a variety of reasons (i.e. to fit the tastes of the local population or to accommodate the lack of particular ingredients, etc.). This was a lot of fun for sure (especially the sections where the author would describe some of the dishes in detail, which made my mouth water) -- but not only that, it also brought back fond memories of my previous visits to Asia and all the wonderful food I got to try.
As I mentioned before though, this book went beyond just talking about food and restaurants. On a deeper level, the narrative was also an exploration of immigration, community, assimilation, and ultimately, cultural identity. This was the aspect that resonated most with me – especially since, like the author, I’m also a “card-carrying member of the Chinese diaspora” and so I was able to relate to many of the experiences that were brought up. At one point, Cheuk Kwan also explores the question of nationality versus ethnicity – he says that in his travels around the world, “meeting with far-flung members of the Chinese diaspora, one question always came to mind: Are we defined by our nationality or by our ethnicity? Nationality is a legal construct that can be easily given – or taken away – while ethnicity always stays with us. It’s in our blood.” This intrigued me because, despite struggling with the issue of cultural identity my entire life, it was never something that crossed my mind much, until now. I appreciate when books make me ponder things that I might not have really thought about before, which this one definitely does.
With all that said, of course, this book wasn’t without flaws – the writing was a bit all over the place at some parts and some sections were in need of further editing (the version I read was missing punctuation at some places and also kept referring to the United States as “the us”, which got a bit annoying after a while), but overall, the content made up for it. Flaws aside, I still definitely recommend this one (though maybe read the published version instead?), as I found the plethora of insights it provides interesting and invaluable -- even with my familiarity of Chinese history and culture, I still learned a lot, which I absolutely appreciate!
Received ARC from Pegasus Books via Edelweiss
As I mentioned before though, this book went beyond just talking about food and restaurants. On a deeper level, the narrative was also an exploration of immigration, community, assimilation, and ultimately, cultural identity. This was the aspect that resonated most with me – especially since, like the author, I’m also a “card-carrying member of the Chinese diaspora” and so I was able to relate to many of the experiences that were brought up. At one point, Cheuk Kwan also explores the question of nationality versus ethnicity – he says that in his travels around the world, “meeting with far-flung members of the Chinese diaspora, one question always came to mind: Are we defined by our nationality or by our ethnicity? Nationality is a legal construct that can be easily given – or taken away – while ethnicity always stays with us. It’s in our blood.” This intrigued me because, despite struggling with the issue of cultural identity my entire life, it was never something that crossed my mind much, until now. I appreciate when books make me ponder things that I might not have really thought about before, which this one definitely does.
With all that said, of course, this book wasn’t without flaws – the writing was a bit all over the place at some parts and some sections were in need of further editing (the version I read was missing punctuation at some places and also kept referring to the United States as “the us”, which got a bit annoying after a while), but overall, the content made up for it. Flaws aside, I still definitely recommend this one (though maybe read the published version instead?), as I found the plethora of insights it provides interesting and invaluable -- even with my familiarity of Chinese history and culture, I still learned a lot, which I absolutely appreciate!
Received ARC from Pegasus Books via Edelweiss
December 19, 2022
this book was packed full of fascinating history i never learned. i absolutely loved it. it's a 4 year long travel and food memoir as the author travels the world with his film crew, finding chinese restaurants in the worlds most remote corners to ask: how come you ended up here?
it's the histories of immigrants (or indentured servants) who formed some of the world's first chinatowns, leaving their villages in the 1800s-1950s to escape poverty or conflict. it's the stories of the uncles and aunties who didn't really have time for the identity conflicts of my generation, and were focused on ensuring their family's livelihood. so much of the history of immigration is, at is core, stories of desperation and hope. families cling together, to their culture, their food, and try to survive. i absolutely adored reading their often times insane stories and was inspired by human willpower.
i also realised how little i knew of chinese diasporic history, especially in africa and the carribean. the communities in mauritius, traced as early as the ming dynasty's sea voyages (led by a muslim general btw!), the vibrant chinese communities in trinidad, how peruvian and chinese food became intertwined, and the persecution of indo-chinese families. some are now the ambitious owners of opulent restaurants and some run tiny eatieries with insanely good food. the author always asks, do you feel chinese? and even a grandpa who has never seen his ancestral village will say, yes. it's so amazing how we stay connected to our roots even across generations, and find power and comfort in that connection.
my fav chapters: canada, israel, mauritius, madagascar, istanbul, cuba, argentina
P.S. i tried to find the wang family's new restaurant in istanbul and didn't have any success hunting for it online :( i hope theyre all doing well. their grandfather's story was absolutely insane and i'm sure i won't forget it for a long time.
(book found at the chinese museum in vancouver + read on my trip to istanbul)
it's the histories of immigrants (or indentured servants) who formed some of the world's first chinatowns, leaving their villages in the 1800s-1950s to escape poverty or conflict. it's the stories of the uncles and aunties who didn't really have time for the identity conflicts of my generation, and were focused on ensuring their family's livelihood. so much of the history of immigration is, at is core, stories of desperation and hope. families cling together, to their culture, their food, and try to survive. i absolutely adored reading their often times insane stories and was inspired by human willpower.
i also realised how little i knew of chinese diasporic history, especially in africa and the carribean. the communities in mauritius, traced as early as the ming dynasty's sea voyages (led by a muslim general btw!), the vibrant chinese communities in trinidad, how peruvian and chinese food became intertwined, and the persecution of indo-chinese families. some are now the ambitious owners of opulent restaurants and some run tiny eatieries with insanely good food. the author always asks, do you feel chinese? and even a grandpa who has never seen his ancestral village will say, yes. it's so amazing how we stay connected to our roots even across generations, and find power and comfort in that connection.
my fav chapters: canada, israel, mauritius, madagascar, istanbul, cuba, argentina
P.S. i tried to find the wang family's new restaurant in istanbul and didn't have any success hunting for it online :( i hope theyre all doing well. their grandfather's story was absolutely insane and i'm sure i won't forget it for a long time.
(book found at the chinese museum in vancouver + read on my trip to istanbul)
September 2, 2022
I wanted to like this book but I found it very disappointing. While I enjoyed learning about the various Chinese diasporas, particularly in African and South American countries, it was clearly written from a Western worldview. I mean that in the sense of what the author chose be critical about vs. what he chose to sanitize (notably migration to Israel, colonization, etc). The epilogue was bizarre — I think it really undermined the point the author was trying to make about anti-Asian racism when he highlighted that it’s rampant in North America but apparently not in Europe? Sorry, but that’s just not the truth.
Anyway, I actually wanted to give this a lower rating but I felt that was a bit harsh because I did enjoy *some* parts.
Anyway, I actually wanted to give this a lower rating but I felt that was a bit harsh because I did enjoy *some* parts.
June 19, 2023
A fun read, but at times a bit dissatisfying to hear the Asian model minority idea espoused but not addressed. Same for any instances of fetishization or positive stereotyping. What irked me too was that one of the interviewees left the US to go to France because the history of racism is much different and that it is as a result much better to live in France as an Asian. However, though the history of racism is different, Europeans (including the French) are no less racist, just a different kind of racism. Ever heard of colonialism...For a book about diaspora, there wasn't even critical discussion regarding diaspora and the preconceptions everyone holds regarding your "origins" and cultural connection/severance.
January 23, 2023
I loved the title and concept. The Chinese restaurant is everywhere, spanning the world with their own stories and their own histories, influenced and impacted by societal, political, social, etc. effects. Author Kwan travels around the world and learns about the stories behind how and why people moved to wherever they did, often opening their own Chinese restaurants and with their personal takes on whatever dish, often combined and/or adapted to local tastes and/or ingredients that are available.
And that is basically it. Each chapter takes him to a different place around the world, with a focus on the specific place, plus Kwan's personal thoughts and history also weaved him. He speaks to the locals, the people who run/own the restaurant, their families/friends/neighbors, etc. to all show us each place and time. Some of it is informative, some of it is sad, some of it is clearly a reflection of the impacts of colonialism and imperialism, etc.
So your mileage will vary. If you enjoy food histories, commentaries, etc. then this might be for you. If you have a particular interest in Chinese restaurants, this also could be interesting. A few years ago the New York Times discussed that with the rising wealth of China, places like the US will see fewer Chinese restaurants, especially when combined with the higher education/earning power of the children of immigrants, who can afford to not take on what might have been the family business at one point but rather into higher paying jobs, etc. So this was super interesting in light of what may be a distinct change for takeout/takeaway staples in some parts of the world.
That said, I felt it was fairly formulaic and boring. Once you get the structure of it, you'll find that pattern is repeated throughout the book. I also did not find Kwan a particularly compelling writer, and that the book was ultimately skimmable but not necessarily an incredibly compelling read. Overall, though, I thought it was worth a read and would recommend it if you have any interest at all.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me. Probably wouldn't be a bad pickup for a reference and I wouldn't be surprised if you see this book on syllabi about food, food histories, courses on the Chinese diaspora, etc.
And that is basically it. Each chapter takes him to a different place around the world, with a focus on the specific place, plus Kwan's personal thoughts and history also weaved him. He speaks to the locals, the people who run/own the restaurant, their families/friends/neighbors, etc. to all show us each place and time. Some of it is informative, some of it is sad, some of it is clearly a reflection of the impacts of colonialism and imperialism, etc.
So your mileage will vary. If you enjoy food histories, commentaries, etc. then this might be for you. If you have a particular interest in Chinese restaurants, this also could be interesting. A few years ago the New York Times discussed that with the rising wealth of China, places like the US will see fewer Chinese restaurants, especially when combined with the higher education/earning power of the children of immigrants, who can afford to not take on what might have been the family business at one point but rather into higher paying jobs, etc. So this was super interesting in light of what may be a distinct change for takeout/takeaway staples in some parts of the world.
That said, I felt it was fairly formulaic and boring. Once you get the structure of it, you'll find that pattern is repeated throughout the book. I also did not find Kwan a particularly compelling writer, and that the book was ultimately skimmable but not necessarily an incredibly compelling read. Overall, though, I thought it was worth a read and would recommend it if you have any interest at all.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me. Probably wouldn't be a bad pickup for a reference and I wouldn't be surprised if you see this book on syllabi about food, food histories, courses on the Chinese diaspora, etc.
February 28, 2023
I listened to this on audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator was excellent and helped me to navigate hard-to-pronounce places and names. The book, however, has some wonderful images that enhance the narration. There isn't much written on Chinese immigration to countries other than the United States, so this was a unique piece of work told through food and culture. I appreciated that this topic was explored and written by a Chinese Canadian so that the stories felt more authentic and personal, rather than some old white guy looking down his nose at other cultures (think Gordon Ramsay in Uncharted).
"From Haifa, Israel, to Cape Town, South Africa, Chinese entrepreneurs and restaurateurs have brought delicious Chinese food across the globe. Unravelling a complex history of cultural migration and world politics, Cheuk Kwan narrates a fascinating story of culture and place, ultimately revealing how an excellent meal always tells an even better story."
Eye-opening, Diverse, and Immersive, this book will appeal to any food lover.
"From Haifa, Israel, to Cape Town, South Africa, Chinese entrepreneurs and restaurateurs have brought delicious Chinese food across the globe. Unravelling a complex history of cultural migration and world politics, Cheuk Kwan narrates a fascinating story of culture and place, ultimately revealing how an excellent meal always tells an even better story."
Eye-opening, Diverse, and Immersive, this book will appeal to any food lover.
January 15, 2023
3.5 stars. It was fun to read about how Chinese immigrants adapt traditional dishes to suit the tastes of their native countries. This book covers a LOT of places, but feels more like an overview since the chapters are relatively short. It does work as a companion book to the author's documentary series, which is free on YouTube.
February 25, 2023
Born in Hong Kong, Cheuk Kwan grew up in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan and now lives in Toronto (having also lived in the US and Saudi Arabia). He directed a 15-part documentary series Chinese Restaurants - released on 2006 - featuring Chinese restaurants around the world. Informed perhaps by his own experience as a member of the Chinese diaspora, Cheuk Kwan's Chinese Restaurants illustrates how Chinese immigrants have adapted and integrated into new societies, whilst retaining a link to their own culture.
Have You Eaten Yet recounts Cheuk Kwan's travels in the early 2000s to research, then film, his documentary series. He visits restaurants all over the world - Outlook (Saskatchewan, Canada); Haifa (Israel); San Fernando (Trinidad and Tobago); Mombasa (Kenya); St Julien (Mauritius); Cape Town (South Africa); Tamatave (Madagascar); Istanbul (Turkey); Tromso (Norway); Havana (Cuba); Sao Paolo (Brazil); Manaus (Brazil); Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Darjeeling (India); Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lima (Peru). But this isn't just a book about how Chinese food has evolved in different parts of the world; it's an examination of identity and belonging. In the Introduction, Cheuk Kwan poses the question of whether we are defined by our nationality or by our ethnicity. He argues that "nationality is a legal construct that can be easily given - or taken away - while ethnicity always stays with us. It's in our blood".
In Have You Eaten, we hear the diverse stories of ethnic Chinese around the world. Some are first or second generation immigrants who left China for better prospects elsewhere. This search for a better life would take them to all corners of the earth - Europe, Africa, South America. Like Noisy Jim who immigrated to Canada in 1939 as a young teenager, by taking the identity papers of a boy who had immigrated to Canada earlier but had passed away. Jim had to memorise all the details of that boy, in case he was quizzed by the immigration office in Hong Kong. Lee Ho Shau and Wong Yim Sheung swam from China to Macau and from there took the ferry to Hong Kong. But when the Cultural Revolution spilled over to Hong Kong in the late 1960s, Lee and Wong got tourist visas to Brazil, where Wong had an uncle, where they subsequently opened a pastelaria. Kien Wong and his wife Mei escaped on a fishing boat with their four daughters from Ho Chih Minh City before being picked up by a Hong-Kong registered freight ship in the open sea that sailed around to various countries looking to offload the refugees. When Israel offered to take some of the refugees, Kien saw it as a sign from God. This was the second displacement of Kien's family; his father had left China for Vietnam working for China's railway ministry but decided against returning to China when the Communists took power.
Yet others are descendants of traders who travelled to far flung places like Mauritius, the Seychelles, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa in the 19th century, or fifth generation immigrants, their forefathers having been sent as indentured laborers to places like Cuba, Peru and South Africa.
Some of them had assimilated and integrated well. One of Kien Wong's daughters was the first Chinese immigrant to join the Israeli Army and later, the first homegrown flight attendant of Chinese Heritage at El Al. Noisy Jim's New Outlook Café in Saskatchewan (which doesn’t really serve Chinese food, more diner fare with American Chinese dishes like chop suey and egg rolls thrown into the mix) is considered an institution in the community. Maurice Soong's father left his young family in China in 1937 to seek a better life in the Americas and later sent for Maurice some ten years later. Maurice Soong now sees himself as both Chinese and Trinidadian. In Cuba, where the early Chinese settlers fought in Cuba's Ten Years' War for independence from Spain, which ended in 1878, Cuba's national hero Jose Marti declared "There was not one Cuban Chinese deserter, not one Cuban Chinese traitor". And in Peru, Chinese influences have made an indelible mark on Peruvian culture, as evidenced by Peru's chifa and dishes like lomo saltado and chaufa.
On the other hand, there were those who continued to feel like foreigners. Like 66-year old Onkuen Ying (who stopped using her Christian name Edna) who had lived in Cape Town all her life and was now trying to reconnect with her Chinese heritage, believing that apartheid had prevented her from becoming Chinese. She did not feel herself to be South African, regarding her family and her "sojourning" there; to her, South Africa really belonged to the whites while all other races were just encroachers. Like the Chinese in India, who became enemies overnight during the month-long Sino-Indian war in 1962.
It takes real dedication to cook authentic Chinese food outside of China, flying and trucking ingredients like Sichuan red chili, Sichuan peppercorn, and fermented bean paste to places like Tromso and Manaus in the Amazon. In Tromso, fresh fruit and vegetables have to be flown in from as far away as Manchester and Amsterdam, much less more exotic Chinese ingredients and cooking utensils.
And according to Cheuk Kwan, some of these restaurants serve Chinese food that's comparable or better than what can be found in Hong Kong, like the Cantonese-style fried fish at Kien Wong's Yan Yan Restaurant in Haifa.Cheuk Kwan describes the Cantonese food at Soong's Great Wall in San Fernando, Trinidad as "authentic" and the "dim sum [as] simply out of this world". At Chez Manuel in St Julien, Mauritius, Cheuk Wan declares that he has "never tasted a better rendition of [Hakka pork belly], not in Hong Kong, not in Taiwan". In India, Cheuk Wan meets Nini Ling and Baba Ling, two Chinese brothers who run Chinese restaurants in Mumbai and Delhi. (Their father moved to India from Hong Kong in 1937 to help run his uncle's furniture and curio shop in Mumbai.) Cheuk Wan describes the food at Ling's Pavilion in Mumbai as "simply sublime". Meanwhile, Baba boasts that Singaporean customers of Imperial Garden in Delhi say that the chili crab there is "better than the real thing".
The content of Have You Eaten Yet is fascinating. Unfortunately, I didn't like Cheuk Wan's writing, finding it overly choppy. He would switch from one topic to another abruptly (it's like speaking to someone with a short attention span, who keeps flitting from one topic to another with no segue), making it hard to really get absorbed and settle into the book. 4-5 stars for the content, 1-2 stars for the writing.
Have You Eaten Yet recounts Cheuk Kwan's travels in the early 2000s to research, then film, his documentary series. He visits restaurants all over the world - Outlook (Saskatchewan, Canada); Haifa (Israel); San Fernando (Trinidad and Tobago); Mombasa (Kenya); St Julien (Mauritius); Cape Town (South Africa); Tamatave (Madagascar); Istanbul (Turkey); Tromso (Norway); Havana (Cuba); Sao Paolo (Brazil); Manaus (Brazil); Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Darjeeling (India); Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lima (Peru). But this isn't just a book about how Chinese food has evolved in different parts of the world; it's an examination of identity and belonging. In the Introduction, Cheuk Kwan poses the question of whether we are defined by our nationality or by our ethnicity. He argues that "nationality is a legal construct that can be easily given - or taken away - while ethnicity always stays with us. It's in our blood".
In Have You Eaten, we hear the diverse stories of ethnic Chinese around the world. Some are first or second generation immigrants who left China for better prospects elsewhere. This search for a better life would take them to all corners of the earth - Europe, Africa, South America. Like Noisy Jim who immigrated to Canada in 1939 as a young teenager, by taking the identity papers of a boy who had immigrated to Canada earlier but had passed away. Jim had to memorise all the details of that boy, in case he was quizzed by the immigration office in Hong Kong. Lee Ho Shau and Wong Yim Sheung swam from China to Macau and from there took the ferry to Hong Kong. But when the Cultural Revolution spilled over to Hong Kong in the late 1960s, Lee and Wong got tourist visas to Brazil, where Wong had an uncle, where they subsequently opened a pastelaria. Kien Wong and his wife Mei escaped on a fishing boat with their four daughters from Ho Chih Minh City before being picked up by a Hong-Kong registered freight ship in the open sea that sailed around to various countries looking to offload the refugees. When Israel offered to take some of the refugees, Kien saw it as a sign from God. This was the second displacement of Kien's family; his father had left China for Vietnam working for China's railway ministry but decided against returning to China when the Communists took power.
Yet others are descendants of traders who travelled to far flung places like Mauritius, the Seychelles, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa in the 19th century, or fifth generation immigrants, their forefathers having been sent as indentured laborers to places like Cuba, Peru and South Africa.
Some of them had assimilated and integrated well. One of Kien Wong's daughters was the first Chinese immigrant to join the Israeli Army and later, the first homegrown flight attendant of Chinese Heritage at El Al. Noisy Jim's New Outlook Café in Saskatchewan (which doesn’t really serve Chinese food, more diner fare with American Chinese dishes like chop suey and egg rolls thrown into the mix) is considered an institution in the community. Maurice Soong's father left his young family in China in 1937 to seek a better life in the Americas and later sent for Maurice some ten years later. Maurice Soong now sees himself as both Chinese and Trinidadian. In Cuba, where the early Chinese settlers fought in Cuba's Ten Years' War for independence from Spain, which ended in 1878, Cuba's national hero Jose Marti declared "There was not one Cuban Chinese deserter, not one Cuban Chinese traitor". And in Peru, Chinese influences have made an indelible mark on Peruvian culture, as evidenced by Peru's chifa and dishes like lomo saltado and chaufa.
On the other hand, there were those who continued to feel like foreigners. Like 66-year old Onkuen Ying (who stopped using her Christian name Edna) who had lived in Cape Town all her life and was now trying to reconnect with her Chinese heritage, believing that apartheid had prevented her from becoming Chinese. She did not feel herself to be South African, regarding her family and her "sojourning" there; to her, South Africa really belonged to the whites while all other races were just encroachers. Like the Chinese in India, who became enemies overnight during the month-long Sino-Indian war in 1962.
It takes real dedication to cook authentic Chinese food outside of China, flying and trucking ingredients like Sichuan red chili, Sichuan peppercorn, and fermented bean paste to places like Tromso and Manaus in the Amazon. In Tromso, fresh fruit and vegetables have to be flown in from as far away as Manchester and Amsterdam, much less more exotic Chinese ingredients and cooking utensils.
And according to Cheuk Kwan, some of these restaurants serve Chinese food that's comparable or better than what can be found in Hong Kong, like the Cantonese-style fried fish at Kien Wong's Yan Yan Restaurant in Haifa.Cheuk Kwan describes the Cantonese food at Soong's Great Wall in San Fernando, Trinidad as "authentic" and the "dim sum [as] simply out of this world". At Chez Manuel in St Julien, Mauritius, Cheuk Wan declares that he has "never tasted a better rendition of [Hakka pork belly], not in Hong Kong, not in Taiwan". In India, Cheuk Wan meets Nini Ling and Baba Ling, two Chinese brothers who run Chinese restaurants in Mumbai and Delhi. (Their father moved to India from Hong Kong in 1937 to help run his uncle's furniture and curio shop in Mumbai.) Cheuk Wan describes the food at Ling's Pavilion in Mumbai as "simply sublime". Meanwhile, Baba boasts that Singaporean customers of Imperial Garden in Delhi say that the chili crab there is "better than the real thing".
The content of Have You Eaten Yet is fascinating. Unfortunately, I didn't like Cheuk Wan's writing, finding it overly choppy. He would switch from one topic to another abruptly (it's like speaking to someone with a short attention span, who keeps flitting from one topic to another with no segue), making it hard to really get absorbed and settle into the book. 4-5 stars for the content, 1-2 stars for the writing.
January 10, 2024
A really disappointing DNF. Because I really loved the first chapter! But the second chapter is set in Israel, and it was extremely awkward in the way it attempts to ever so slightly critique and yet mainly glorifies the colony.
It's so sad that the eldest daughter was denied entry to the IDF because she's an immigrant! Oh, but don't worry, the second daughter was able to join the terrorist organization! What an inspiration!
Sure, it is sad that the second daughter had to go outside the country to marry her Israeli husband, because Israeli law literally wouldn't let them marry. It's sad, but let's move on.
Let's vaguely refer to Palestine, but only in a way that paints them the villain. This is surely fair journalism.
And it's hard, because... well, it's not like Israel is unique. The first chapter is set in Canada, which is also a colonialist country. Is it unfair of me, to not hold that chapter to the same standard? A chapter which didn't even mention any indigenous population ?
I don't know. I suppose the difference is that the Canada chapter was rather critical of the government, discussing how it failed its Chinese immigrants. Whereas the Israel chapter does fleetingly discuss how Israel is unfair to its Chinese immigrants, but is much quicker to glorify in other aspects. And because of that, I really can't trust the authorial voice of this book whatsoever.
It's so sad that the eldest daughter was denied entry to the IDF because she's an immigrant! Oh, but don't worry, the second daughter was able to join the terrorist organization! What an inspiration!
Sure, it is sad that the second daughter had to go outside the country to marry her Israeli husband, because Israeli law literally wouldn't let them marry. It's sad, but let's move on.
Let's vaguely refer to Palestine, but only in a way that paints them the villain. This is surely fair journalism.
And it's hard, because... well, it's not like Israel is unique. The first chapter is set in Canada, which is also a colonialist country. Is it unfair of me, to not hold that chapter to the same standard? A chapter which didn't even mention any indigenous population ?
I don't know. I suppose the difference is that the Canada chapter was rather critical of the government, discussing how it failed its Chinese immigrants. Whereas the Israel chapter does fleetingly discuss how Israel is unfair to its Chinese immigrants, but is much quicker to glorify in other aspects. And because of that, I really can't trust the authorial voice of this book whatsoever.
June 21, 2023
A meandering feel-good story of diaspora via the Chinese restaurants the author ate at and the stories of the people he met. Yeah I learned about Chinese people in unexpected countries, but in a pop history way. He doesn't try to question what these restaurant owners tell him too deeply, so the subjectivity and biases stay in and there are missing sides to the stories.
March 19, 2023
I didn’t actually finish this ebook before the library reclaimed it. I guess it just wasn’t as interesting as I thought it would be. It felt like each chapter was essentially the same - just set in a different country.
February 2, 2023
I found myself pretty indifferent to this, even the chapter about my own closest-thing-to-a-home-town (São Paulo...and yes, I loved eating in Liberdade). Maybe as a companion to the series, it might have more impact, but reading about the various Chinese meals he has and restaurants he visits isn't that engaging. The stories of the people in the Chinese "diaspora" all seem relatively similar, and the fact that some end well (e.g., Brazil), and some not so well (e.g., South Africa)...well, that's life, isn't it. The photographs seem at the level of someone's holiday snaps. Can't see I'd seek out the series.
November 4, 2024
Wow. So much I didn’t know about the Chinese diaspora, even in places like South Africa where I have family and thought I had so much knowledge about.
August 26, 2023
As a Hakka-Hong Kong-Chinese-Swiss-Canadian whose family is in the restaurant business, many of the stories and experiences found within this book really resonated with me.
My family and I have always joked that Chinese people are everywhere and that no matter where we travel, we will always be able to find a Chinese restaurant and Chinese people to connect with (which is why, according to my parents, it was so important for us to brush up on our Cantonese and Mandarin). This proved to be true when we spent months living in rural Sweden where we didn't speak the language but found a Chinese restaurant in a nearby town where the owners spoke Cantonese! Similarly, when we were traveling in Spain, we were also able to get road directions (in Mandarin) from the staff of a Chinese restaurant (and again from a Chinese-owned convenience store) that we stumbled across.
This book made me wish that I stayed longer to converse with these other fellow Chinese to learn about their immigration stories and journey.
Part memoir, part collection of biographies, part food and travel journey, and part Chinese history, Have You Eaten Yet? is about the author Cheuk Kwan's journey in the early 2000's when he traveled around the world in search of Chinese restaurants for his aptly named docu-series, Chinese Restaurants. Both his documentary and this book really highlight the Chinese immigrant diaspora and explore both the similarities and differences in the Chinese immigrant experience and the Chinese identity of restaurant owners in various countries.
And what a diaspora it is!
This book features sino-immigrant chefs from the following places:
1. Taishan-Chinese in Moose Jaw, Canada
2. Jewish-Vietnamese-Chinese in Tel Aviv, Israel
3. Hakka-Chinese in Port of Spain, Trinidad
4. Hong Kong-Chinese in Mombasa, Kenya
5. Hakka-Chinese in Mauritius
6. Malaysian-Chinese in Cape Town, South Africa
7. Nanhai-Chinese in Tamatave, Madagascar
8. Muslim-Shandong-Chinese in Istanbul, Turkey
9. Hong Kong-Chinese in Tromso, Norway
10. Guandong/Canton-Chinese in Havana, Cuba
11. Guandong/Canton-Chinese in Sao Paolo, Brazil
12. Taiwanese-Chinese in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13. Teochew (also known as Chiuchow or Chaozhou depending on what dialect you speak)-Chinese in Mumbai and Delhi, India
14. Hakka-Meishiang Chinese in Calcutta and Darjeeling, India
15. Taiwanese-Chinese in Buenos Ares, Argentina
16. Chinese-Peruvian in Lima, Peru
Aside from the chapter on Mombasa, Kenya, you can find all of these stories replicated in the 15-part docu-series which you can watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@cheukkwan/videos (although I guess it's the other way around - these chapters are based on the content from these videos).
Although the book seems to be a bit lacking in food descriptions, I learned a lot about the history of Chinese migration and immigration in various countries. This book is ultimately about the people behind each Chinese restaurant
Audiobook comments:
I'm not sure why a Japanese narrator was chosen, rather than having the author (who I assume narrated the docu-series) narrate himself. While Brian Nishii's English had no distinguishable accent, and his Japanese and Mandarin accent were flawless, his Cantonese accent was abysmal.
My family and I have always joked that Chinese people are everywhere and that no matter where we travel, we will always be able to find a Chinese restaurant and Chinese people to connect with (which is why, according to my parents, it was so important for us to brush up on our Cantonese and Mandarin). This proved to be true when we spent months living in rural Sweden where we didn't speak the language but found a Chinese restaurant in a nearby town where the owners spoke Cantonese! Similarly, when we were traveling in Spain, we were also able to get road directions (in Mandarin) from the staff of a Chinese restaurant (and again from a Chinese-owned convenience store) that we stumbled across.
This book made me wish that I stayed longer to converse with these other fellow Chinese to learn about their immigration stories and journey.
Part memoir, part collection of biographies, part food and travel journey, and part Chinese history, Have You Eaten Yet? is about the author Cheuk Kwan's journey in the early 2000's when he traveled around the world in search of Chinese restaurants for his aptly named docu-series, Chinese Restaurants. Both his documentary and this book really highlight the Chinese immigrant diaspora and explore both the similarities and differences in the Chinese immigrant experience and the Chinese identity of restaurant owners in various countries.
And what a diaspora it is!
This book features sino-immigrant chefs from the following places:
1. Taishan-Chinese in Moose Jaw, Canada
2. Jewish-Vietnamese-Chinese in Tel Aviv, Israel
3. Hakka-Chinese in Port of Spain, Trinidad
4. Hong Kong-Chinese in Mombasa, Kenya
5. Hakka-Chinese in Mauritius
6. Malaysian-Chinese in Cape Town, South Africa
7. Nanhai-Chinese in Tamatave, Madagascar
8. Muslim-Shandong-Chinese in Istanbul, Turkey
9. Hong Kong-Chinese in Tromso, Norway
10. Guandong/Canton-Chinese in Havana, Cuba
11. Guandong/Canton-Chinese in Sao Paolo, Brazil
12. Taiwanese-Chinese in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13. Teochew (also known as Chiuchow or Chaozhou depending on what dialect you speak)-Chinese in Mumbai and Delhi, India
14. Hakka-Meishiang Chinese in Calcutta and Darjeeling, India
15. Taiwanese-Chinese in Buenos Ares, Argentina
16. Chinese-Peruvian in Lima, Peru
Aside from the chapter on Mombasa, Kenya, you can find all of these stories replicated in the 15-part docu-series which you can watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@cheukkwan/videos (although I guess it's the other way around - these chapters are based on the content from these videos).
Although the book seems to be a bit lacking in food descriptions, I learned a lot about the history of Chinese migration and immigration in various countries. This book is ultimately about the people behind each Chinese restaurant
Audiobook comments:
I'm not sure why a Japanese narrator was chosen, rather than having the author (who I assume narrated the docu-series) narrate himself. While Brian Nishii's English had no distinguishable accent, and his Japanese and Mandarin accent were flawless, his Cantonese accent was abysmal.
April 14, 2022
This book made me hungry. Have You Eaten Yet is a gastronomic whirlwind tour of the world, through the eyes of Chinese diaspora. If you enjoyed Ann Hui's Chop Suey Nation, this is a must-read. From Magadascar to the Arctic Circle, from Cuba to India, Cheuk Kwan shares the stories of Chinese immigrants who have simultaneously adapted to and shaped the food cultures in their new homes, giving us incredible food innovations like chifa in Peru and Indo-Chinese cuisine, and more. Beyond the kitchen, many of these chefs and entrepreneurs have found themselves questioning their identities and uncovering what being Chinese means to them. Their experiences are not a monolith, with each expressing different relationships to their adopted homes.
It's raw and authentic and doesn't shy away from the ugly side of the immigrant experience or the restaurant industry, including the way some chefs treat their staff (poorly!) I appreciated that these voices weren't whitewashed and were allowed to stand on their own, reflecting the complex relationships that diasporic Chinese have with with the people of their new homes. Some of it is not pretty, occasionally reflecting racist sentiments that Chinese folks are not exempt from perpetuating.
In some ways, it is an uncritical reflection of the stories and narratives of the people interviewed. That being said, the book doesn't claim to offer a critical analysis of immigrant dynamics, so maybe I'm asking too much of it and the individuals profiled. Nevertheless, this is an excellent book that reads like an Anthony Bourdain journey, sass included, with a fresh and honest look at the lives of the Chinese diaspora through the quintessential Chinese restaurant.
It's raw and authentic and doesn't shy away from the ugly side of the immigrant experience or the restaurant industry, including the way some chefs treat their staff (poorly!) I appreciated that these voices weren't whitewashed and were allowed to stand on their own, reflecting the complex relationships that diasporic Chinese have with with the people of their new homes. Some of it is not pretty, occasionally reflecting racist sentiments that Chinese folks are not exempt from perpetuating.
In some ways, it is an uncritical reflection of the stories and narratives of the people interviewed. That being said, the book doesn't claim to offer a critical analysis of immigrant dynamics, so maybe I'm asking too much of it and the individuals profiled. Nevertheless, this is an excellent book that reads like an Anthony Bourdain journey, sass included, with a fresh and honest look at the lives of the Chinese diaspora through the quintessential Chinese restaurant.
June 15, 2023
I really wanted to like this book. It seemed interesting from reading the jacket and I was excited to learn more about Chinese food and the diaspora.
But, in general, I think the original format of docuseries much better serves this storytelling. Reading, we receive a lot of medium-level life details about 5+ people per chapter that we only hear about for 3-10 pages each, then are never mentioned again. A lot of the people highlighted have similar stories, so they can easily start to tangle together as you read more and more of the chapters. By the time I finished it, I felt like I had a pretty good idea of the migration and development of these restaurants, but could hardly tell you about one specific person or place if asked. I'm still interested in watching the series, but this book was a bit of a slog for me to get through.
But, in general, I think the original format of docuseries much better serves this storytelling. Reading, we receive a lot of medium-level life details about 5+ people per chapter that we only hear about for 3-10 pages each, then are never mentioned again. A lot of the people highlighted have similar stories, so they can easily start to tangle together as you read more and more of the chapters. By the time I finished it, I felt like I had a pretty good idea of the migration and development of these restaurants, but could hardly tell you about one specific person or place if asked. I'm still interested in watching the series, but this book was a bit of a slog for me to get through.
February 6, 2023
I grabbed this book from my local library. I have read other Chinese food-based books in the past. I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, I found the book dry in most sections. There are a lot of side stories that do not involve food but host the author's personal experiences with the place. I feel the storytelling components could have been blended into the main storyline better. I often skimmed large sections that had the author's reflections. I was hoping this book would focus more on the food stories. It focused more on the Chinese diaspora, which was interesting but not what I came to read. The marriage between the food and Chinese diaspora was not smooth. It needed some work.
May 30, 2022
The author's memoir of his adventures visiting and filming his documentary series on Chinese restaurants around the world in the mid 2000s. Reminds me of Ann Hui's book Chop Suey, except with an international lens. He explores the Chinese diaspora communities and identities- asking them what makes their food Chinese, if they feel Chinese or if they feel affinity for the country where they live. I particularly enjoyed the epilogue where he ties things together a bit and reflects on the COVID pandemic and rising anti Asian racism.
February 8, 2023
DNF’ing 62% of the way in. Had high hopes for this book - but it seems to be trying to tackle two different topics at once (Chinese diaspora and migrations, evolution of Chinese food) in a choppy way and was not what I was expecting. On audio, it felt to me that both topics were playing the role of side story to each other, and it has been difficult to see what the book is trying to do and to engage.
February 9, 2023
Wanted to like this book much more. It's about Chinese food, travel, history, all things I love. But it just fell short - the author doesn't really scratch the surface beyond the obvious platitudes about belonging in a foreign country or preserving a culture. Also - the action in the book takes place 20 years ago or more. So many of the places he visited have changed so much since that time, so it seems a little late to be writing this and the descriptions and conclusions a little outdated.
February 28, 2024
This book had so much potential, but for the author loves inserting himself and how smart and talented he is into the restaurant owners' stories and by golly was that annoying. Also casually reinforces the model minority myth.
March 15, 2024
DNF'ing. This is just not the book for me. It had interesting stories in it, but I just found it so dry. The writing just didn't hook me at all, I read half of it and I really struggled with even that much. Disappointing, because I was really looking forward to it.
September 28, 2023
My three star rating suggests that I did not fully enjoy this book. That is not truly the case as I will explain. Have You Eaten Yet is the story of the Chinese diaspora told through the lens of owners and operators of Chinese restaurants from around the world. The author and his team travel to countries such as Peru, Mauritius, Norway,and South Africa to find out what led Chinese immigrants to these countries. For each location, the author provides a brief history of Chinese immigration to these far off counties and then introduces the reader to the families operating local Chinese restaurants. I found most of the history and stories fascinating, but I did see similar themes emerging. For example, many fled the Chinese Civil War and/or the rise of the communists. The author also asks similar questions of each of his interview subjects such as their desire to return to China and about how their new countries treat them.
I gave this book three stars primarily due to the book's focus being more on the owners' stories than the restaurants themselves. With the exception of a few chapters, the restaurants themselves don’t receive too much attention. I’d hoped to learn more about the restaurant's decor, menu, ingredients, challenges, etc…And while you do get some of that, it does not occur in sufficient detail. The chapters on Brazil and India do provide more of an in-depth look at the restaurants but I found other chapters lacking. I did start watching the author’s Chinese Restaurants series on his youtube channel, which do provide more of a look at the restaurants as well as bring to life the people the author interviewed. I found the book and the series to be great companions.
I gave this book three stars primarily due to the book's focus being more on the owners' stories than the restaurants themselves. With the exception of a few chapters, the restaurants themselves don’t receive too much attention. I’d hoped to learn more about the restaurant's decor, menu, ingredients, challenges, etc…And while you do get some of that, it does not occur in sufficient detail. The chapters on Brazil and India do provide more of an in-depth look at the restaurants but I found other chapters lacking. I did start watching the author’s Chinese Restaurants series on his youtube channel, which do provide more of a look at the restaurants as well as bring to life the people the author interviewed. I found the book and the series to be great companions.
April 23, 2022
Entertaining and informative!!!
July 21, 2022
A relaxing read. I enjoyed learning about the Chinese diaspora and how they live and identify across different continents.
September 16, 2023
The interviews are so interesting!!!! The content of this book is great. But this author gives me weirddd bad vibes LOL.
August 15, 2023
Un libro excelente, desde el detalle de investigación acerca de la migración China por todas las ciudades que visita el autor, las historias de cada uno de los familiares y amigos involucrados en los restaurantes que visita, hasta la propia historia de poder realizar el viaje que genero el libro.
La historia de las migraciones asiáticas no la cuentan en la educación publica de México, leer este libro me ha permitido conocer parte de un pasado que al día de hoy tiene ecos en todo el mundo, y que mejor forma de conocerlo que a través de uno de los actos culturales mas hermosos de la humanidad: comer.
La historia de las migraciones asiáticas no la cuentan en la educación publica de México, leer este libro me ha permitido conocer parte de un pasado que al día de hoy tiene ecos en todo el mundo, y que mejor forma de conocerlo que a través de uno de los actos culturales mas hermosos de la humanidad: comer.
August 10, 2024
picked this up from the library on a whim and was really glad i did! Stories from some of the most fascinating people I've read about who also happen to be common, everyday folk. Felt like I learned so so much -- was super interesting to read about the chinese diaspora as someone from the other largest asian diaspora.
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March 8, 2023Read this book if you are interested in the answers to questions like "What was the experience of Chinese people living in apartheid South Africa?" or "How did cashews make their way into Chinese cuisine, anyway?" I picked it up because it sounded like an interesting combination of two of my favorite things - food and travel - and it taught me a lot about the history of the Chinese diaspora along the way.
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