Abstract George Chew was born in 1950 and grew up in New York’s Chinatown. His family immigrated from Hainan, a province in Southern China. His father was not home often for work. He enjoyed his father’s cooking, and eventually learned to cook on his own. His skillset grew while he moved to Washington to study law. Now an immigration judge, Chew continues to cook and hold banquets. Of these gatherings, he cooks both western and Chinese food. Chew gets his influence from cook books and learns to adapt...

Abstract In this interview of Gilroy and Sally Chow (interviewed separately), the couple talk about their relationship with food throughout their live. As second or third generation immigrants of an ethnic Chinese background who grew up in the American South, their interview reveals the way that Chinese food is passed down through generations as a powerful component of culture and the way it morphs over time to become apart of the multifaceted lives of immigrant families. Gilroy and Sally express...

Abstract Grace Young is celebrated and award winning Chinese America chef and cookbook author. Born and raised in San Francisco, California with her brother and Cantonese parents, Young’s love of Cantonese cuisine began early in her childhood. She fondly recalls her mother’s home cooked meals made with authentic Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques. Young’s introduction to non-Chinese food came through Julia Child’s television show, which inspired Young to apprentice under French cooking...

Abstract In this interview, Guo Wa "Grace" Chan discusses her immigration and life in New York City. She focuses on her experiences as a businesswoman, detailing the launch of her video rental store. She mentions her husband ventures in the restaurant industry. Chan describes the entrepreneurial competition in Brooklyn Chinatown and real estate prices, commercial as well as residential. An educationally-focused mother, Chan evaluates the educational decisions she has made and the quality of local...

Abstract Mr. Tran emigrated from Vietnam and settled in Brooklyn, New York in 1990, three years after which he opened a family grocery business. Even though he had contracted a five-year lease that was projected to last until 2003, a new landlord took over the building in 1999 at which time Tran received an eviction notice. Ultimately, after seven years of successfully running his grocery business, Tran lost his grocery store—and with it his source of income—over a rent dispute. According to Tran and...

Abstract This brief interview was conducted at the Kang family dry cleaning shop, located at 5214 Eighth Avenue in Brooklyn. In the interview, Harrison Kang mentions his family emigration from South Korea to New York City. He describes different aspects of the evolution of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park; from relative quietude to a bustling area of immigrants and small business. Kang discusses the neighborhood change from a mix of Norwegian and Hispanic residents to a primarily Chinese...

Abstract

Ho Chin and Ellen Yang describe their family histories and immigration to the U.S., settling in in the U.S., and trying American food for the first time. Ho Chin discusses the transition from teaching to owning a restDurant, and learning the management aspects of the business. He discusses his successful career and supporting his children, his legacy, and how popular tastes in Chinese cuisine have changed over time.

Abstract Dr. Ivan Small is a professor of sociocultural anthropology at Central Connecticut State University. Professor Small is a bi-racial Vietnamese American and first became interested in his Asian heritage after visiting his relatives in Vietnam during his college years. His research weaves together cultural anthropology with Asian studies, economic anthropology and research about migration and transnationalism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Small published an article in the...

Abstract Jami (Jameson) Gong is a Chinese American comedian and local Chinatown resident. Born August 23, 1969 in New York City, Jami is the son of immigrant parents from Hong Kong and Southern China. His parents immigrated to the United States in 1967 with a desire for better opportunities and a better life for their children. He reminisces about his time growing up and living in Chinatown, the pollution problem, the changing demographics over time, and the education he and his siblings received....

Abstract Jeff Gao was born in 1976 in Shandong, China. He grew up during the end of the cultural revolution and thus did not have an abundant amount of food to eat or experience. He was fond of hand pulled noodles and eventually followed a chef for two weeks to learn the dish. He learned the importance of broth. This inspired him to study in Beijing, where he had the opportunity to try food from all over the world. His perspective on food changed from its survival purposes to its role as a social...