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Have You Eaten Yet?
Have You Eaten Yet? | Cheuk Kwan
3 posts | 3 read | 8 to read
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.
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review
booklover3258
Have You Eaten Yet? | Cheuk Kwan
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Bailedbailed

I couldn't finish the book. The first chapter was great and then it went downhill from there. The book is supposed to be about Chinese restaurants at different places in the world. The first chapter was exactly like that. Good backstory and characters. Then we get to the Israel chapter. It starts off good like the previous chapter but then it just starts with boring history (not about the food at all) and I couldn't read it anymore.

review
Floresj
Have You Eaten Yet? | Cheuk Kwan
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Pickpick

I really wanted to love this book. Great idea- telling the stories of a family owned Chinese restaurant all around the world. Good information about how Chinese immigrated to these locations, how their culture changed and description of food. It was slightly rambling for me-each locale is a short story, but written loosely.

16 likes3 stack adds
review
Bookalong
Have You Eaten Yet? | Cheuk Kwan
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Pickpick

5🌟Kwan offers readers a personal look at Chinese migration, world politics, social history, and food from family run restaurants spread out across the globe. His writing is excellent as he shares these stories which come from people working different positions in the kitchens. Reading about their family histories and generational cooking was beautiful, heartbreaking and moving.An important and relevent book on Chinese migration and Chinese food.

23 likes2 stack adds