AAPI – family of cooks

“It’s a part of our past, it’s part of our heritage, it’s what we do and what we are. And it’s what makes this a little special,” the owner of Lexington Candy Shop told me. This greek-immigrant owned luncheonette reminded me of my family’s small Chinese restaurant business.

My parents are both immigrants who worked in the restaurant business to make a living. As a young child roaming around my dad’s restaurant, my exuberant chats with customers while handing out menus, small tasks like taking delivery calls, and frequent dance shows outside of the store encompassed the earlier parts of my childhood. At their restaurant, I eat the Americanized version of “Chinese food.” Yet, at home, I get to enjoy my parents’ childhood Fuzhou cuisine. Cooking at their restaurant is something they maintain to make a living. Cooking at home is when my parents really can cook for themselves. They teach me how to cook their traditional dishes so I don’t end up eating at a fast-food restaurant every day. It keeps me connected with my family’s culture. It reminds me of real Chinese food.

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AAPI Heritage Month- Cooking!!
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AAPI Heritage Month

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