The History Behind 11 of the Most Notorious Chinese American Fast Food Recipes
- 7.25″ wide x 9.5″ tall
- 4c offset printed w/embossing & spot UV on cover
- 112 pages perfect-bound
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- Publisher: self-published
- Food photography: Rachel Kim
- Printer: Ken The Book Printer
- Role: copywriting, editorial design, photo direction, illustration, production
- Typeface(s): Mikrobe Variable, Mr Eaves XL Sans, Valnera Variable, Larken
Authentic Chinese Food is a cookbook that explores the Chinese American diaspora through the fast food they have become notorious for. This “American Chinese food”, such as General Tso's chicken, crab rangoons, and chow mein, has often been dismissed "inauthentic" by the general American public, as well as by Chinese people themselves. However, this book further examines the nuance of the word "authentic" and what this American Chinese fast food really means for Chinese immigrants.
The origin of each dish is distilled into a brief essay at the start of each recipe. Together, the histories of these dishes explore the political and social xenophobia that Chinese immigrants have faced and continue to face in America and how Chinese immigrants cooked and sold these dishes out of necessity to survive in a country that wanted them gone. As a whole, this book asks: is authenticity a quality defined by strict tradition, or is authenticity a living word that describes lived experience, regardless of class or nationality?
From editorial design, to art direction onsite at the photoshoot with Rachel Kim