It was in late July, 2018, that I first heard about the best oyster sauce in the world—but I didn’t […]
Read More
How I became “The accidental voice of Chinatown”
Since January 2020, my beloved Chinatown here in New York has been under siege. Due to the ongoing pandemic, a multitude of restaurants and businesses have closed permanently, while others struggle to remain open. Most restaurants that have survived are operating at a mere twenty percent of pre-COVID capacity, and this is not sustainable. Over the past months, as I watched this tragedy unfold, I realized Chinatown (actually Chinatowns everywhere) was in dire need of someone to speak for this treasured ethnic community wavering on the brink of extinction. It needed an advocate, a dedicated voice to rally the press and public to this crisis, and by sheer chance I became that person.
Yes, it seems I’ve become “the accidental voice of Chinatown,” as New York magazine’s Grub Street blog christened me in a recent article. Thankfully, a broad range of national media and food-related organizations (see below) have heard the call to save Chinatown and Chinese mom-and-pop restaurants all across the country: Splendid Table, Thrillist, and Buzzfeed have run interviews and stories as have Food & Wine and Today.com. Every mention helps because right now the one thing that’s needed is our steady patronage.
I invite you to join me, going forward, in supporting any and all efforts to save Chinatown and Chinese mom and pop businesses across the country. In January, I launched my own Support Chinatown Fund, in partnership with the grass-roots organization Welcome to Chinatown. My aim was to raise $20,000 to provide at least 2,000 nutritious hot meals for low-income, food-insecure, and at-risk senior residents in NYC. We just reached $30,000 which means we can provide 3,000 meals! Let’s keep it going! The meals will be purchased from legacy Chinatown restaurants Hop Kee, Hop Lee, Wo Hop (upstairs and downstairs) and distributed by community partners that serve neighbors in need. Your gift of $10 will help deliver a delicious meal for an in-need resident while providing critical income to struggling Chinatown eateries. I will keep you posted and I ask you just to keep showing up, especially now as they face the challenges of winter weather. Thank you!
Here are some articles in case you want to read more about the work that I’m doing.
@stirfryguru
Blog
What's Happening
-
In honor AAPI Heritage Month I was featured on CBS Morning speaking about my love of America’s Chinatowns.
CBS Mornings
Videos
Cook Books
Wok Talk
-
The Art of Stir-Frying on Craftsy
You'll learn how to make a perfect stir-fry for healthy and delicious meals. And you'll understand how to care and maintain your carbon-steel wok!
-
Wok Wednesdays
If you're interested in developing your stir-fry skills, join Wok Wednesdays – a group of wok and stir-fry enthusiasts.
