China to Chinatown: Chinese Food in the West

by J.A.G. Roberts

China to Chinatown tells the story of one of the most notable examples of the globalization of the spread of Chinese recipes, ingredients and cooking styles to the Western world. Beginning with the accounts of Marco Polo and Franciscan missionaries, J.A.G. Roberts describes how Westerners’ first impressions of Chinese food were decidedly mixed, with many regarding Chinese eating habits as repugnant. Chinese food was brought back to the West merely as a curiosity.

The Western encounter with a wider variety of Chinese cuisine dates from the first half of the 20th century, when Chinese food spread to the West with emigrant communities. The author shows how Chinese cooking has come to be regarded by some as among the world’s most sophisticated cuisines, and yet is harshly criticized by others, for example on the grounds that its preparation involves cruelty to animals.

Roberts discusses the extent to which Chinese food, as a facet of Chinese culture overseas, has remained differentiated, and questions whether its ethnic identity is dissolving.

Written in a lively style, the book will appeal to food historians and specialists in Chinese culture, as well as to readers interested in Chinese cuisine.

Genres: Food, China, History

248 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2004

Reviews

[Stephen Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The discussion of Westerners encounter with food in China was the strongest part. It might have benefited from more attention paid to the technological changes that affected food availability. This is touched upon in the discussion of the change in food consumed by the treaty port inhabitants. The section covering adoption of Chinese food in the West was weaker, though that may be an artifact of my spending so much time in cities much more directly affected by ties to Asia. I expect that the decade since the book was written has also seen substantial changes in the adoption of Chinese foods. However, still quite worthwhile.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 2 out of 5]

The tale of Western encounters with Chinese food, either in China or in the West. Although really, "the West" seems to mean England and the US almost exclusively, with periodic dollops of French and Canadian experiences. Told in a very disjointed fashion, leaping from different places and times without transition. There doesn't appear to be any real thesis or point to this book, beyond just collecting various anecdotes, quotes, and restaurant figures over the course of several hundred years. I found it hard to get through, and came away without knowing much more than before.

[GP Fu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can be dull in the beginning especially if you are unfamiliar with Chinese history but an entertaining and easy read

[Keenan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Separated into two sections, China to Chinatown covers both the experience of foreigners eating Chinese food in China as well as that of people in the US, UK, and Canada eating the hybridized dishes cooked by immigrant Chinese.

While the topic is of interest to me, the book is a muddle of statistics, random anecdotes, and some likely out of date methodology to understand Chinese food in a broader sociological context. There are better resources that come to mind (bios of Fuchsia Dunlop or Ken Hom come to mind) towards understanding this rich, inventive, and globalized food culture. This book doesn't make the cut.

[Doug Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good food example of culinary history that balances scholarly research with entertaining anecdotes.

[Christine Luong · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping for something along the lines of Omnivore's Dilemma, but this was just a painfully boring regurgitation of other people's thoughts.