Have You Eaten Yet?

Stories from Chinese Restaurants Around the World

By: Cheuk Kwan

Narrated by: Brian Nishii

From Haifa, Israel, to Cape Town, South Africa, Chinese entrepreneurs and restaurateurs have brought delicious Chinese food across the globe. Unraveling a complex history of cultural migration and world politics, Cheuk Kwan describes 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, laborers, and dreamers who populate Chinese kitchens worldwide. Behind these kitchen doors lies an intriguing paradox that 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.

©2022 Cheuk C. Kwan (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

Fascinating

I agree with other reviewers that it could have been a longer book. It was a delight to listen and I learned a lot.

A MUST READ

This is a delightful story/ history of Chinese settling all over the world, setting up Chinese restaurants.
Some parts of the book was nostalgic for me, having spent part of my childhood among many Chinese friends in Indonesia when it was still a colony of Holland.
I highly recommend this book for history buffs.
It is very well written, fast moving and every part will hold your interest.
Sorry when it came to an end.
Only mr. Brian Nishii is qualified to narrate such a book.
My thanks to all involved, JK.

Thought provoking

I thought it was a book recommending/introducing Chinese food/restaurant. But it actually is a book telling the stories of overseas Chinese people. Anyway, learned a lot from it. Understanding my overseas Chinese relatives a bit more. And the performance is beyond expectations! The pronunciation of Cantonese and Mandarin is 8/10, very GOOD!

A delight

So many cross cultural insights and historical connections; I’ve gained a much deeper understanding of the Chinese diaspora thanks to this book!

Incorrectly Classified

The story is a very interesting study of Chinese people living in different countries and communities throughout the world. Audible has this book classified as relating to cuisine. Except for the fact that the people all own restaurants the stories have nothing to do with the cuisine in those restaurants.

If you’re interested in hearing stories about Chinese diaspora throughout the world this book is for you. If you’re looking to hear stories about cooking and Chinese culinary history or point of view you will not find that here.

Yumm and wow

Made me want to eat Chinese food and gave me more respect for those who bring it to me!

wonderful history of Chinese diaspora and food

I have not anticipated loving this book so much! I picked it based on a recommendation from the Economist. I have learned so much about the different Chinese immigrant history around the world, and how the community and the food adapted to the local environment. The stories of each location were deeply personal and moving. I appreciate that they are mainly from places not too well known (from an American perspective anyways) and give a voice to what would have otherwise been lost.
I also watched the documentary series on YouTube by the author. If you like the book, you must watch them! I especially love the episode about Noisy Jim, and the one in Istanbul.
The narrator had a mission impossible, handling so many languages and Chinese dialects. He performed admirably👏

Wonderful cultural history via food.

It's not a cook book. It's better than that. Wish it hadn't ended. Would get a 2nd book if he had more stories to share as we're done in this book. Narrator was perfect.

If you wanted to understand the Chinese

If you wanted to understand the Chinese beyond their wonderful food, here you will learn about their culture and the hardships they faced across around the world. I was engaged the whole book.

saddened me

yes, billions of Chinese everywhere. true that! and for all that, so little real impact? how does that compute?