Have You Eaten Yet?: Stories from Chinese Restaurants Around the World

Documentarian Kwan’s debut recounts his travels to Chinese restaurants across the world, resulting in a personal memoir that encompasses an entire culture. Each chapter highlights the experiences of diasporic Chinese people in a different country (Argentina, Taiwan, Turkey). Listeners will learn about Chinese cultures and the immigrant experience and may also be curious to try the many variations of Chinese cuisine invented through fusion and necessity. Brian Nishii’s narration is calm and matter of fact, evoking the voice of a shrewd, empathetic documentary host. He lends a journalistic air to Kwan’s interactions with chefs and restaurant employees but lets the personal element peek through—Kwan’s connection to the stories of others of the Chinese diaspora as well as surprise (and sometimes delight) at their dishes. This is not solely a book about loving food, however, as immigration is often paired with discrimination, inspiring beautiful fusion dishes but sometimes complicating the route to acceptance. Many of Kwan’s interviewees experienced hardship in their new countries, and sometimes opening a Chinese restaurant was the only path open to them.