We’d\u00a0be lying if we\u00a0said American Chinese Food was on our\u00a0top five\u00a0list of ethnic cuisines. (It would be\u00a0Mexican, Indian,\u00a0Japanese,\u00a0Middle Eastern,\u00a0Korean, Italian, then Chinese) Cooper’s\u00a0palate for “Chinese food” changed sometime after he traveled\u00a0to southern China. \u00a0He found that traditional Chinese food was less sugared and salted but had much more fat. \u00a0It was refreshing to discover the differences in taste, this was not what he grew up eating in America.\u00a0Family style sharing and giant lazy susans were also novel\u00a0as many of the Chinese restaurants he\u00a0grew up on\u00a0served buffet style fried food.<\/p>\n
What was so impressive about the CHOW<\/a> exhibit in the Museum of Food and Drink<\/a>‘s pop-up space was the way that the Chinese restaurant in America was contextualized as an important expression of\u00a0the immigrant experience. It powerfully demonstrated how a rich immigrant culture combined exclusionary tactics of the dominant society can create a thriving sub-culture.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n