2020: Ann Hui, Chop Suey Nation

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Description

Chop Suey Nation: The Legion Cafe and Other Stories from Canada’s Chinese Restaurants weaves together Hui’s own family history—from her grandfather’s decision to leave behind a wife and newborn son for a new life, to her father’s path from cooking in rural China to running some of the largest “Western” kitchens in Vancouver, to the unravelling of a closely guarded family secret—with the stories of dozens of Chinese restaurant owners from coast to coast. Along her trip, she meets a Chinese-restaurant owner/small-town mayor, the owner of a Chinese restaurant in a Thunder Bay curling rink, and the woman who runs a restaurant alone, 365 days a year, on the very remote Fogo Island. Hui also explores the fascinating history behind “chop suey” cuisine, detailing the invention of classics like “ginger beef” and “Newfoundland chow mein,” and other uniquely Canadian fare like the “Chinese pierogies” of Alberta.

Judges' Comments

In Chop Suey Nation, Ann Hui traces the experiences of Chinese immigrants through the ubiquitous small-town restaurants that specialize in the titular style of cuisine that is readily identifiable to Canadians but would be unrecognizable to most diners in China. Speaking with entrepreneurs and cooks from across the country, Hui illustrates the racism and challenges they faced and the contributions they have made to their communities and to Canadian cuisine. This is personal for Hui, whose parents immigrated to British Columbia in the 1970s and operated a chop suey restaurant in Abbotsford before she was born. These interwoven narratives mix the personal and the cultural and tell an engaging story about family, food, and traditions.   

Learn More

• Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre
• Website: douglas-mcintyre.com/products/9781771622226

Explore the works of our previous Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction winners.