More Than a Foodie

I was adopted from China at 13 months old. I grew up in a loving family but in a predominantly white, religious, but accepting community.

Before I came to college, being “adopted” was just a trait, just like how some people are born with curly hair or a crooked nose. You don’t think too much about it, so it was never a large part of my identity. As I grew older, I started to question my unique background the same way some people question why there’s an Asian child amongst a family full of blonde hair and blue-eyed people.

At the same time, my interest in food and cooking grew. I spent hours watching Chopped and Bon Appetit while sifting through my mom’s cookbooks. Food was never a huge part of my life either until I realized I could make it so.

Using food as a cultural bridge.

During my trip to China in 2017, I found myself feeling a bit lost and disconnected. How could I relate to a place I only spent 13 months in, do not know the language of, yet carry all the physical features of the people? One thing I did know, however, was that the food was unlike anything I’d experienced here in America. And whether I was trying to communicate with locals or sharing a meal with those that took care of me as a baby, we could always rely on food as the bridge between two completely different cultures. So despite the uncomfortable feelings I had experienced throughout the trip, I did learn that I could find comfort and familiarity in food, and that’s the biggest piece of China that I took back with me

“How could I relate to a place I only spent 13 months in, do not know the language of, yet carry all the physical features of the people?”

Finding identity through food.

I’ve found that the best way to connect with myself, my roots, and others are through food and cooking. I’m quite an adventurous eater and love to try different cuisines, which have inspired me to learn about different cultures, including my own Chinese culture. I’ve connected with other Chinese adoptees who have similar longings for connection or some sort of concrete identity they can tie themselves to, and through our shared love of food. I’m a firm believer that recipes tell the best stories.

“I’ve found that the best way to connect with myself, my roots, and others are through food and cooking.”

I’ve been able to teach others that it’s not so much where you come from but who you surround yourself with when it comes to feasting on a meal that took 12 hours to prepare. I’ve learned a lot about myself through cooking too. I’ve found once you establish a good cooking foundation, recipes only hold you down. I’m constantly blending flavors and spices to create unique dishes and, I’m going to be cheesy; that’s pretty metaphorical of how my life is. I no longer feel the need to define myself by someone else’s “recipe” of normal. I embrace the things that make the recipe of my life unique and flavorful in its own way.

“I no longer feel the need to define myself by someone else’s “recipe” of normal. I embrace the things that make the recipe of my life unique and flavorful in its own way.”

Baked with love.

Since I’ve been in college, I’ve been known as the “chef friend”, always hosting dinners for whoever wants to come by that evening and surprising friends with baked goods around exam time. Funnily enough, I have a gluten sensitivity but still bake bread every other day to give to friends. Given my unique background and desire to feel like I “belong” to a certain community or group, I try to make all the people around me feel like they belong, and I do this through food. There’s nothing that says “I care for you and I love you” more than a delicious, home-cooked meal.