Award-winning author and activist Grace Young is on a mission to help struggling Chinatown communities across the country.A recent $50,000 grant from Julia Child Foundation towards her goal. We spoke to her prolific author and humanitarian about some of her favorite spots in San Francisco and her grant plans.
Award-winning author and activist Grace Young is on a mission to help struggling Chinatown … [+]
sweet childhood memories
Young is best known for promoting Chinese home cooking and wok traditions across multiple platforms. Her award-winning cookbook includes: T.Chinese Kitchen Wisdom: Classic Family Recipes for Celebration and Healing, fry until the end of the sky When Chinese food wisdomher series wok therapist When wok breath Billed as an Epic Wok-Off, as well as her appearance on America’s Test Kitchen, it’s available on YouTube. Her nickname is her The Wok Guru.
She is also an activist, working to bring attention to legacy businesses in Chinatown, which has been hit hard by the pandemic and its associated anti-Asian hate crimes.
“I was born and raised in San Francisco and have many fond memories of visiting Chinatown. These legacy businesses are the heart and soul of the community and we lost many of them during the pandemic,” she said. said.
Far East Cafe, one of her favorite cafes in her hometown, will receive a portion of Young’s grant. “She’s one of the only surviving banquet restaurants in San Francisco,” she said. “The tradition is gone, but in the old days you had to feast all the time. was there.”
Young lovingly describes the architectural features of the 102-year-old restaurant, adding, “The thought of potentially losing this business is just heartbreaking.”
The Far East Cafe in San Francisco’s Chinatown is the last ballroom in San Francisco. 102 years old … [+]
Side note: Far East Cafe is the subject of a short film debuting in the new season. chinatown shorts.
The author and activist also has a great deal of love and respect for Tane Chan, the eighties owner of The Wok Shop. “During the pandemic, she never closed. She’s a national treasure.”
While you’re visiting the postage stamp-sized Wok Shop, you might as well stop by Eastern Bakery for mooncakes. “They’re just the best. Nobody comes close,” says Young, who regularly orders lotus paste mooncakes and salted duck yolk. “They are heavenly and make me feel nostalgic. My mom used to buy them for me when I was a kid.”
Jumping into the time machine, Young recalls going to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory with his father. “They were really suffering during the pandemic. I am very worried about them,” she said. Like New York City, San Francisco’s Chinatown is dependent on tourists, and while visitor numbers are slowly returning, they are not yet at pre-pandemic levels. Support is very important. This place is a very important part of the Chinatown community. “
Young also loves the decades-old R&G Lounge, which wows guests with Hong Kong-style Cantonese cuisine. “The soy sauce chicken, perfectly steamed fish, and stuffed eggplant with fresh shrimp are all done to perfection.
Among the relative newcomers to the neighborhood, Young gave Mr. Jiu a special shoutout. She calls chef/owner Brandon Jew’s food insanely good. Of the James Beard Award winner’s menu, she said, “Everything from squid ink wontons to amazing Peking duck and fried soles is absolutely delicious.”
Mr. Jiu’s in San Francisco’s Chinatown is famous for its Peking duck.is on … [+]
Other legacy businesses on Young’s must-see list:
Watch the documentary about survival at Far East Cafe.
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