The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook

From rising culinary star Danny Bowien, chef and cofounder of the tremendously popular Mission Chinese Food restaurants, comes an exuberant cookbook that tells the story of an unconventional idea born in San Francisco that spread cross-country, propelled by wildly inventive recipes that have changed what it means to cook Chinese food in America Mission Chinese Food is not exactly a Chinese restaurant. It began its life as a pop-up: a restaurant nested within a divey Americanized Chinese joint in San Francisco’s Mission District. From the beginning, a spirit of resourcefulness and radical inventiveness has infused each and every dish at Mission Chinese Food. Now, hungry diners line up outside both the San Francisco and New York City locations, waiting hours for platters of Sizzling Cumin Lamb, Thrice-Cooked Bacon, Fiery Kung Pao Pastrami, and pungent Salt-Cod Fried Rice. The force behind the phenomenon, chef Danny Bowien is, at only thirty-three, the fastest-rising young chef in the United States. Born in Korea and adopted by parents in Oklahoma, he has a broad spectrum of influences. He’s a veteran of fine-dining kitchens, sushi bars, an international pesto competition, and a grocery-store burger stand. In 2013 Food & Wine named him one of the country’s Best New Chefs and the James Beard Foundation awarded him its illustrious Rising Star Chef Award. In 2011 Bon Appétit named Mission Chinese Food the second-best new restaurant in America, and in 2012 the New York Times hailed the Lower East Side outpost as the Best New Restaurant in New York City. The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook tracks the fascinating, meteoric rise of the restaurant and its chef. Each chapter in the story—from the restaurant’s early days, to an ill-fated trip to China, to the opening of the first Mission Chinese in New York—unfolds as a conversation between Danny and his collaborators, and is accompanied by detailed recipes for the addictive dishes that have earned the restaurant global praise. Mission Chinese’s legions of fans as well as home cooks of all levels will rethink what it means to cook Chinese food, while getting a look into the background and insights of one of the most creative young chefs today.

Presents a collection of recipes from the popular restaurant, along with a history of how it was set up, anecdotes about the chefs and staff, and illustrations of the techniques used to prepare certain dishes.

In 2016, Globe and Mail reporter Ann Hui drove across Canada, from Victoria to Fogo Island, to write about small-town Chinese restaurants and the families who run them. It was only after the story was published that she discovered her own family could have been included—her parents had run their own Chinese restaurant, The Legion Cafe, before she was born. This discovery, and the realization that there was so much of her own history she didn’t yet know, set her on a time-sensitive mission: to understand how, after generations living in a poverty-stricken area of Guangdong, China, her family had somehow wound up in Canada. Chop Suey Nation: The Legion Cafe and Other Stories from Canada’s Chinese Restaurantsweaves 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. Hui, who grew up in authenticity-obsessed Vancouver, begins her journey with a somewhat disparaging view of small-town “fake Chinese” food. But by the end, she comes to appreciate the essentially Chinese values that drive these restaurants—perseverance, entrepreneurialism and deep love for family. Using her own family’s story as a touchstone, she explores the importance of these restaurants in the country’s history and makes the case for why chop suey cuisine should be recognized as quintessentially Canadian.

Here are 140 classic Cantonese recipes--handed down with their importance to health and prosperity. of color photos and 35 b&w photos. 2-color throughout.

From the author of The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook, a fresh take on vegan cooking that emphasizes freewheeling exploration and big flavor As cofounder and chef of the famous Mission Chinese Food restaurants in San Francisco and New York, Danny Bowien has a reputation for inventive meat dishes like Chongqing Chicken Wings and Kung Pao Pastrami. Yet eight years ago, he became a dad, got sober, and quietly began to train his gift for creating exhilarating food on meat-free, dairy-free dishes. Soon, much of the Mission menu was vegan—not that anyone noticed. They were too busy eating it up. That’s the kind of food you’ll find in Mission Vegan: fun, original, wildly flavorful dishes that’ll thrill devotees of Danny’s lamb ma po tofu, lifelong vegans, and everyone in between. His approach reflects the same “uniquely American” perspective--a blend of his particular upbringing and his boundless curiosity and enthusiasm--that has made him one of the country’s most influential chefs. It all adds up to a book where pasta pomodoro shares a chapter with chewy Korean buckwheat noodles topped with neon-pink dragonfruit ice; where one fried rice is inspired by veggie sushi hand rolls and another is a mash-up of his favorite Thai takeout and Jose Andres’ Spanish tortilla; and where kimchi is made kaleidoscopically with habanero, with pineapple, and with the seasoning packets from instant ramen. And while these are all dishes that have appeared, or could appear, on Mission’s menu, the recipes are all geared for the home cook, delivering restaurant-quality impact without restaurant-level effort. Keeping the emphasis on the fun of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, Mission Vegan represents a journey-in-progress, a chef’s mission to find inspiration, joy, and flavor in food, no matter where life takes you.

"Family Style Chinese Cookbook is a treasure trove of real Chinese home cooking. But it's more than just a cookbook—it's a collection of stories about tradition, ceremony, family, and pride." —Bee Yinn Low, author of Easy Chinese Recipes Authentic Chinese cuisine is responsible for some of the most tantalizing dishes in the world. And yet, creating these delicious dishes may seem daunting. We're not talking about westernized Chinese food that you can find in most Chinese cookbooks, but rather the succulent flavors, vibrant aromatics, and bold pairings that define what authentic Chinese food truly is. Shanti Christensen knows a thing or two about what makes Chinese food authentic. As food editor for Time Out Beijing and an avid traveller, Shanti soaked up China's culture and food. But the best cuisine she experienced wasn't from five-star restaurants, but rather from the family kitchens of locals. Family Style Chinese Cookbook is an assemblage of family recipes that Shanti collected during her time with families throughout China. Presented alongside endearing stories, these recipes form a Chinese cookbook that evokes a truly unique experience to excite your curious spirit and surprise your adventurous palate. With Family Style Chinese Cookbook you'll find everything you need to cook home-style Chinese food from your very own kitchen, including: High quality, authentic, Chinese family heirloom recipes Cooking tips based on your personal preferences, and suggested variations for hard to find ingredients Guidance for stocking up on Chinese pantry essentials and finding unique ingredients Overview of essential equipment commonly required for proper recipe preparation such as a glazed clay pot, wok, and mandoline Simplified instructions of basic cooking techniques including those for tenderizing meat, stir-frying, parboiling, and braising In China, food brings people together. With the ease and simplicity of Family Style Chinese Cookbook, you and yours will savor the bold flavors, sweet aromas, and warm connection that can be offered through authentic Chinese cooking.

Named a Best Cookbook of 2023 by The New York Times and Serious Eats James Beard Award winner Kevin Pang and his dad Jeffrey, hosts of the hit America’s Test Kitchen series Hunger Pangs, show you the way to delicious Chinese cooking in this accessible, funny, heartfelt cookbook. From American Chinese classics (General Tso’s Chicken) to Sichuan street foods (Dan Dan Mian) and Hong Kong dim sum favorites (Shu Mai), A Very Chinese Cookbook is ideal for both the Chinese food-curious and experienced cooks seeking a weekend soup dumpling project. Chock full of tips, techniques, stories, and friendly ingredient guides, with over 100 of ATK’s trademark rigorous recipes—and even a magic trick with fortune cookies—the cookbook in your hands is very practical, very personal, and very Chinese indeed. Two Generations of Storytelling: Jeffrey recounts a lifelong love of cooking that began in childhood, growing up in Hong Kong, cooking at his mother’s side, and exploring the street vendors and markets. Kevin dispenses practical wisdom that brings the recipes to life—why Beef Ho Fun is the mark of a great Cantonese chef; why Shu Mai is the world heavyweight champion of dumplings. Test Kitchen Techniques: From the basics of successful stir-frying to folding methods for Shanghai Soup Dumplings, careful instructions and abundant photos teach key steps. Chinatown Shopping Guide: From choosing the right soy sauce or vinegar to buying fresh noodles and seeking out superlative Buddhist-style chickens, let the Pangs be your trusted guides.

Familiar Chinese dishes in easy-to-follow recipes