Jennifer Wong and Lin Jie Kong worked on both the Chopsticks or Fork? TV series and book together. Photo: Lin Jie Kong.
Chopsticks or fork?
It’s a question many of us have been asked at an old-school Chinese restaurant over the years. For comedian and writer Jennifer Wong, it was a question that would take her all over Australia as she explored the stories of Chinese-Australian restaurants for the six-part Chopsticks or Fork? ABC TV series. Jennifer and director turned co-author Lin Jie Kong have now expanded on these sweet and sour stories in the book of the same name.
That original question was posed to Jennifer in Canberra at the iconic (and historic) Happy’s Chinese.
“I first started to eat at Happy’s in 2002. As a student, it was one of the few restaurants I could afford to visit!”
While Jennifer was handed a pair of chopsticks, her friend Tom was asked, “Chopsticks or fork?” Considering they would both describe themselves as “visibly Chinese”, they couldn’t work out what it was about Tom that prompted the waitress to ask. But it was a question that made them first giggle and then think about how Australian Chinese restaurants create these unique cultural spaces and cuisines that represent stories worth exploring.
Gavin Chan is the third-generation owner of Happy’s Chinese, which his Grandfather opened in 1962. Photo: Lin Jie Kong.
Gavin Chan is the current owner of Happy’s Chinese, which was opened in 1962 and was Canberra’s first Chinese restaurant.
“It’s really humbling to be in this book, actually, and all the stories are so relatable to me,” Gavin told Region.
“It was so nostalgic, and it just brought me back to my childhood.”
Like many other people in the book, Gavin grew up helping out in his parent’s restaurant, standing on large tins to be able to reach into the commercial-sized sink! In his chapter, he reminisces about how his Grandfather – the eponymous Happy – couldn’t get specialty Asian ingredients and how early customers might order a T-bone steak off the Australian half of the menu before the mostly Anglo population widely enjoyed Chinese food.
San Choy Bow was one of the classic recipes that Gavin Chan adopted for the book. Photo: Lin Jie Kong.
Along with the tales of restaurant owners and their families, the book also celebrates the stories of generations of customers who have enjoyed these restaurants. Jennifer said they were fortunate to receive photos, stories and recipes dating back to the 40s all the way to the present. And because Chinese restaurants are so ubiquitous across the country, a lot of these stories feel universal.
“There’s a lovely story from Toy’s Garden Restaurant in Horsham, Victoria. A man named Robert wrote to us – he’s a KC now but grew up in that area – and when he was a kid, the family would go to the restaurant, and Robert was so fascinated by chopsticks and thought it was the height of sophistication. The owner, Leon, offered to give him some chopsticks to take home to practice. This is a core memory for Robert: as a kid, that was the most exotic thing that had ever happened!
“I think the really joyful thing about this is that everyone has a story for us. If you left your home today and chatted to the first person you saw, they would have a Chinese restaurant story for you.”
Ten different restaurants from all over the country are covered in the book, including Happy’s and Raymond’s at Malua Bay, as well as stories from customers, guides to chopstick etiquette, as well as the history of Chinese people and Chinese food in Australia.
And if you’re feeling inspired by the stories, there are even recipes that you can try at home!
“They’re suitable for home cooks: all the recipes in the book have been adapted for home kitchens,” Jennifer said.
“Adapting the recipes was probably one of the most difficult things!” Gavin said.
“We really didn’t want to stuff it up because these are some of the most popular dishes in our restaurant.”
Gavin will be speaking with Jennifer Wong and Lin Jie Kong at a launch event at Winning Appliances in Kingston, Canberra, on 28 September from 2 pm to 3 pm. Book here.
Chopsticks or Fork? (Hardie Grant) by Jennifer Wong and Lin Jie Kong is available online and in bookstores.
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