Stories That Nourish: Tasty tales of food, culture, community
Memory, culture, identity. What captures all of the above better than food?
That was the thinking behind the Passages Canada ‘Stories that Nourish’ food-and-storytelling reception last month. To celebrate Asian Heritage Month in Toronto, we brought together a group of storytellers whose lives and passions revolve around food and tales. Some, like restaurateur Jason Lee and historian Arlene Chan, were long-time speakers with Passages Canada; others, like chef and food activist Sang Kim, and internationally trained chef David Lee, were new and enthusiastic partners. Each shared their personal stories and their special links to food – an experience their guests were able to share by sampling special dishes hand-chosen and prepared by the storytellers themselves.
Jason Lee opened the evening by sharing his personal relationship to his Korean-Canadian identity and the struggle to reconcile both sides, something with which many Canadians can relate. As the audience sampled his homemade bulgoki, he proudly related his family’s hard work and dedication since immigrating in the 1970s, and how he eventually came to embrace his heritage. Today, he runs his family’s popular Korean Village Restaurant in Korea Town, Toronto. His story is also featured in a brand-new Passages Canada video, launched at the reception.
David Lee, chef and owner of the acclaimed Nota Bene, next took the audience on a journey through his Chinese heritage and Mauritian upbringing through delicious split-pea fritters with a pico de gallo sauce, a classic street food representing his childhood in the island nation. He recalled being around excellent cooks as a child, and the lasting impact of these diverse culinary influences on his work today.
Sang Kim, owner of the Wind-Up Bird Café, regaled the crowd with the tale of an old flame, who found his beloved grandmother’s prized kimchi recipe – which he had lobbied long and hard to obtain – simply too “sour.” “A wake-up call,” he said. Kimchi was traditionally only taught to the eldest daughter in the family, and Kim’s grandmother finally agreeing to pass along that recipe to him, he says, was a profound act of love which has shaped him to this day.
Last, but certainly not least, Arlene Chan entertained with stories of early Chinatown, guiding the audience through the food history of one of Toronto’s most historic neighbourhoods. From its early beginnings in tiny corner restaurants, to big family establishments and the surprisingly strong impact of Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to Beijing, Chinese food in Canada has certainly changed over the years. Fortune cookies are often seen as symbolic of Chinese cuisine, yet they actually best capture what Chinese-Canadian (or –American) cuisine has become over the years, and is a great example of new and combining cultural influences. Note to self: If you ever ask for fortune cookies in a restaurant in China, you will be met with strange looks.
All in all, it was a great night and a great way to celebrate Asian Heritage Month. New Passages recruits mingled with veteran speakers, while teachers, community workers and settlement workers swapped stories over bulgoki and fortune cookies. The star of Passages Canada’s other new video, Patrick Bizindavyi, was also on hand to share in the event – check out his video here. It was great to be able to put a face to the wonderful people we work with every day.
Food is a great communicator, and probably one of the best and easiest ways to bridge divides and explore new cultures. Special thanks to our fabulous guest speakers and our MC and Director Brigitte D’Auzac.