Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
An evening of conversation, community, and cuisine while we dove into Curtis Chin’s memoir, 'Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant'.
Growing up in 1980s Detroit, Curtis Chin came of age in a city struggling with urban decay, segregation, and the exodus of wealth to the suburbs. Amidst this landscape of uncertainty, his family’s restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, stood as a beacon—welcoming diners from all walks of life, from drag queens and the city’s first Black mayor to elderly Jewish couples and Hollywood stars.
But Chung’s was more than just a restaurant. It was the beating heart of Curtis’ family, a community hub, and a place of learning. As he grappled with race, sexuality, and identity in Reagan’s America, the bustling dining room of Chung’s became his classroom, teaching him lessons about resilience, hard work, and the power of belonging.
Written by the co-founder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and structured around the very menu that graced the tables of Chung’s, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant is both a memoir and a time capsule of a boy’s coming-of-age in a changing America.
We were joined by Benjamin Lee, a visual artist using photography, video, and installations to explore identity and authenticity through Chinese cuisine.
Recorded on May 8th, 2025 at Hal West, Amsterdam. Moderator: Laila Frank
An evening of conversation, community, and cuisine while we dove into Curtis Chin’s memoir, 'Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant'.
Growing up in 1980s Detroit, Curtis Chin came of age in a city struggling with urban decay, segregation, and the exodus of wealth to the suburbs. Amidst this landscape of uncertainty, his family’s restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, stood as a beacon—welcoming diners from all walks of life, from drag queens and the city’s first Black mayor to elderly Jewish couples and Hollywood stars.
But Chung’s was more than just a restaurant. It was the beating heart of Curtis’ family, a community hub, and a place of learning. As he grappled with race, sexuality, and identity in Reagan’s America, the bustling dining room of Chung’s became his classroom, teaching him lessons about resilience, hard work, and the power of belonging.
Written by the co-founder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and structured around the very menu that graced the tables of Chung’s, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant is both a memoir and a time capsule of a boy’s coming-of-age in a changing America.
We were joined by Benjamin Lee, a visual artist using photography, video, and installations to explore identity and authenticity through Chinese cuisine.
Recorded on May 8th, 2025 at Hal West, Amsterdam. Moderator: Laila Frank
