It’s here!! My cookbook, THE VEGAN CHINESE KITCHEN, is available now for pre-order (and on shelves September 13, 2022). Writing this book has changed my life, quite literally, beginning in 2019 when I moved to China for culinary school. I graduated just before the first lockdown hit Guangzhou and wrote this book over the next two years, from GZ to Harbin to Taipei, Taiwan, yet despite the ever-changing kitchens and uncertainty of the pandemic, I’m grateful for this project for keeping me anchored. Instead of “veganizing” Chinese meat dishes for the recipes, I present an alternative narrative: the story of China’s vegetarian cuisine 素食, a rich tradition that’s existed since 2000 BCE, developed over the centuries in imperial palaces and Buddhist monasteries as well as in the homes of lao baixing, ordinary Chinese families, who cook humble vegetables into spreads of varied, delicious dishes on a daily basis. You’ll get a glimpse into the modern vegan scene in China, where chefs are reinventing a tradition they call their own. Mostly, you’ll find an abundance of recipes celebrating fresh produce, and learn about tofu, tofu skin, and gluten (seitan) in their original context, as not just substitutes for meat but wonderful ingredients in their own right, passed down through generations of artisans. I share my own journey rediscovering my Chinese heritage through my vegan identity, but ultimately, this book is a tribute to my parents, who immigrated from China in 1990 to make a life in America, and who were the first people to teach me how to cook. I ended this journey, fittingly, in my parents’ house in Indiana last summer, where I shot 120+ recipes with my mom and had my family there to eat it all. I hope the food in this book brings you as much joy and comfort as it did for us. THE VEGAN CHINESE KITCHEN is available in your favorite bookstores— link for pre-order in my bio! A massive thanks to my editor @francis_lam, @earth_terminal, and to everyone at @clarksonpotter who made this book come to life. All the photos were shot by yours truly; this baby is a labor of love and I couldn't be more excited to share it with you all!