Are old prejudices against Asian-Americans behind the new racist targeting of Chinese food in coronavirus-hit US?
- Chinese restaurant numbers in the US, which have been falling for years, are dropping off a cliff due to fear, ignorance and racist associations with contagion, a product of the pandemic and even, perhaps, a sad reminder that old prejudices linger
I am a food fanatic – I love to eat and my close friends know that, as part of my dining ritual, I snap photos of the dishes and share them on my social networks. Food is not only a necessity and a platform for socialising, but also provides a deep connection to my personal history and cultural heritage.
And Chinese food remains my favourite as it reminds me of home. As a first-generation Chinese-American, food is a powerful link to the language, holidays and celebrations that I have worked hard to hold on to, knowing how fragile it can all be.
As a result, most Asian restaurants and markets are suffering. The irony is that Chinese restaurants and Asian food markets are known for reliably serving people of all races and ethnicities. The Chinese chain supermarkets that began opening in New York’s upscale suburbs in recent years draw a robust Caucasian population attracted to the fresh foods and diversity of produce.
Chinese restaurants are the go-to for my Jewish and atheist friends on holidays when almost every other restaurant is closed. The Chinese friends I have are hardworking and have put their children through college and professional schools in the hope of giving them a better and brighter future. They are the classic immigrant story.
There is also the wrongful perception that Chinese food is dirty and unclean. Having worked, lived and spent substantial time in Hong Kong, and having travelled throughout Asia, I can attest that Chinese food is mostly fresh and healthy, often more so when compared to what is consumed here in the US. The diet is soy- and vegetable-based and there is a premium placed on freshness.
Looking back, though, food was a critical connection to what little culture and personal history my sister and I retained as first-generation Chinese Americans. My father, an immigrant from Hong Kong, cooked his way through college at a Chinese restaurant and even worked at the World’s Fair in Canada.
All this said, I cannot help but wonder if Chinese food has become a scapegoat for an already prevalent racism – after all, in hard times, everything rational is tossed out. There will come a day when the infection curve begins to flatten and folk begin to return to Chinatowns and their markets, and perhaps, their craving for Chinese food will return.
But this latest chapter is a stark reminder that many things that we thought had changed, sadly, remain the same.
Amy Wu is a writer who lives in Hudson Valley New York; she worked as a journalist and educator in Hong Kong from 1996-2001 and 2010-2013