Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui

In 2016, Globe and Mail reporter, Ann Hui, hopped into her car and drove across Canada. Her mission? To visit as many small-town Chinese restaurants as she could to learn about their owners and their backgrounds. Along the way, she discovers that her own family once owned a Chinese restaurant themselves, in Abbotsford, and her journey across Canada also becomes a journey into her own family's history and how they immigrated to Canada from Guangdong province to start new lives. Hui learns that Western, "chop suey", Chinese food is much more than a cheap imitation, but a reflection of the ingenuity and adaptability of 20th century Chinese immigrants to Canada, immigrants like her grandfather. Chop Suey Nation has received numerous awards, including the Dr. Edgar Wickberg Book Prize - Best Book on Chinese History in 2019. (Content Warning: at least one instance of mature language).

Ann Hui grew up around Vancouver and has been a reporter for the Globe and Mail for 11 years. She is their National Food Reporter and has been twice nominated for a National Newspaper Award.

Food is such an important part of culture and heritage. What dishes remind you of yours?