Sweet and Sour

Sweet and Sour is a social history of Chinese family-owned restaurants in the United States. The book chronicles the experiences of Chinese immigrant restaurateurs from the late 1800s through modern times. Through interviews and research, John Jung documents the daily operations, business practices, and cultural adaptations of Chinese restaurant families. The text examines how these establishments created hybrid menus and atmospheres to appeal to American customers while maintaining connections to Chinese culinary traditions. The narrative follows multiple generations of restaurant owners across different regions of America, revealing their strategies for survival and success. Jung explores the impact of immigration policies, racial discrimination, and economic pressures on these family businesses. The book presents the Chinese restaurant as a symbol of immigrant entrepreneurship and cultural exchange in American society. By focusing on food and family enterprise, Jung illuminates broader patterns of assimilation, resistance, and identity formation in Chinese American communities.

Readers value this book as a detailed history of Chinese family restaurants in the United States, highlighting stories often left untold in American history. The personal accounts from restaurant owners and workers provide insight into the immigrant experience. Liked: - Thorough research and historical documentation - First-hand narratives - Photos and archival materials - Focus on family dynamics in restaurant businesses Disliked: - Writing style described as "academic" and "dry" - Some accounts feel repetitive - Limited geographic scope - focuses mainly on certain regions - Desire for more in-depth individual stories Ratings: Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 reviews) Goodreads: 3.7/5 (6 reviews) Reader quote: "A comprehensive look at the Chinese restaurant industry, though sometimes gets bogged down in academic language. The oral histories make it worth reading." - Amazon reviewer

Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui A journalist traces the history of Chinese restaurants across Canada through family stories and investigates why Chinese immigrants chose the restaurant business as their path to survival.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee This investigation follows Chinese restaurant families across America and explores how Chinese food became a staple of American cuisine.

The Chinese Must Go by Beth Lew-Williams The book examines the history of Chinese exclusion laws and anti-Chinese violence in the American West through the stories of immigrant laborers and restaurant workers.

American Chinese Restaurants by Haiming Liu The text chronicles how Chinese immigrants transformed American eating habits while building economic opportunities for their families across generations.

Have You Eaten Yet? by Cheuk Kwan A global journey through Chinese restaurants spans five continents to document how Chinese migration created a culinary network that connects immigrant communities worldwide.

🍜 Author John Jung grew up working in his family's Chinese laundry and Chinese restaurant businesses, giving him firsthand insight into the experiences he writes about. 🏮 The book explores how Chinese restaurants became one of the first and most successful ethnic cuisines to achieve widespread acceptance in America, despite significant racial discrimination. 🥡 Chinese restaurants adapted their menus to American tastes by creating dishes like chop suey and fortune cookies, which were not traditionally Chinese but became iconic "Chinese" foods in America. 📚 Jung is a professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, and has written several other books about Chinese American history and experiences. 🗽 The book reveals how Chinese restaurants served as both economic lifelines for immigrants and cultural bridges between Chinese and American communities during the exclusion era (1882-1943).