Implications of the Mandarin
Alright, so I've been repeatedly told that The Mandarin doesn't serve "real" chinese food. I am super bored at work today, so randomly this though occurred to me (only because I plan on going to the Mandarin in a couple of weeks), and I will pose the following question:
Is the food at Mandarin "not real chinese food" because it really isn't chinese food or because FOBs (and many of our parents who are from Hong Kong) tell us "fake"?
Speaking from my personal experiences, I am pretty sure the only people who don't think Mandarin is Chinese food is other Chinese people (usually the ones who enjoy HK pop). Now if you ask any white/carib/indian person whether or not they like Chinese food, I venture to guess 90% of them would say yes they enjoy Chinese. Of course, when they respond to your question, they are thinking about the food they get at Mandarin, not the stuff you will see FOBs eating (which in some cases, scare the crap out of me too...).
Which brings me to my point, if the food served at the Mandarin was invented by the first Chinese people that came to Canada (in the 1800's), prepared in restaurants owned primarily by Chinese people, and is actually eaten and enjoyed quite a large number Chinese people born in Canada, doesn't this make "Canadian-Chinese Food" the actual cuisine of CBC's? Honestly, aren't we CBC's much more connected to fried rice, chicken balls, and egg rolls than to the dishes served at the typical Chinese wedding, most of which I don't like to eat. Aren't we CBC's denying who we really are by buying into the FOB propaganda that our food isn't authentic because it was invented in Canada, and white people like to eat it. In fact, shouldn't we tell them that since they are in Canada now, that our Chinese food (Wonton Soup included) is "real Chinese food in Canada" and theirs is merely an ethnic curosity.
We CBC's recognize that we are a unique type Chinese people and should refuse to be lumped together with the people back in China. I am tired of many older adults forcing me to give praise to China or believe that I would want to move back to be closer to "my people". Let's be honest, "my people" hardly reside in Hong Kong, "my people" are the Chinese guys and gals you see at AMC hanging out in multi-cultural groups (black/white/brown), completely oblivious the the fact that old school Chinese people think its the weirdest thing for them to consort with non-Chinese people. Its sad to see many CBC's deny their true identities as proud Canadian Born Chinese people, and merely cast away their identities in order to seem more Chinese to FOBs. Hopefully, those people will see the light one day and accept that they are more like their White/Indian/Caribbean Canadian counterparts, and stop degrading themselves and try to vainly hold on to "traditional" Chinese customs that have nothing to do with them. Recognize that we CBC's have our own culture, food, music preferences, modes of thinking, even sterotypes, and we don't need "real" Chinese people tell us that our culture is unauthentic because its different compared to HK. We are as "real" as they are when it comes to being Chinese people, only we are CBC's, and secretly, they really envy us!
Is the food at Mandarin "not real chinese food" because it really isn't chinese food or because FOBs (and many of our parents who are from Hong Kong) tell us "fake"?
Speaking from my personal experiences, I am pretty sure the only people who don't think Mandarin is Chinese food is other Chinese people (usually the ones who enjoy HK pop). Now if you ask any white/carib/indian person whether or not they like Chinese food, I venture to guess 90% of them would say yes they enjoy Chinese. Of course, when they respond to your question, they are thinking about the food they get at Mandarin, not the stuff you will see FOBs eating (which in some cases, scare the crap out of me too...).
Which brings me to my point, if the food served at the Mandarin was invented by the first Chinese people that came to Canada (in the 1800's), prepared in restaurants owned primarily by Chinese people, and is actually eaten and enjoyed quite a large number Chinese people born in Canada, doesn't this make "Canadian-Chinese Food" the actual cuisine of CBC's? Honestly, aren't we CBC's much more connected to fried rice, chicken balls, and egg rolls than to the dishes served at the typical Chinese wedding, most of which I don't like to eat. Aren't we CBC's denying who we really are by buying into the FOB propaganda that our food isn't authentic because it was invented in Canada, and white people like to eat it. In fact, shouldn't we tell them that since they are in Canada now, that our Chinese food (Wonton Soup included) is "real Chinese food in Canada" and theirs is merely an ethnic curosity.
We CBC's recognize that we are a unique type Chinese people and should refuse to be lumped together with the people back in China. I am tired of many older adults forcing me to give praise to China or believe that I would want to move back to be closer to "my people". Let's be honest, "my people" hardly reside in Hong Kong, "my people" are the Chinese guys and gals you see at AMC hanging out in multi-cultural groups (black/white/brown), completely oblivious the the fact that old school Chinese people think its the weirdest thing for them to consort with non-Chinese people. Its sad to see many CBC's deny their true identities as proud Canadian Born Chinese people, and merely cast away their identities in order to seem more Chinese to FOBs. Hopefully, those people will see the light one day and accept that they are more like their White/Indian/Caribbean Canadian counterparts, and stop degrading themselves and try to vainly hold on to "traditional" Chinese customs that have nothing to do with them. Recognize that we CBC's have our own culture, food, music preferences, modes of thinking, even sterotypes, and we don't need "real" Chinese people tell us that our culture is unauthentic because its different compared to HK. We are as "real" as they are when it comes to being Chinese people, only we are CBC's, and secretly, they really envy us!
posted by Billy Bee Absentee at 11:11 AM
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