午夜剧场

With the goal of writing "A Global History of Chinese Cuisine," I have been traveling to various Asian cities. Since the beginning of this year, I have visited Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Bangkok, Beijing, Jakarta, and Manila—each for a few days—and I plan to visit Hanoi and Seoul next. It is a joy to spend time reflecting on history while gathering materials, conducting interviews, walking the streets, and eating local food, all from the perspective of how the rise and fall of empires and the construction of nation-states in world history have influenced the formation of cuisines in Asian countries and changed the positioning of Chinese cuisine.

On these Asian culinary travels, the greatest joy is, of course, when I come across documentary evidence that could serve as the basis for new insights, though this does not happen frequently. Beyond that, the things I can only notice by visiting a country or city are incredibly precious, and I am happy whenever I encounter delicious, unknown foods. While everyone has different tastes, "national dishes" widely loved by the people and local dishes made with fresh local ingredients are often delicious. For example, I have rediscovered the deliciousness of dishes well-known in Japan, such as Vietnamese pho, Thai pad thai, and Singaporean Hainanese chicken rice or bak kut teh, and found them striking. Furthermore, among the dishes I first learned about after visiting the local area, the Philippine "national dish" known as "sinigang" (a soup characterized by the sourness of tamarind) was particularly delicious, and in Jakarta, I was surprised to see so many "Padang cuisine" restaurants with large plates of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes stacked high in their windows.

At the same time, when I go abroad, I cannot help but notice the reputation of the three East Asian countries (China, Japan, and South Korea) in those locations. Regarding cuisine, as a global trend, the influence of Chinese cuisine with its long history is significant and has deeply permeated Southeast Asia in particular. Meanwhile, the rise in popularity and status of Japanese cuisine in recent years, driven by sushi and ramen, has been remarkable. On the other hand, Korean cuisine still has a smaller presence compared to the popularity of its dramas and music. That said, it is interesting to see major differences depending on the country; for example, in Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, the spread of Chinese cuisine was slow due to fears that it might contain pork, whereas in the Philippines, a Christian country, Chinese cuisine has become established as common folk food, Japanese cuisine is rising as high-end dining, and there are quite a few Korean restaurants.