Inception: American Chinese food in China

Some American expatriates living in China have decided, wisely, that they miss...you guessed it...Chinese food. So these General Tsu's Chicken-loving entrepreneurs decided to bring a bit of good ol' fashion home take-out ordering back with them to China. Even though it came from China in the first place. Then changed. Then eventually found its way back home. Like a bird who flew South for the winter, but then stayed too long, went native, and finally realized it missed it's mommy.

It's one of those things that you probably don't think about when you move to a new country. But if you're living in a country that has a food that Americans have reinvented almost entirely and yet still labeled as authentic international food--chances are you aren't going to get what you're used to.

Chinese food has been around in America for decades--over half of a century. It has become an intrinsic part of our culture, and yet really, most of the food that we label as Chinese is much closer to fried chicken and sauces that more closely resemble our barbeque flavors than the authentic Chinese cuisine they are often claimed to be.

The crazy thing about this is...it should work. China is becoming a business capitol of the World and quickly. The reality is that Americans and other 'Westerners' will be living in China more and more as more American and 'Western' companies need to have offices in the country. I'd expect a lot of faux-international American cuisine-serving restaurants to show up over the next few years.

This issue isn't new to Americans--even Everybody Loves Raymond tackled it when Ray and Company went to Italy. It was a watershed moment for Ray, he ate Italian Pizza, which was like eating Pizza for the first time every, so he said. And it probably was. American Pizza is not Italian Pizza, not even in the ballpark. And most of us know that. As a foodie-culture, we are relatively aware that we take international food and twist it to fit out palates, which most Americans will admit, aren't exactly...classy. We like fast, fatty foods and a good portion of my generation actively hate cooking.

I don't think many Americans will be arguing, anytime soon, about the needs of our culture to get healthier, eat better and cook at home more. However, for those of us living in countries-not-our-own, this is a win. A taste of home in a faraway place.

I do, however, wonder what the average Chinese citizen thinks when walking by the window with the shining neon-light that reads "Chinese food."

 

Photo taken from Frank Langfitt/NPR. (I'll totally take it down if they ask. They don't even have to do so nicely.)