Chinese food has an extensive history in America. As a way to explore how Chinese American cuisine has evolved over time, New York’s Museum of Food and Drink is running its current exhibition, “Chow: Making the Chinese American Restaurant.”
“We are excited to launch Chow and provide our visitors with a first-hand experience of Chinese American culture and its culinary achievements,” Peter J. Kim, executive director of MOFAD, said in a statement. “We are presenting our curated content in innovative ways that are truly interactive, memorable and delicious.”
Commencing this month, Chow is showcasing a timeline of Chinese American menus from 1910 to today. Additionally, the exhibit is featuring a Chow Culinary Studio, where samples of Chinese meals are prepared and given out by top Chinese American chefs, including Jonathan Wu of Fung Tu. The tastings will change over the next six months, and Honey Walnut Shrimp will be the food sample for December.
To go along with the exhibit, MOFAD launched Project Fortune, an effort that asks people to submit goodwill fortunes, which will be published and placed within fortune cookies. Fortunes can be submitted on the project’s website, by tweeting @mofad with #projectfortune, or in-person at the Chow exhibition at MOFAD Lab. The cookies containing fortunes from strangers can be acquired through a 1,500-pound, fortune cookie machine at the exhibit.
Chow is also displaying the Curtain of Many, which uses 7,250 takeout boxes to represent the nation’s Chinese American restaurants.
The exhibit is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online, ranging from $7 to $14. For more information, click here to visit Chow’s website.
