MOFAD’s Chow Exhibition will soon be closing, but Chinese cuisine’s American story is just beginning. Join writers Serena Dai and Derek Sandhaus and chef Lucas Sin for a spirited conversation on the future of Chinese food and drink in the United States.
Our panel will explore the traditional role of food and alcohol in Chinese culture, and how social and historical circumstances have shaped the way diners encountered it. Why are Chinese take-out restaurants, once a popular mainstay of urban American dining, closing at alarming rates? Why aren’t more people talking about baijiu, the world’s most consumed liquor? And how are trends in China influencing restaurants in America? Find out the answers to these questions, and many more.
The discussion will be followed by a reception with a tasting prepared by MOFAD and a cocktail courtesy of Ming River Sichuan Baijiu. Derek Sandhaus will also be signing his new book, Drunk in China: Baijiu and the World’s Oldest Drinking Culture.
SERENA DAI
Serena Dai is the editor of Eater NY — a digital-only publication part of the national Eater network, covering restaurant news, where to eat, and everything else about the culture and business of dining out. In 2017, she oversaw the exclusive investigation about alleged sexual misconduct of celebrity chef Mario Batali and the culture at his restaurants. She also pitched and hosted the first two seasons of Cult Following, a multi-platform video series about restaurants that inspire obsession, and frequently writes about the intersection of identity and food. Previously, she worked as a local news reporter for DNAinfo. Her writing has appeared in New York, Esquire.com, the Atlantic’s former news blog, the Miami Herald, and papers across the country via the Associated Press.
DEREK SANDHAUS
Derek Sandhaus has published five books on Chinese history and culture, most recently Drunk in China: Baijiu and the World's Oldest Drinking Culture. On his journey of ‘spiritual’ enlightenment, he has met with drinkers, distillers and titans of the Chinese alcohol industry. In 2018 Sandhaus co-founded Ming River Sichuan Baijiu in partnership with China’s oldest continually operational distillery. He currently serves as Ming River’s education director and as the editor at DrinkBaijiu.com.
LUCAS SIN
Lucas Sin opened his first restaurant at 16, in an abandoned newspaper factory in Hong Kong. He spent weekends at Yale running restaurants out of his dorm, before joining forces with Junzi cofounders Yong Zhao, Wanting Zhang, and Ming Bai. At Junzi, they combine Chinese culinary traditions with new ideas. And in doing so, foster long-lasting relationships between people and cultures.