From a roll of popiah to a bowl of Hokkien mee: The transnational journey of Chinese cuisine in Singapore and Malaysia

Date: August 3 (Sunday)
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Grassroots Bookstore
Speaker: Chen Jingyi (author of "I Say Hokkien Mee, You Say Prawn Mee", food writer)
Interviewer: Lin Renyu
Registration: https://forms.gle/nUPvLW9C9rjpmKGr8

▍Content Introduction:
The Hokkien noodles in China and Malaysia did not originate from Fujian, and the chicken rice in Hainan Island does not have the word "Hainan" in its name. The names of these dishes are derived from the history of Chinese migration and their imagination of their hometown.

From spring rolls and popiahs to prawn noodles and Hokkien mee, seemingly familiar foods have gradually developed unique flavors as people move around and intertwine with local culture. They are both a continuation of memory and a recreation of culture.

This lecture invites Chen Jingyi, author of "I Talk Hokkien Mee, You Talk Prawn Mee", and Lin Renyu of Grassroots Bookstore to engage in a cultural dialogue on "Chinese Cuisine in Singapore and Malaysia", starting from the local changes in Chinese cuisine and discussing the changes and flow of culture.

▍About the speaker:

Chen Jingyi

A man with a cat, the media calls him the Taiwanese who understands Malaysian Chinese cuisine best.

A columnist for Sin Chew Daily's "Sentimental and Flavorful" column. He researches Chinese food culture, focusing on the connections between immigrants from Fujian, Guangdong, Chaoshan, and other regions, Malaysia, and Taiwan. In 2018, he published Taiwan's first book dedicated to Malaysian Chinese cuisine, "Ah, This Flavor: Delving into the Streets and Alleys of Malaysia to Taste the Soulful and Flavorful Chinese Snacks." He has also participated in numerous food exchange events between Taiwan and Malaysia.

With two decades of experience in food reporting and research, she was named one of Taiwan's nine most influential figures in the culinary world by Taiwan Tatler magazine in 2023. Dubbed the "Queen of Taiwanese Cuisine" by the media, she is the author of books such as "Taiwanese Flavor" and "Oh! Taiwanese Flavors."

▍About the Interviewer:

Lin Renyu

A former media professional and one of the operators of Grassroots Bookstore, he has been deeply involved in Singapore's reading culture for many years and actively organizes dialogue activities on various literature, history, food and social issues.