American diners began to flock to Chinese restaurants more than a
century ago, making Chinese food the first mass-consumed cuisine in the
United States. By 1980, it had become the country's most popular ethnic
cuisine. Chop Suey, USA offers the first comprehensive interpretation
of the rise of Chinese food, revealing the forces that made it
ubiquitous in the American gastronomic landscape and turned the country
into an empire of consumption.
Engineered by a politically disenfranchised, numerically small, and
economically exploited group, Chinese food's tour de America is an epic
story of global cultural encounter. It reflects not only changes in
taste but also a growing appetite for a more leisurely lifestyle.
Americans fell in love with Chinese food not because of its gastronomic
excellence but because of its affordability and convenience, which is
why they preferred the quick and simple dishes of China while shunning
its haute cuisine. Epitomized by chop suey, American Chinese food was a
forerunner of McDonald's, democratizing the once-exclusive dining-out
experience for such groups as marginalized Anglos, African Americans,
and Jews.
The rise of Chinese food is also a classic American story of immigrant
entrepreneurship and perseverance. Barred from many occupations, Chinese
Americans successfully turned Chinese food from a despised cuisine into
a dominant force in the restaurant market, creating a critical lifeline
for their community. Chinese American restaurant workers developed the
concept of the open kitchen and popularized the practice of home
delivery. They streamlined certain Chinese dishes, such as chop suey and
egg foo young, turning them into nationally recognized brand names.
