The search for real Chinese food: Stories from cafeterias and dorm rooms

Berkshire is going to publish an American version of a cookbook originally written for UK college dining halls. It has been highly praised by experts on authentic Chinese cuisine as really excellent, accurate, and refreshing. While it was designed by professional chefs for institutional catering staff, the recipes have been cut to family-size measurements (catering professionals simply multiple the quantities to fit their needs), making it a useful little book for home cooking. Here’s a free PDF: Tuco_Chinese_Recipe_Book-UK-edition.

We want to add short essays or anecdotes about real-life experiences in college cafeterias, good and bad. Please share your story with us! What was your first college dining experience like? What foods did you miss most, and what did you do about it? Click below to add your story as a comment, or send it by email to karen at berkshirepublishing dot com. Submissions of 100-150 words will be eligible for publication in the print book, so please share your story!

Here are two articles about the book:

Global Universities Adapt Menus for International Students | Best Global Universities | US News

“Matthew White, who serves as the catering hotel and conference services director at the University of Reading in the UK, says the institution added chopsticks and Chinese soup spoons as well as ambient temperature water, a Chinese preference over chilled water, to all dining facilities.”

Michelin-starred chef brings taste of home to Chinese students – World – Chinadaily.com.cn

“Under the direction of Michelin-starred chef and Chinese food expert Bill Brogan, the University Caterers Organisation compiled a list of 23 Chinese dishes that can be prepared in UK university kitchens. The organization hopes to better serve Chinese students, many of whom prepare meals at home in the hope of finding a taste of home.”

About the Author: Karen Christensen

Karen Christensen is an entrepreneur, environmentalist, and occasional scholar who also writes about how women gain and wield power. She is the owner and CEO of Berkshire Publishing Group, a research associate of the Fairbank Center at Harvard, a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations, and founder of the Train Campaign. She was a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Press, Read Karen’s occasional dispatches from the frontlines of international publishing at Karen's Letter on Substack, and follow her on Twitter etc @karenchristenze.