Writer and community organiser Jenny Lau joins Zoe Li for a conversation exploring food, identity and the experiences of being British Chinese.
Chaired by Li, founder of The Juniper by the Sea – the UK’s first East and South East Asian bookshop – the event forms part of a series celebrating East and South East Asian voices and storytelling. The discussion will focus on Lau’s acclaimed debut non-fiction book, An A–Z of Chinese Food (Recipes Not Included), a unique exploration of Chinese food culture that moves beyond recipes to examine history, memory, migration and identity.
Written under her Celestial Peach persona, Lau’s work has become a platform for sharing stories about Chinese food in the diaspora and the communities connected to it. Described as an “anti-glossary”, the book brings together essays and reflections that reveal the cultural significance of ingredients, dishes and culinary traditions, while challenging assumptions about what Chinese food means in Britain and beyond.
The conversation will also explore Lau’s experiences as a British Chinese writer, alongside broader discussions about representation, belonging and the role of food in shaping personal and collective identity.
