Past NYU Shanghai Reads Events 2025-2026

On September 25, 25 members of the NYU Shanghai community gathered for the inaugural event of the NYU Shanghai Reads program, that is, a close reading event centered on the book of the year, Chop Suey, USA: The Story of Chinese Food in America by Yong Chen. Facilitated by Global China Studies Assistant Professor Ka Lee Wong, the event explored the book’s central question: what makes food “authentic”? Participants analyzed how Chinese-American dishes like chop suey are not simply “inauthentic” food, but powerful symbols of cultural adaptation and immigrant resilience. The discussion highlighted that the topic moves beyond a single culture to expose a universal process of how people use food to negotiate belonging. Community members shared personal reflections, with some noting how the evolution of Chinese food in America challenges any fixed idea of authenticity - authenticity is often a matter of perspectives.