Takeaway
Stories from a childhood behind the counter
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Release Date: 21/07/2022
Stories from a childhood behind the counter SHORTLISTED FOR THE JHALAK PRIZE 2023
An eye-opening memoir revealing the stories behind living in and running a Chinese takeaway
SHORTLISTED FOR THE FORTNUM & MASON DEBUT FOOD BOOK AWARD 2023
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'A beautiful book: compellingly written, tender and thoughtful' Ruby Tadoh
'A warm, incandescent memoir about identity, food, family, relationships' Annie Lord
Growing up in a Chinese takeaway in rural Wales, Angela Hui was made aware at a very young age of just how different she and her family were seen by her local community. From attacks on the shopfront (in other words, their home), to verbal abuse from customers, and confrontations that ended with her dad wielding the meat cleaver; life growing up in a takeaway was far from peaceful.
But alongside the strife, there was also beauty and joy in the rhythm of life in the takeaway and in being surrounded by the food of her home culture. Family dinners before service, research trips to Hong Kong, preparing for the weekend rush with her brothers - the takeaway is a hive of activity before a customer even places their order of 'egg-fried rice and chop suey'.
Bringing readers along on the journey from Angela's earliest memories in the takeaway to her family closing the shop after 30 years in business, this is a brilliantly warm and immersive memoir from someone on the other side of the counter.