28 Sep Cecilia Chiang: Celebrating a Century of Life Lived to the Fullest
In 1961, the now-famous Cecilia Chiang opened an authentic Mandarin restaurant in San Francisco. At the time, only Americanized versions of Chinese restaurants existed in San Francisco and elsewhere in the United States. Discrimination against Chinese due to the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 played a role. These laws limited the number of immigrants from China to the United States and restricted Chinese cultural influence.
Unfortunately, the Chinese food served in America before this time had a reputation of being cheap, greasy, and even disgusting. Non-Asian people in the United States primarily chose to eat Chinese food mainly as a novelty.
Some even used the opportunity to brag that they associated with the so-called “dangerous” Chinese. These unfair and inaccurate stereotypes didn’t start changing until towards the end of World War II. Both Chinese and American cooking began changing at this time as well.
One of the Most Beloved Culinary Figures in San Francisco
Cecilia Sun Yan Chiang was born in the village of Wuxi near Shanghai on September 18, 1919 to wealthy parents. Unfortunately, political unrest caused Chiang to flee China to live in Chongqing and later in Tokyo. While in Tokyo, Chiang opened a restaurant to serve both American and Chinese expatriates. However, fate intervened and brought Chiang to San Francisco for good in 1957. Intending to visit her widowed sister for only a few months, Chiang left Tokyo for San Francisco only to make the city her permanent home.
At 99, the great restaurateur Cecilia Chiang is out and about, dining at new restaurants in the Bay Area and passing along new recipes for old dishes https://t.co/7nlymN950R pic.twitter.com/Nz7GCdRoRW
— NYT Food (@nytfood) September 27, 2019
Several friends came together in the late 1950s with the intention of starting a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco, but all backed out except for Chiang. She opened The Mandarin on her own four years after landing in her new adopted country. Diners took notice of The Mandarin right away due to Chiang’s insistence on serving the authentic Szechuan and Mandarin food she grew up with in China. The egg fu yung and chopped suey popular at restaurants in Chinatown would never do for The Mandarin.
Cecilia Chiang’s Special Request for Her 100th Birthday
Native San Francisco residents and tourists alike have come to love Cecilia Chiang and The Mandarin over the nearly 60 years she had operated it here. Naturally, they want to show their love and appreciation by providing Chiang with gifts to mark her century of life. Ever humble and grateful for her opportunities in San Francisco, Chiang has requested instead that people make donations to the Chinese American International School. She has long supported the school and hope that many others will do the same.
Cecilia Chang demonstrates the values that the Chinese American International School hopes its students will emulate. The first is to embrace their Chinese culture as Chiang has by improving the standards and reputation of northern Chinese cooking in the United States. Secondly, the school teaches students to become their best selves. Chiang accomplished this by breaking down ethnic and gender barriers as a new immigrant to the United States in 1957. Lastly, the Chinese American International School teaches students to contribute to a better world as Chiang did by improving the reputation of Chinese culture in America.
Happy 100th birthday to an amazing person who has made a real difference in the world. The next time you enjoy regional Chinese cuisine, take a moment to thank pioneers like Ms. Chiang.
