Join us for an evening of conversation, community, and cuisine as we dive into Curtis Chin’s memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant.
Growing up in 1980s Detroit, Curtis Chin came of age in a city struggling with urban decay, segregation, and the exodus of wealth to the suburbs. Amidst this landscape of uncertainty, his family’s restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, stood as a beacon—welcoming diners from all walks of life, from drag queens and the city’s first Black mayor to elderly Jewish couples and Hollywood stars.
But Chung’s was more than just a restaurant. It was the beating heart of Curtis’ family, a community hub, and a place of learning. As he grappled with race, sexuality, and identity in Reagan’s America, the bustling dining room of Chung’s became his classroom, teaching him lessons about resilience, hard work, and the power of belonging.
Written by the co-founder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and structured around the very menu that graced the tables of Chung’s, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant is both a memoir and a time capsule of a boy’s coming-of-age in a changing America.
Pull up a chair, scoot into a vinyl booth, and join us for a discussion on Chin’s remarkable journey, the role of food in shaping identity, and the communities that nourish us. And who knows? You might even get a taste of something off the secret menu.
Program information
Curtis Chin is the award-winning author of Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant and co-founder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop. A former TV writer turned documentary filmmaker, his work explores culture, identity, and social change.
Benjamin Li is a Rotterdam-based visual artist using photography, video, and installations to explore identity and authenticity through Chinese cuisine. He will show photographs from projects and installations and join the conversation on stage. His work challenges stereotypes and reflects on his Dutch-Chinese heritage.
Laila Frank is a journalist and moderator specializing in U.S. politics and culture. A regular media commentator and award-winning podcaster, she explores America’s shifting landscapes and communities.
Dialogues with Curtis Chin
Join us for a special session of Dialogues, the John Adams book and conversation club with Curtis Chin! Sign up by purchasing a ticket for a meet & greet with the author in from 5pm-6.30pm, in advance of his public event. Come share your thoughts, ask questions, and connect over great conversation, drinks and bites. Location to be disclosed via email in the week prior to the public event (event ticket not included). Click here to buy the book at Athenaeum Boekhandel with a 10% discount (use promo code JAI10%).
Read, Watch, Listen & Eat: Looking for background information in advance of the event? Read Amy Tan – The Joy Luck Club (1989), a poignant novel exploring the complexities of identity, family, and the Chinese American experience through the interwoven stories of mothers and daughters. Watch 8 Mile (2002), a raw and powerful film set in Detroit, following an aspiring rapper as he struggles to find his voice and break through barriers of class, race, and self-doubt—echoing themes of perseverance and reinvention that resonate with the immigrant experience. Listen to Diana Ross’s I’m Coming Out, a triumphant anthem of self-empowerment and identity. Born and raised in Detroit, Ross embodies the city’s legacy of transformation, ambition, and reinvention—qualities that mirror the journey of so many seeking to define themselves on their own terms. And go eat at Hoi Tin in Amsterdam, where flavors and traditions come together, much like the stories in Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant.
