Rachel Phan’s Restaurant Kid: A Memoir of Family and Belonging is a deeply personal and poignant reflection on growing up as the child of immigrant parents who ran a small restaurant in Canada. With raw honesty and emotional depth, Phan explores the intersection of cultural identity, familial expectations, and the often-unspoken sacrifices of first-generation immigrants. https://www.rachelphan.com/
Raised in a predominantly white town, Phan felt the push and pull of assimilation while also yearning to connect with her Chinese-Vietnamese heritage. In an interview with her publisher, she shares how her upbringing was marked by independence—navigating childhood with little parental supervision as her parents devoted themselves to their restaurant. This unique experience gave her a sense of freedom but also left her grappling with feelings of abandonment.
I asked Phan for her favourite recipe and she replied with, “My favourite dish of all time—the dish I would choose to be my last meal—is my mum’s braised pork belly. It’s a total umami bomb I could eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! The fatty pork belly is braised with preserved vegetables in a rich, unctuous sauce I could drink by the salty, savoury spoonful. It’s perfect on top of a bed of steamed rice or eaten on a baguette or bun.” You can find her version of Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables in our Recipe section.
The memoir is not just a coming-of-age story but also an intergenerational dialogue. Phan’s father was always willing to share harrowing stories of his escape from war-torn Vietnam, while her mother remained silent about her painful past. However, writing this book became a bridge between them, allowing her parents to open up and reveal long-buried memories. A pivotal moment in the book is their return to Vietnam after decades away, a journey that deepened Phan’s understanding of their struggles and resilience. Get this insightful book at https://www.rachelphan.com/ or win a copy in our Giveaway section.
At its heart, Restaurant Kid is about reclaiming identity. Phan candidly discusses the ways she distanced herself from her heritage to fit in and how she is now embracing it unapologetically. Readers who have grown up in immigrant families—or anyone who has felt caught between two worlds—will find themselves reflected in Phan’s words. This memoir is an essential read, offering both a tribute to the sacrifices of immigrant parents and a powerful narrative of self-discovery.
Contents and images used with permission by author Rachel Phan and Douglas & McIntyre. https://douglas-mcintyre.com/collections/new-releases/products/9781771624343
