Past NYU Shanghai Reads Events 2021-2022

Members of the NYU Shanghai community met online last week for an online panel talk, Identity Through the Lens of Others. The event was co-sponsored by Diversity Initiatives and the NYU Shanghai Reads Program. Four panelists were in attendance, Teresa Arboled, NYU Shanghai ‘24, Carly Siuta, Student Health Center, Jiannan Shi, NYU Shanghai ‘22, and Ilaf Elard, Assistant Professor of Practice in Economics. The talk was moderated by Joyce Tan, of Diversity Initiatives.

Using the work of this year’s NYU Shanghai Reads author, Fuchsia Dunlop, as a starting point, the panelists will considered how Dunlop’s experience living in China, described in her memoir Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China, resonate today. The panelists were joined by 20 audience members who engaged in a Q&A, reflecting on what the panelists said and also sharing their own experiences. 

Led by Xiaoyan Kong (Class of 2021), the visit was a one-of-a-kind visit to a traditional Shanghai wet market that persisted amongst the skyscrapers of Lujiazui. Students learnt about the history of wet markets in Shanghai and the lives of vendors while exploring the market environment, interacting with local people, and shopping for fresh food.

This film follows Chef David Kinch and his team's journey from their 3 Michelin Star in California on a one of a kind 'four hands' collaboration with three legendary chefs at their iconic restaurants in Paris, Provence and Marseille. This story of cultural encounters in the world of elite chefs features mouth watering descriptions of French cooking and insightful explanations of cooking processes and the history behind them.

An evening of discussion with author Fuchsia Dunlop about the experience of writing her memoir, Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China. Dunlop joined virtually from her home in the UK. She engaged in a panel discussion with NYU Shanghai students, followed by a Q&A with both our in-person and virtual audiences.

Read More: NYU Shanghai Reads: Fuchsia Dunlop on the Magic of Chinese Food

NYU Shanghai Reads is happy to present a lunch-hour salon discussion about food consumption in China. During this event, we welcomed two presenters who gave talks on the topic of sustainable food: Shiyin Wang, a Shanghai-based chef and creator of Kaixin Cooking and Valtero Canepa, the Convivium Leader of Slow Food Shanghai. Both discussed current trends and challenges in food sustainability, with an emphasis on China. The talks were followed by a Q&A, allowing NYU Shanghai community members to engage deeper on the topic.

What does it mean to be a community ally? Panelists Sebastian Cherng (NYU Steinhardt faculty), Kelsey Louie (NYU Silver faculty and CEO of The Door), and Kristen Glinton (NYU Shanghai alum) discussed their work in community engagement, with critical reflection on what needs to be considered before, during, and after community engagement projects. The panel is tied to a number of food security volunteer service opportunities and a walking tour of foods in Chinatown co-facilitated by Professor Steve Iams and Professor Xiaoyue Huang. During the tour, the professors engaged topics from the panel, volunteer experiences, and Fuchsia Dunlop's book to explore the tension between celebrating food in potentially food insecure settings.

Inspired by the author Fuchsia's experience and thought of how food brings people together and comforts people’s hearts in the book Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, the lively bilingual panel discussion on Food and Sociality was organized by World Languages & EAP Social Committee, in partnership with NYU Shanghai Reads. The speakers were from UnTour Foods, Social Supply, and NYU Shanghai. Participants met and shared about food and culture with people from around the world.

We all eat, but sometimes we don't think too much about what we eat. Have you ever been curious about your favorite food's origin, history, culture--who chooses it, who likes it, who hates it, or who doesn't know anything about it...? This interactive, thought-provoking, and delicious fair about food centered around topics of culture, history and identity, 

Led by Professor Jing Chai and fellow student Bongani Ntsakani Musikavanhu, it was an excellent opportunity for students to get hands-on experiences with tea-tasting, tea ceremony performance, as well as a good time talking with each other and sharing their experiences regarding the tea. The event drew on themes from Fuchsia Dunlop's book, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper.

Located in western Shanghai, Qingpu district is the municipal water reserve and has a well preserved ecology. Surrounded by water and farm fields, Cenbu village attracted many new villagers from the city, who have taken up various ventures from organic farming, running cafes and hostels to coaching kayaking. On this collaboration trip between the CEL Office and NYU Shanghai Reads Program, students immersed themselves in the village life in Cenbu through exploring the village ecology and interacting with local people.

Read More: Community-Engaged Learning: Students Have Close Encounter with Organic Agriculture and Ecology of ‘Rural’ Shanghai

In this talk, NYUSH professor and food historian Shuang Wen narrated the stories behind the foods discussed in the chapter "Journey to the West," of Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, this year's NYUSH Reads text. Professor Wen discussed the history of dishes such as nan, samsa made in a tandoor oven, polo (or pilaf as an alternative spelling), and springy pulled noodles, and more. Some of the dishes were provided as refreshments for guests to try out! With photos taken by herself in Xinjiang, Prof. Wen invited students to think deeper about the history of crop cultivation and food technology transfer between China and Central/West Asia.

Have you ever thought about the stories behind the foods that taste like home to you? How did these dishes and their variations come about? What is the history behind their ingredients and preparation?

To kick off this year’s NYU Shanghai Reads Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, incoming first-year students shared their stories and findings on their taste of home through BrightSpace over the summer. During New Student Orientation in late August 2021, first-year students took part in small group discussions centered around the theme of “encountering cultures.” Facilitated discussions encourage students to reflect on, experience, and understand diversity both within and outside of their own communities through the lens of food.