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122: Word of Mouth pt.2: Wok it Out

Writer: Grant Thomas
Grant Thomas
Sep 10, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Sep 16, 2025


An episode that will leave you hungry for more! America's best food always comes from somewhere else, from people we actively discriminated against. Chinese immigrants are no exception. So how did this relatively small group of immigrants build a cuisine that is ubiquitous across America and uniquely are own? This week, we break out the cooking wear and Wok it Out as we learn the surprising history of American Chinese food.


Chapters

00:00:00 Catch-Up

00:24:49 Wok It Out

00:37:28 The First Chinese-Americans

00:55:38 Life After Exclusion

01:13:20 Two Women & Millions of Communists

01:31:13 General Tso Near You

01:35:56 All Hail the Small Town Chinese Restaurant


Photos Referenced

  • 1880 Anti-Chinese Riot in Denver - Wikimedia Commons
    1880 Anti-Chinese Riot in Denver - Wikimedia Commons
  • SF, April 18, 1906 - Residents watching the fire grow - Arnold Genthe / Library of Congress
    SF, April 18, 1906 - Residents watching the fire grow - Arnold Genthe / Library of Congress
  • Postcard showing Grant Avenue in SF circa 1915
    Postcard showing Grant Avenue in SF circa 1915
  • Postcard depicting Grant Avenue in Chinatown
    Postcard depicting Grant Avenue in Chinatown
  • Postcard showing Chinatown, SF circa 1929
    Postcard showing Chinatown, SF circa 1929

Sources

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