‘A Tiger in the Kitchen’ Memoir about Food, Family, and Culture by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan
I always get excited when an Asian American author is published. Growing up it was rare to find books written by people with a similar background as mine, and even today they’re often hard to come by. That’s why I was thrilled to see a book published by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan.
I first met Cheryl in the early 2000’s when we both worked for a magazine publisher in New York City. While I worked on the marketing side, she wrote as one of the few Asians on the Edit side. Like many in the magazine industry, we both eventually left and found new opportunities by pursuing our passions.
For Cheryl, her passion included a love of food and family as captured in her memoir “A Tiger in the Kitchen.” Born in Singapore and living in the U.S. since age 18, she details her journey back to her Singaporean roots to learn the traditional recipes of her elders. During her year long odyssey, she not only learns about the time-honored dishes of her culture, but also about her family and herself.
Cheryl was born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger, thus the inspiration for her book’s title. The tiger also illustrates her ferocious approach to life, whether it’s reaching her ambitions in America or her zeal to preserve family traditions through food.
Cheryl chronicles her rookie efforts of feverishly scribbling notes as her elders prepared dishes. She would ask for specific ingredient amounts, but they didn’t know because as experienced cooks they created dishes through sight, taste, and smell.
Her experience rings true to many who are a generation removed from their home countries, including myself. I’ve tried to do the same with my mom, writing down her traditional recipes. I’d ask, “How long do you cook it?” and she’d reply, “When it starts to smell good, then you know it’s done.”
Food is especially important in Asian culture where so much of it symbolizes various aspects of life. Drink certain soups to increase fertility or eat long noodles to live longer – the list is endless. Throughout the book Cheryl touches upon the significance of food in her culture and generously shares several family recipes for her readers to try.
During Cheryl’s quest she discovers new things about herself and strengthens bonds between family members. “A Tiger in the Kitchen” is a delightful read that shows how food can nourish the soul.
About the Author
Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan is a New York-based writer who has written the memoir “A Tiger In The Kitchen” (Hyperion). Follow her international book tour here.
Prior to her memoir, she was a staff writer at the Wall Street Journal, In Style magazine and the Baltimore Sun. Her stories have appeared in noted publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Marie Claire, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Family Circle, Bloomberg Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, and more. She is also a regular contributor to The Atlantic Food Channel.
An active member of the Asian American Journalists Association, she served on its national board for seven years through 2010.