#ChineseFoodiesofIG: Bobby Chinn

Bobby Chinn

This is part of an ongoing series of interviews I’m doing with my favourite Chinese foodies that I follow on Instagram. Come and follow the #ChineseFoodiesofIG hashtag on Instagram and leave a comment showing your support for these talented folk!

Where are you from? Where are you really from?

I don’t really know how to answer these questions as I do not identify with the one place. Ethnically, I’m half Egyptian half Chinese, born in New Zealand and was brought up on three continents by the age of 10. For quite some time I considered San Francisco home, however, I have not lived there for most of my life now.

Home to me is wherever I am. I make the here and now my home.

What does home taste like?

Saying that I was brought up in many homes, it is wide and varied. It can be the food that I make, food from childhood that can encompass Egyptian, Chinese, Vietnamese, western, Italian, as I was brought up with an international upbringing. My mother, father and sister were all very creative in the kitchen so it’s a wide spectrum from BBQ to pastas and salads.

Share a food memory:

I remember tasting bitter melon for the first time. Before I bit into it, my grandma said to me ‘that’s really good for you!’ By the end of that sentence, I bit into this ridiculously bitter but tender vegetable and thought, anything that tasted that bitter had to be good for you.

Rice or noodles?

Both!

Who’s your Chinese food legend?

My Chinese grandmother was simply incredible. From my Taiwanese, Hong Kong, American born Chinese, to Chinese friends and foodies were all blown away by her food. It was light, clean and, in many ways, modern yet authentic. She’s the one that taught me and imparted all her unique techniques. Shen imparted confidence and taught me with love.

A Chinese recipe everyone should learn:

Everyone should know how to make hot and sour soup, as there one can get a lot of mileage out of dried black mushrooms, from their water, the use of spices, the techniques, and it’s healthy. But what I really love about the dish is that there’s so much room for creativity in the use of spices. Everyone should know a comforting soup dish in any cuisine.

Dream dinner party guests:

All my family, dead and alive.

Last meal on earth:

It would be a buffet of global cuisine, I would die a glutton!

What does Chinese food mean to you?

It’s varied, from region to region and cook to cook. It’s profound. For me it’s a very comforting memory. From dim sum to velvety noodles, it’s a cuisine that I feel needs to be eaten with at least 10 people to get a huge assortment of dishes. To me it’s the ultimate family food, and ideally you are from a big family.