#ChineseFoodiesofIG: Jonathan Jay Lee

Jonathan Jay Lee, illustrator

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?

My parents grew up in Taiwan in the 50s-70s, but I was born in Bowling Green, Ohio, USA in 1985. 

We then lived in Sandy, Utah until 1992, moving to Hong Kong for my formative years and where I’ve been ever since. Though I spent 4-5 years in NYC for my undergrad in the 00s, if anyone asks I am from Hong Kong. I should mention that neither of my parents were born in Taiwan, but that’s a whole other story.

What does home taste like?

Home tastes like mom’s cooking. For breakfast, congee with a selection of pickles, which I now see as the influence of Japanese culture left over in Taiwan. Or a very light broth with a dashi soup base, with maybe a little daikon and cabbage. Or celery fried with garlic. 

My mom learned to cook as a kid growing up in Taiwan from her grandfather, who was actually born in Japan but with roots in Guangdong.

Share a food memory:

We were in a small town in Tuscany on the way to a friends wedding. One night, we ate at a very small family restaurant ran by the mother, daughter and father. The restaurant had maybe 3 tables in total, and @yoshihc ordered up all the pastas & wine which we shared family style.

I think the father was touched by how much we enjoyed the food, that he disappeared and returned with a gift; a tub of Gelato from a closing shop nearby.

It was so touching that all of the girls cried. Myself included.

Cook or be cooked for?

Be cooked for. You can always taste the love behind a meal whether it’s at home or in a restaurant. 

The most important Chinese ingredient is:

Bean sprouts. Don’t judge me.

Ultimate comfort food:

Chinese soup with rice.

Who's your Chinese food legend?

Yan Can Cook (Martin Yan).

Dream dinner party guests:

Friends. I’d name some of my heroes but you never know, they could turn out to be assholes. I’d rather not learn that over a meal. In the meantime, eating with my chosen family never disappoints because there’s no expectation and only good company. maybe David Choe.

Know any good restaurants?

Ho Lee Fook in HK, and ask the chef @thejowski if you need more recommendations.

What does Chinese food mean to you?

In Western traditions people order their own plates, but in Chinese meals you order to share. So Chinese food to me is about being with family, blood-related or not. If you’re lucky.