TikToks on Chinese American and British Chinese takeout foods

While defenders of Chinese American food criticize British Chinese food for their own forms of Westernization, such as the use of “chips” and “curry sauce”, they seemingly ignore the complex history American food has had with Westernization. While many state that debates between the two cuisines have nothing to do with authenticity and only superiority, critics must ask themselves, what aspects are being criticized as inferior compared to Chinese American food? Why are those aspects there in the first place? Beyond superiority, many aspects that define whether Chinese American food is even authentic have become blurred, with many Chinese American cooks disagreeing on true authentic egg foo young. By fully exploring how Chinese food has been and is represented in American culture, it can be seen that a superficial view of Chinese American as “better” than British Chinese food disregards not only the exoticism and racism embedded in American Chinese food culture, but also the real Chinese immigrants who made Chinese American dishes a reality.