A Tale of Family, Food, and Political Change
Kit Fan's second novel, Goodbye Chinatown, centers on 22-year-old chef Amber Fan as she prepares to open her own restaurant, Luna, in London's Chinatown in late 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks. The story is an elegy to a fading era, as Amber's parents sell their family restaurant and return to Hong Kong, leaving behind a Chinatown increasingly bought up by mainland Chinese investors.
Amber, a talented chef, quickly gains fame with her innovative fusion cuisine, such as adding ginger to chicken broth—a departure from traditional Chinese cooking that nonetheless delights diners. Her success attracts the attention of Celeste Gao, a wealthy Shanghainese woman with possible ties to the Chinese Communist Party, who offers to invest in Luna and make Amber the "Asian Alain Ducasse."
Complex Family Dynamics and Historical Backdrop
The narrative spans from 2001 to 2020, driven by historical events: the 9/11 attacks, the global financial crisis, the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, and the introduction of the national security law in 2020. The story shifts between London, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, seen through the eyes of different family members. Amber's bond with her father is expressed through food, while her relationship with her younger brother Bobby forms the emotional core of the novel. Bobby, skeptical of Amber's equating food with love, becomes involved in the Hong Kong protest movement, adding poignancy to the family's farewell to both Chinatown and Hong Kong.
Ambivalence and Privilege
The novel maintains an appealing note of ambivalence throughout. Amber is both an outsider and privileged—having attended Marlborough College and Oxford University through somewhat devious means. The complexities of being a successful, ambitious immigrant are explored, including questions of loyalty to a country and culture left behind. While the prose occasionally feels clunky, Fan imbues the story with fire and flavor, making it a satisfying salute to a district, a city, and a world passing into history.
Goodbye Chinatown by Kit Fan is published by World Editions (£14.99).
