This metal object is a wok, or a bowl-shaped pan used to cook Chinese food. What dishes can you cook with it? If I asked my dad, he would respond with, "It cooks everything!", but it makes steamed fish, lo mein, peking style pork, fried rice (my favorite), broccoli, and more. My dad was the owner and chef at his family restaurant in Chinatown called, "Natural Restaurant." I can't recall how it looked like, but I vividly remember the delicious food I ate. My most significant memory relating to the wok were family dinners. When my dad was not busy, he would set out plates of saucy noodles and bean sprouts made swiftly by him with the wok. When late restaurant hours ended and the metal gate was pulled down, we would sit at a table near the back, eat, and talk. I cherished those times because they were moments when my parents could forget about their rigid schedules and joke around with me and my sister. Although the restaurant closed years ago when I was young, I still am lucky to be able to enjoy dinners like those today. My dad bought the same wok he used at the restaurant to cook at home. Every weekend, we would request dishes for my dad to cook and then we would eat and talk during dinner. Now, the experience is even better because my younger sister and brother has joined the table. Chinese food is a huge part of my childhood and a wok is the best representation of it. It tells the story of the food I love and the restaurant that once lived. 

– Stella Ma

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant