The Search for General Tso
VIEW EVENT DETAILSAsia Society Culinary Culture Series
Evening Documentary Screening and Conversation with ANITA LO, chef and owner of Annisa, and S. ALICE MONG, Executive Director, Asia Society Hong Kong Center
Drinks Reception 6:30pm;
Screening 7:00pm;
Conversation 8:10pm;
Close 8:30pm
(The Search for General Tso, 2014, Dir: Ian Cheney, 71 min, English)
This mouthwateringly entertaining film travels the globe to unravel a captivating culinary mystery. General Tso’s chicken is a staple of Chinese-American cooking, and a ubiquitous presence on restaurant menus across the country. But just who was General Tso? And how did his chicken become emblematic of an entire national cuisine? Director Ian Cheney (King Corn, The City Dark) journeys from Shanghai to New York to the American Midwest and beyond to uncover the origins of this iconic dish, turning up surprising revelations and a host of humorous characters along the way. Told with the verve of a good detective story, The Search for General Tso is as much about food as it is a tale of the American immigrant experience. A Sundance Selects release from IFC Films.
Anita Lo, chef and owner of Annisa in New York City, is one of the most respected chefs in the country, earning numerous accolades for her inventive contemporary American cuisine that reflects her multicultural upbringing and classic French training. Lo, a first generation Chinese-American, grew up with her family in Birmingham, Michigan and fostered an interest in food at a young age. While earning a degree in French language at Columbia University, she studied at Reid Hall—Columbia's French language institute in Paris. She fell in love with the food culture and vowed to return. In October 2011, Lo released her long-awaited first cookbook, which highlights her passion for bringing multicultural flavors to her American kitchen. Her recipes celebrate the best flavors and ingredients from around the world at a time when access to international ingredients is greater than ever before. In October 2015, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama invited Lo to the White House as the guest chef for the state dinner honoring Chinese President Xi Jingping. Lo is the first female chef asked to collaborate with the White House chefs on a state dinner.
S. Alice Mong became the Executive Director of Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK) in August of 2012. Prior to returning to Hong Kong, Ms. Mong was the Director of the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), overseeing the entire expansion project of the 30-year-old organization. Ms. Mong stepped down as the Director of MOCA in July 2011 after successfully transforming the museum from a New York Chinatown institution to become the leading national museum, dedicated to preserving the history and culture of Chinese people to the descendants born and raised in the United States. Ms. Mong also served as the Executive Director for the Committee of 100, a non-profit membership organization formed by a group of distinguished Chinese-American professionals. The organization was founded by the world-class architect I.M. Pei and an internationally famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
Event Details
Asia Society Hong Kong Center, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty