Woks of Life

ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle, Simply Recipes
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Food & Wine, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, Delish, Epicurious

This is the story of a family as told through food. Judy, the mom, speaks to traditional Chinese dishes and cultural backstory. Bill, the dad, worked in his family’s Chinese restaurants and will walk you through how to make a glorious Cantonese Roast Duck. Daughters Sarah and Kaitlin have your vegetable-forward and one-dish recipes covered—put them all together and you have the first cookbook from the funny and poignant family behind the popular blog The Woks of Life.

In addition to recipes for Mini Char Siu Bao, Spicy Beef Biang Biang Noodles, Cantonese Pork Belly Fried Rice, and Salt-and-Pepper Fried Oyster Mushrooms, there are also helpful tips and tricks throughout, including an elaborate rundown of the Chinese pantry, explanations of essential tools (including the all-important wok), and insight on game-changing Chinese cooking secrets like how to “velvet” meat to make it extra tender and juicy.

Whether you’re new to Chinese cooking or if your pantry is always stocked with bean paste and chili oil, you’ll find lots of inspiration and trustworthy recipes that will become a part of your family story, too.

The Woks of Life includes Judy Leung, designated translator and culinary researcher; Bill Leung, who specializes in all things Cantonese and American Chinese takeout; Kaitlin Leung, younger daughter and master of sauces and condiments; and Sarah Leung, older daughter and photographer with a penchant for quick and easy recipes. Since its founding in 2013, The Woks of Life has become the #1 online resource for Chinese cooking in English, documenting generations of recipes for millions of home cooks. The Leungs have been featured in various media, including Magnolia Network’s Family Dinner with Andrew Zimmern, Lucky Chow on PBS, and Food Network digital series Family Meal, as well as Time, Good Morning America, Woman’s Day, Saveur, and The New York Times.