Behind every plate is a story. How or where it’s made, the cultural significance, and the connection to the people around us. Throughout history, food has not only been a necessity for survival, but to many, an art form, a way of life, and a medium to pass traditions down through generations. These stories provide us with a window into the past and can have the power to influence the cultural trends we see and experience in the present and future.

As a food scientist and avid home cook and baker, food has always been a consistent theme in both my personal and professional life. Food is my world — I’m wildly fascinated by so many aspects but have always craved to learn more about food traditions, culture, and the interconnectedness through people. I started Food Story Collective as a passion project to encourage storytelling through the medium of food. In an effort to preserve these stories and share them, this platform has been curated to openly share my own personal food stories along with cultures that I’ve learned through travels and some special people I’ve encountered along the way.

This idea originated from my own experiences within my family with an aspiration to touch a wider audience. Personally, I didn’t quite understand the cultural significance of some of the traditional foods I was eating during holidays or the Hong Kong-rooted dishes my mom would whip up every night for dinner while growing up. I wanted to learn more. Only then did I become curious, start asking questions, and I can tell you that even now I’m only beginning to scratch the surface.

With this, I hope you enjoying reading your way through this site, come across stories that you might relate to, or even inspire you to share your own personal stories within your families.

xx Chrissy