Childhood memories of Hong Kong are a big source of inspiration for Canadian illustrator Kitty Wong. Her series of infographics on the Hong Kong food scene, for instance, have titles such as Let’s go Cha Chaan Teng , Let’s go Street Food and Let’s go Asian Bakery . For Hongkongers they inspire nostalgia.
“I like to be inspired by this kind of nostalgic feeling,” Wong says, recalling visits with her mother to cha chaan teng – Hong Kong-style tea cafes – for tea and snacks. Some of her art – including colourful paintings, illustrations and sketches – is on show in “Hong Kong Baby Girl” at Young Soy Gallery in Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island, until August 25. Traditional Hong Kong food was not the original focus of Wong’s art.
She started drawing street food on a visit to New York several years ago. “But after I drew bagels, hot dogs, pretzels, then I was, like, OK, there’s nothing else I can draw,” she says Hong Kong food culture, on the other hand, is more diverse and has been influenced by cultures from around the world thanks to its location and past as a British colony and trading port. Wong’s Instagram page has videos explaining the history behind Hong Kong culinary favourites, such as macaroni in broth, Hong Kong-style French toast and borscht.
Hong Kong-style French toast was dreamed up by Hong Kong chefs as they tried to recreate a fancy item served in hotels at dai pai dong – street food stalls – using more affordable ingredients, he.