How a Popular NYC Restaurant is Reimagining Cantonese American Food | NYT Cooking

The mom’s “pretty good”… I felt that.

Mom saying it’s okay is the highest compliment you’ll get. I don’t think they necessarily want their kids to be doctors and lawyers, they just want their kids to have an easier and better life than they did.

True Cantonese American experience... mom of course calls son's great new dish "OK"... "Not bad" and then when speaking to interviewer praises her son. 🤣🤣

I feel like I could watch an entire TV show about these guys. Lot of personality and heart in this.

I don't know if this was intentional, but muffling his mom at 7:54 when she continues on about how getting a certain type of job is better than having to do restaurant work is A+ classic Chinese-American experience 👌

For someone who also grew up in NY's Chinatown in the 90s, you guys make me really proud and I'm happy for NYT to do a feature on you guys. My grandma still lives in Chinatown at 93 years old but I'm slowly seeing the neighborhood change especially after the older generation passing away. New places like this opened by people who truly represent the neighborhood still give me hope that Chinatown is here to stay and will continue to thrive. I also met Cory the first time i visited Potluck and he was a super chill guy. Wish you guys all the best and success.

So thankful to hear Cantonese in a mainstream setting. Other than Netflix's 1899 and the odd Westworld episode where they showed early railroad workers, it's a language quickly disappearing or ignored. Fully support the Cantonese language, what most Chinese Americans spoke in the 20th century, Bruce Lee spoke it!

I love how the restaurant sources their ingredients and produce from the local Chinatown, local businesses supporting each other. I feel proud as a local NYC Cantonese American. He's right, if Chinese Americans in their 20s-30s are not making an effort to continue the tradition or take over for the aging Chinese food business owners, NYC Chinatown would not be able to keep thriving to its full potential. Businesses, customers, tourists, and local foot traffic keep NYC Chinatown alive and safe for years to come.

As a first generation Cantonese-American, it's incredible how quick and easy it is to lose/forget our culture. I spent my youth trying to assimilate and disregarded my heritage. Now that I'm a little older, I'm in a similar situation trying to learn and retain everything from my relatives and elders. Just thankful that I can still speak Canto. Keep up the great work. We need more people like you. In the words of the great Jin, learn Chinese!

The way his mom withheld judgement...I felt those nerves. LOL!

I was so moved by what the young men had to say about Chinatown in Manhattan. It is a place that so many of us hold dear in our hearts so it is incredibly heartening to see how the next generation respects the past while innovating for the future. Your restaurant is on my bucket list now!

the soul of Cantonese cooking lies in the Wok Hei (breath of the wok).

I love the, "Told you" at 7:49! Also, having an Asian mom tell you your food is tasty is basically like winning a Michelin star

The common thread among all marginalized communities in America is the struggle to keep their culture, customs, traditions, and communities thriving in the face of gentrification and homogenization. Much love to Cory and Nathan for their dedication to keeping their ancestor's dreams alive in this ever-changing world.

These guys are amazing!!! They saw and understood the hard work, challenges and sacrifices that immigrant parents had to make to provide a better life for us first gen Americans. They honored their culture while adapting to American lifestyle to create this beautiful thing. All to make life easier for the next generation and pay homage to their parents at the same time. Truly an amazing story, love this!!!

I live in Hong Kong, and the way they re-designed the style is so refreshing! It's definitely still the same food, but inteprreted in a different lens. Some might call it "more boogie" but I think it's a form of "Asian futurism" - this is what Asian food would have looked like when it gets to tell its own story, rather than being contrained within the history of colonialism.

I’m not your mom or grandma but I’m so so so proud of you guys!!! Immigrant kid, arrived in the early 60s with family and settled in Chicago. Recalled visiting NYC Chinatown relatives during the 70s! What a vibrant community then! Glad you’re bringing back some of that vibes!!! Great video! Great Job!!! Looking forward to dropping in ….

When his mom says "mmm chaw" that's the typical Chinese parent way of giving approval. It's not "wow this is great" but it's "just ok" 😂

I love how these boys work really hard to preserve their culture along with language and food in NY and encourage and inspire others to do the same. That's very touching and commendable.

Love that these men are advocating for the OG Chinatowns we grew up in