Small town Chinese eateries taste Aussie TV fame

SYDNEY－If variety is the spice of life, then Jennifer Wong's bustling existence is akin to a generous bowl of Mapo Tofu with extra chili sauce.

To push the food analogy a little further, the Chinese-Australian TV presenter, radio producer, podcaster and food enthusiast's career is like a yum cha banquet of creativity and she is tempted to try everything on the trolley.

"I started out as a freelancer, so it paid to be as adaptable as possible, but everything I do is about communicating and connecting with an audience," Wong says.

That unquenchable desire to share her thoughts has led to Wong doing stand-up comedy routines on stages big and small in major Australian cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Perth as well as at Scotland's renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She has also performed in Shanghai.

The topics she often explores are deeply personal, such as mental health and the hidden pitfalls of linguistic miscommunication, yet they strike a common chord and tickle the funny bones of audiences in far-flung destinations.

"My humor is about myself, my experiences; I never want to poke fun at anyone," she says. "I just talk about subjects that have meaning to me, and that will hopefully also resonate with an audience."

One subject dear to her heart is eating; in particular, Chinese cuisine with a distinctive Aussie influence. They are the sort of dishes where heaps of juicy battered prawns are bathed in honey or mouthful-sized portions of crunchy pork bask in their delectable sweet-and-sour sauce. For many Australians, they are dishes that tastefully evoke childhood memories of family celebrations at their local Chinese restaurant.

As such, it is no surprise that Wong's latest project, the six-part online program Chopsticks or Fork? has proved a winning recipe for national broadcaster, the Australia Broadcasting Corp.

The program, like much of what Wong does, deftly mixes diverse ingredients, such as a dash of travel show, as she and director Lin Jie Kong visit rural townships, and a generous dollop of cooking show as the duo sample the offerings at beloved restaurants.

"We wanted to celebrate Chinese restaurants and communities in regional Australia, because Chinese restaurants are such an integral part of Australian life. We wanted to share our curiosity about these institutions with viewers, who no doubt have their own favorite memories of Chinese restaurants," says Wong.

Along the way, Wong amiably chats to the hardworking chefs and their families to discover the how, why and when behind their businesses and their choice of locale in Australia. She also interviewed contented, loyal customers who, between bites, told her just what makes the local Chinese restaurant such a welcome part of their community.

A common feature of the restaurants is their longevity, with many of the family businesses spanning decades, as retiring chefs hand over their woks to the next generation to keep the spring rolls rolling merrily along.

So, did filming the series ever make Wong wish that she too could settle down and set up shop in a picturesque rural town?

"I loved all six places we visited in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory, and could definitely see myself spending a few months in each place," she says.

"But I love city life too much, and bookshops and cafes. And also the huge range of Chinese food you can get in Sydney, with cuisines from Chongqing to Xi'an, Shanghai to Yunnan. I would miss that too much."

Xinhua