Spatula Diplomacy

The story takes place in the international student dormitory at Maplewood University in Snow City. Gu Yishao, a computer science master's student, brings his grandfather's old apron and a saying: “When you're abroad, the wok's breath is your native tongue.” On his very first night, he sneaks into the communal kitchen to make mapo tofu. The aroma wafts through the building, setting off the fire alarm, but soon the whole dorm is following its nose: Emma, a food blogger who only wants chicken breast; Raj, a math fanatic who carries masala everywhere; Brad, a rugby player who thinks spicy food means barbecue sauce; Luca, an Italian exchange student convinced that “it isn't a dish without cheese”; and Mrs. Han, the dorm supervisor who goes everywhere with her ticket book. From mapo tofu to hot pot, from the case of the missing Lao Gan Ma to the cilantro wars, Gu Yishao uses a single wok to win everyone's appetite and pry open their cultural prejudices. Forty-minute time limits, fire alarms, and the strategic resource known as Lao Gan Ma make up the unique rules of survival at Maple Leaf Hall. On New Year's Eve, twenty people gather around the table to celebrate. Mrs. Han brings out the braised pork she's kept hidden for thirty years. On the other end of the video call, Grandpa says, “Start by making a pot of soup.” The taste of home needs no passport.