Literally cannot get enough of Lucas, his cooking mastery is only matched by his amazing knowledge of the history of the dishes he's making. A master in the making.
Cooking mastery? He literally threw some egg noodles in a pan, cooked it as a patty, then put it on a plate and dumped some shit on top. That chow mein does not look appetizing at all. Maybe it's the traditional way, but I don't care about tradition; I care about taste, and that does not look like a tasty chow mein dish.
Imagine not being able to appreciate a chef's obvious passion for history and the simplicity (and deliciousness) of a dish like hong kong style chow mein. Poor @Jack Hoff lmao
@@rayyiu4043 Dumping noodles in a frying pan then sprinkling some shit on top does not take skill. Even my 90 year old grandmother could make this dish. He might be a good chef when it comes to other things, but this chow mein dish is just sad and it's boring.
There's something really lovely about how he doesn't disparage the way chow mein has deviated from the traditional recipe, and instead celebrates the many delicious versions that have been developed.
I agree, I’m from the UK and Cantonese food merged with traditional English fish and chip take outs and became its own thing in the north of England. The dishes I grew up with might not be “authentic” but they are valid to me and some of my favourite food. English fish and chop style chips with orange chicken or “bbq” sauce or chair sui pork. Food evolves as people travel and those dishes tell the story of Cantonese people in working class northern English towns. Lucas has a great way in how he tells the story of the dish both exposing us to the original while not disparaging regional changes and in doing so bridges the gap narratively between them.
@@jamesoakley5742 to add, I’m also from the uk and my parents are from Hong Kong and own a takeaway in the north of England. The food they cook at the takeaway, typical American/English Chinese food, was the food I ate growing up and i would refer to it as Chinese food. I did also eat more traditional food like dim sum steamed fish etc but this was only if my parents had time or we went out to eat in Chinatown
It is a really cool thing, I think it's great that "American Style Chinese Food" has kinda become its own category, it's like by separating it from the original we are no longer beholden to all the tradition. This needs to happen to Italian food next, yes we get it that's not how you make it in Rome, you can also shut up and enjoy a delicious meal.
Yes thank God. The number of cooking channels of youtube where they speak about Western variations on Asian food as some kind of grave act of oppression is so irritating.
@@jamesoakley5742 wow fish and chips with orange chicken sauce or something like that? Going to have to remember that for if I'm ever in the north of England!
@@AllenHanPR so not just people then? what tells you he is white..? was this a white bashing comment because of the whole Netflix stereotype or what. Hopefully not.
That little tidbit about Edward Hopper’s famous painting “Chop Suey” is what sets Lucas Sin apart from the others when it comes to cooking and giving historical and cultural context to the food he makes. Super impressed with this guy.
Lucas DEFINITELY deserves celebrity more than Akwafina; he knows how to speak ( no word fillers: ah, yea...) + for a Hong Konger, his English is superior.
I always have mad respect for chefs who actually respect what diaspora have done and contributed to dishes and how cultural exchange or other cultures engagement with a cuisine shapes it. Too many times I see people like putting down diaspora food and its really sad to see.
Very true. If we don't have diversity, we would become "bland" peeps repeating the same stuff everyday. It's good to see variations on traditional cuisines.
I absolutely love how he talks about how Chinese dishes have evolved and branched out over time in different regions and the whole cross cultural connection between all of them
You, 受人尊敬的廚師, are a Genius. [I learned Chinese 60 years ago and still study it today - and I have had many opportunities to interact with Chinese people over the years.\ Your explanation of the dishes you presented are 'spot on!' They also explain a lot of history. Many thanks for your generosity.
im 5 minutes in and i can already tell this video isn't going to be long enough. lucas' knowledge and the way he conveys that knowledge to me is incredible and im basically hanging on every word (about a video on chow mein!). good stuff, more of the same please
As you should be! ❤ Chinese food has been and is the "gateway food" for so many Americans (me included). It was the first type of food I had as a kid that wasn't an American standard. I loved my fried rice and we all loved the family that made it for us, Walter and Amy Huang.
This chef is giving a history lesson about Chinese food while being humble and grateful to where Chinese food is today. Many communities in America has Chinese food in there traditions from Jewish people eating Chinese food on Christmas to Chinese takeout and mumbo sauce created for the Black community.
I know all about it. I grew up working in a Chinese take out as well - the long hard hours, little to no days off. As a kid, I hated going there after school instead of hanging out with friends or after school programs. But looking back, it gave our family a house and economic stability. My parents are luckily retired now, but if they still had to work, I’d be scared for their livelihoods. The pandemic has been brutal for all, especially those in the service and restaurant industry.
Very interesting to hear about the differences between east/west. I’m from the west coast and I’m familiar with the thick noodles. Mmh I want some now 😋
i've only had the east coast style and now i feel like i took it for granted haha. and so many american-style chinese restaurants have since closed and kind of gone out of style so i no longer know where to get that dish i once had many times during my childhood.
@@clee89 ya it’s hard to find someone who does it well. There was a place here in town that everyone loved and had been there for years but they switched owners and now it’s not the same :(. Hope we can all find a good place someday :)
Lucas is so cool, I love hearing about the history of chinese-american cuisine. He seriously needs to write a book or something. I can listen to him for hours.
By far one of the best cooking show hosts I've watched! Lots of hosts tend to blabber about whatever just to fill some silence and sometimes trip up on their own words that make it difficult to watch. Lucas just articulates so well, it's a real skill!
This was fascinating, and Lucas did an incredible job offering historical perspectives on the dish while explaining the steps to make his version. I'd watch a full-length documentary in this style any day!
As a Hong Kong born, now living in the UK, I too really appreciate Lucas and his videos. It's so good and so much better than most of the content I find on the same subject on RUclips. All the ingredients he is using, all the shape and sizes and cut of everything, is home to me.
Protect this guy - he is amazing storyteller and teacher. And as everybody says: we need more episode with him or his own show. Wouldn't also mind a cookbook with some stories from him at all.
Here in Indonesia, we usually deep fried the noodle, not just pan fried. For the topping, we put a kind of Chop Suey called Cap Cay (translated as 10 veggies)
Well, Indonesia has a lot of Chinese migrants who bring their delicious cuisine with them and even blend the dishes with local recipes / tastes. Thanks China!
Yes! The adapting skills, the tenacity to not lose the culture and the innovations. That’s so beautiful! Food is innovative and just because something isn’t “traditional” doesn’t make it worse or even bad - it’s different and delicious 🙏🏼
I’ve learned more about Chinese history, culinary technique, and general sociology in every second Chef Sin speaks than every year of my life. This guy is a star.
You know the instruction is top level when it makes you excited to prepare the dish yourself, I've checked and have everything except chives in the house already. Lunch tomorrow coming up.
Wow. I very much appreicated, not only the content of the lesson, but the confidence with which it was delivered. He has the knowledge and the skills to share it in a way that is very engaging.
Wow he turned chow mien into a masterclass. I feel this is such an overlooked dish and in North America, Chinese cooking is often a "cheap food" but this proves it doesn't always have to be and it can be so rich 😍
It's actually just in the US that the term came to refer to a different dish. The original meaning of chao mian/chow mein refers simply to stir-fried noodles that everyone is familiar with. The dish in this video, however, is not chao mian, but is actually "liangmian huang" (literally means "two sides yellow/golden", referring to how the noodles are fried on two sides until golden and crispy). For some reason the term chao mian morphed in the US and came to refer exclusively to liangmian huang while actual chao mian came to be called "lo mein" (lao mian in Mandarin; literally translated as "stirred noodles"), which is supposed to originally refer to an entirely dish altogether (basically a mixed noodle dish which is served with the sauce and toppings laid on top of the cooked noodles which are just boiled, not stir-fried, and you have to mix them all before eating. TL;DR Americans are bad at terminologies and decided to use them for the wrong things.
@@svyatoslavrurikovich8831 You may have completely missed Sin's point. The dish he makes is 100% chow mien - more than once he mentioned he's making chow mien Hong Kong style. If you order 'chow mien' in Hong Kong, the odds are you'll be served this crispy chow mien most of the time (albeit it can also be called 'double-sided yellow' as you put it correctly). Anyhow, his dish is surely called 'chow mien' in Hong Kong. Of course Americans may have no idea what chow mien looks like outside America, hence confused by the varieties yet having the same name 'chow mien'.
Literally my favorite dish ever. I appreciate the history because it makes sense that I only get the one I love in Chinatown. Any other restaurant I order chow mein from its thick noodles that are not crispy or they give me these weird crunchy things with the stirfry sauce. Yum!
I love all of the videos Lucas has been in. He’s insanely knowledgeable about food history. I grew up working in Chinese American restaurants and am familiar with the dishes and techniques, but had little knowledge of the history of how they came to be. When I first learned of his restaurant menu and concept, I thought it was just another white washed take on Chinese food without soul or nuance. But knowing he’s behind the menu, I think I can say I was wrong.
Also, because of the Chinese exclusion act of 1882, the only Chinese people who could gain legal entrance and residency to the US were people who performed services (food or laundry labor) were on work contract (cookie laborers) or merchants (people with money) that’s why there are so many chinese restaurants and laundromats and grocery stores. it was the only way to keep from being deported or becoming undocumented and in fact a lot of chinese restaurants became the loophole for Chinese immigrants to gain legal entry to the US. so like yeah there were tons of people who “didn’t know how to cook” who worked Chinese American kitchens, sure as hell beat being a coolie and doing back breaking dangerous labor
Super enjoyed watching someone that is a foodie and passionate about not only the food but the historical context of the food and why it is that way. Thank you
But he doesn't use any soy sauce. How can it be chow mein? Surely, it's better with soy sauce. Sorry, but I don't get it. I know he's knowledgeable etc but I don't see Chinese people doing it this way.
@@ryand141 he's doing it the way you find it in Hong Kong restaurants. Maybe if you listened to what he's saying you'll learn that there are regional variations. His cooking here is absolutely authentic.
What an absolute historian, and master of his craft. This young man is super compelling. He does it without a chip on his shoulder, or disdain, like the majority of the munchies chefs.
The way he pronounced "chow mien" in Cantonese leads me to believe he probably grew up in Hong Kong when he was younger. He definitely deserves his own show. He's very talented, articulate, and proud of his culture.
Awesome video. I doubt I'm alone in saying that Chef Lucas is a badass that needs his own show/documentary series about Chinese cuisine, especially Chinese-American cuisine. His culinary skill and history lesson here was a joy to watch.
China’s chowmein definitely had a huge impact on Nepals food culture. Every single Nepali restaurants sells chowmein and every household knows how to cook it. It does differ from person who cooks it but nonetheless chowmein has become a comfort food for the Nepali’s.
Many many moons ago my friends Stevey Lu told me to try the seafood noodle from the new chef from China cooking at the Tropicana in AC. I have spent the rest of my life perfecting that dish and it is done with such similar techniques. It’s my favorite thing in the world to eat.
Omg, I grew up eating Hong Kong style chow mein in NorCal. I moved to the south and did know how to get what I was used to. Thank you I learned so much. I miss the pan fried noodles this way. They don’t cook them this way where I live now. I say pan fried and get the very crispy brown noodles. Ohhh the memories watching your pan fry. I miss pan fried noodles this way.
What restaurants did you get this dish at? I'm new to NorCal and have been seeking it but when I order I end up with deep fried crispy noodles that are too big. I'd love to find this. I My uncle used to make these noodles and he has since passed away.
Right before he adds the pork, you see him rest the chopsticks in the oil. A great visual cue to know when the oil is hot enough is you will see small bubbles around the chopsticks.
Knowledge is POWER! thank you brother for sharing your amazing knowledge and experience with us all. Being SE asian, i thank you for being able share the culture on a massive platform representing us all 🙏🙏🙏🇰🇭
In my town the Canton restaurant has a sign. "Notice to tourists: Our chow mein is cabbage." It doesnt have noodles. It is just cabbage and maybe a piece of brocolli or carrot.
For anyone that haven’t had this dish before, the texture is like super interesting. Cuz the noodles are pan fried it is partially crunchy, but with the sauce some of it becomes soft, while the insides still retain the bounciness of noodles, great mouthfeel.
Literally cannot get enough of Lucas, his cooking mastery is only matched by his amazing knowledge of the history of the dishes he's making. A master in the making.
Like Martin Yang back in the day.
Cooking mastery? He literally threw some egg noodles in a pan, cooked it as a patty, then put it on a plate and dumped some shit on top. That chow mein does not look appetizing at all. Maybe it's the traditional way, but I don't care about tradition; I care about taste, and that does not look like a tasty chow mein dish.
Imagine not being able to appreciate a chef's obvious passion for history and the simplicity (and deliciousness) of a dish like hong kong style chow mein. Poor @Jack Hoff lmao
@@jackhoff3910 no it looks good
@@rayyiu4043 Dumping noodles in a frying pan then sprinkling some shit on top does not take skill. Even my 90 year old grandmother could make this dish. He might be a good chef when it comes to other things, but this chow mein dish is just sad and it's boring.
There's something really lovely about how he doesn't disparage the way chow mein has deviated from the traditional recipe, and instead celebrates the many delicious versions that have been developed.
I agree, I’m from the UK and Cantonese food merged with traditional English fish and chip take outs and became its own thing in the north of England.
The dishes I grew up with might not be “authentic” but they are valid to me and some of my favourite food. English fish and chop style chips with orange chicken or “bbq” sauce or chair sui pork. Food evolves as people travel and those dishes tell the story of Cantonese people in working class northern English towns.
Lucas has a great way in how he tells the story of the dish both exposing us to the original while not disparaging regional changes and in doing so bridges the gap narratively between them.
@@jamesoakley5742 to add, I’m also from the uk and my parents are from Hong Kong and own a takeaway in the north of England. The food they cook at the takeaway, typical American/English Chinese food, was the food I ate growing up and i would refer to it as Chinese food. I did also eat more traditional food like dim sum steamed fish etc but this was only if my parents had time or we went out to eat in Chinatown
It is a really cool thing, I think it's great that "American Style Chinese Food" has kinda become its own category, it's like by separating it from the original we are no longer beholden to all the tradition. This needs to happen to Italian food next, yes we get it that's not how you make it in Rome, you can also shut up and enjoy a delicious meal.
Yes thank God. The number of cooking channels of youtube where they speak about Western variations on Asian food as some kind of grave act of oppression is so irritating.
@@jamesoakley5742 wow fish and chips with orange chicken sauce or something like that? Going to have to remember that for if I'm ever in the north of England!
Somebody get this guy a netflix documentary. I'd watch that all day.
Netflix production is the worst
O
Love seeing white people appreciate us.
@@AllenHanPR so not just people then? what tells you he is white..? was this a white bashing comment because of the whole Netflix stereotype or what. Hopefully not.
Agree.
That little tidbit about Edward Hopper’s famous painting “Chop Suey” is what sets Lucas Sin apart from the others when it comes to cooking and giving historical and cultural context to the food he makes. Super impressed with this guy.
This guy needs to be more everywhere than he is now. What an excellent teacher. Make this man famous, Internet!
Right?! Thought i was watching Discovery/History channel, I was more amazed by the knowledge of chow mein and Chinese-American cuisine
Netflix Ugly Delicious move over! Give this guy a contract! 💗
He’s awesome and all the ladies will love him
Lucas DEFINITELY deserves celebrity more than Akwafina; he knows how to speak ( no word fillers: ah, yea...)
+ for a Hong Konger, his English is superior.
When the history lesson is just as good as the cooking.
Dude exactly! What a dope combo!
It would be better if it was accurate.
@@TheDougNutz what wasn’t accurate?
@@TheDougNutz Thank you. Read my main thread comment.
@@junethanoschurchill6750 see my main thread comment
I wish this was an hour long I can watch and listen to this guy all day
Netflix has some good documentaries on Chinese American food.
This guy is SO knowledgeable, easy to listen to, and charming. I hope to see more videos on Chinese food history/recipes with him!
For people like me who had terrible listening skill even with my first language, I can still pretty much understand everything he said in one-go.
I always have mad respect for chefs who actually respect what diaspora have done and contributed to dishes and how cultural exchange or other cultures engagement with a cuisine shapes it. Too many times I see people like putting down diaspora food and its really sad to see.
Very true. If we don't have diversity, we would become "bland" peeps repeating the same stuff everyday. It's good to see variations on traditional cuisines.
If you haven’t seen the documentary The Search for General Tso I highly recommend it. And I agree with your post, well said.
Perfectly stated!
amazing comment 💯
I absolutely love how he talks about how Chinese dishes have evolved and branched out over time in different regions and the whole cross cultural connection between all of them
You, 受人尊敬的廚師, are a Genius. [I learned Chinese 60 years ago and still study it today - and I have had many opportunities to interact with Chinese people over the years.\ Your explanation of the dishes you presented are 'spot on!' They also explain a lot of history. Many thanks for your generosity.
Sir you wrote in traditional chinese, well done
you're a badass
im 5 minutes in and i can already tell this video isn't going to be long enough. lucas' knowledge and the way he conveys that knowledge to me is incredible and im basically hanging on every word (about a video on chow mein!). good stuff, more of the same please
Loving these history bits, it's nice over the last 5+ years to finally take pride in what my family did with what they did in their restaurant
As you should be! ❤ Chinese food has been and is the "gateway food" for so many Americans (me included). It was the first type of food I had as a kid that wasn't an American standard. I loved my fried rice and we all loved the family that made it for us, Walter and Amy Huang.
This chef is giving a history lesson about Chinese food while being humble and grateful to where Chinese food is today. Many communities in America has Chinese food in there traditions from Jewish people eating Chinese food on Christmas to Chinese takeout and mumbo sauce created for the Black community.
I know all about it. I grew up working in a Chinese take out as well - the long hard hours, little to no days off. As a kid, I hated going there after school instead of hanging out with friends or after school programs. But looking back, it gave our family a house and economic stability. My parents are luckily retired now, but if they still had to work, I’d be scared for their livelihoods. The pandemic has been brutal for all, especially those in the service and restaurant industry.
Same with mine
That's awesome, I would love to come visit your family's restaurant or their home for a nice meal. Cheers friend
Love this dude. Best host in a long time for sure. Man knows his Chinese and American food history well, makes for a great watch.
Very interesting to hear about the differences between east/west. I’m from the west coast and I’m familiar with the thick noodles. Mmh I want some now 😋
i've only had the east coast style and now i feel like i took it for granted haha. and so many american-style chinese restaurants have since closed and kind of gone out of style so i no longer know where to get that dish i once had many times during my childhood.
@@clee89 ya it’s hard to find someone who does it well. There was a place here in town that everyone loved and had been there for years but they switched owners and now it’s not the same :(. Hope we can all find a good place someday :)
I'll give you a thick noddle n'amsayin
East coast style most times don't even come with noodles. It blows my mind how that became a thing
This guy, Lucas Sin, is so good! Love this series too - there's always an incredible history behind the foods we eat
As an American living in Hong Kong, his storytelling is on point. Keep posting. - Asian Food Nerd
This is a history lesson, cooking tutorial, and ASMR all rolled into one
Excelent video
Give the man his own show already!
Lucas is so cool, I love hearing about the history of chinese-american cuisine. He seriously needs to write a book or something. I can listen to him for hours.
I think Lucas Sin is bound for big things - amazingly knowledgeable with a beautiful pace to his chat
Munchies, this is phenomenal. More of Lucas please. Incredibly knowledgeable and skillful and a fantastic presenter.
Wow! Never would I‘ve expected to hear about the origin of Hoppers paintings in a cooking show. Lucas Sin is a very knowledgable man and a great chef!
By far one of the best cooking show hosts I've watched! Lots of hosts tend to blabber about whatever just to fill some silence and sometimes trip up on their own words that make it difficult to watch. Lucas just articulates so well, it's a real skill!
This was fascinating, and Lucas did an incredible job offering historical perspectives on the dish while explaining the steps to make his version. I'd watch a full-length documentary in this style any day!
Lucas is a king. Please keep this show. This is so important and crucial to educating folks.
I love how engaging Lucas is whenever he talks about food; he talks about the name, ingredients, history 🤩 always fun to watch
I feel like this man wrote a thesis on food at some point, he uses some big words lol and its like non stop knowledge I love it!
As a Hong Kong born, now living in the UK, I too really appreciate Lucas and his videos. It's so good and so much better than most of the content I find on the same subject on RUclips. All the ingredients he is using, all the shape and sizes and cut of everything, is home to me.
Yes ! He is a historian and a chef all mixed up into one. Amazing !
I'm so interested in what this cutie is saying that I'll need to watch it again to see what he's cooking! Lol.
Protect this guy - he is amazing storyteller and teacher. And as everybody says: we need more episode with him or his own show. Wouldn't also mind a cookbook with some stories from him at all.
Here in Indonesia, we usually deep fried the noodle, not just pan fried. For the topping, we put a kind of Chop Suey called Cap Cay (translated as 10 veggies)
Well, Indonesia has a lot of Chinese migrants who bring their delicious cuisine with them and even blend the dishes with local recipes / tastes. Thanks China!
@@HiddenAgendas hell yeah! Chinese cuisines and its derivative are the best!
The texture would be completely different than the results of the method in the video.
Do you guys use pork shoulder too?
@@jonathanng138 non-halal ones, obviously. The halal ones most of the time substitute it with beef.
I would watch an entire series of Lucas just talking about Chinese food. He’s the best!!!
This guy is just amazing. He needs his own show.
This guy is so knowledgeable. I never knew I had an interest in food history before I started watching him.
love the amount of knowledge Lucas has, both background history of the dish and its evolutions. that is true food mastery
Yes! The adapting skills, the tenacity to not lose the culture and the innovations. That’s so beautiful! Food is innovative and just because something isn’t “traditional” doesn’t make it worse or even bad - it’s different and delicious 🙏🏼
“Cold tea” is also a boston tradition, you could get beer at the Chinese restaurants after hours when all bars were closed
I’ve learned more about Chinese history, culinary technique, and general sociology in every second Chef Sin speaks than every year of my life. This guy is a star.
What an excellent presentation of history and cooking. Munchies, bring this person back as much as possible.
You know the instruction is top level when it makes you excited to prepare the dish yourself, I've checked and have everything except chives in the house already.
Lunch tomorrow coming up.
Wow. I very much appreicated, not only the content of the lesson, but the confidence with which it was delivered. He has the knowledge and the skills to share it in a way that is very engaging.
Wow he turned chow mien into a masterclass. I feel this is such an overlooked dish and in North America, Chinese cooking is often a "cheap food" but this proves it doesn't always have to be and it can be so rich 😍
Chowmein in India means a totally different dish. Hats off to the Chinese influence in dishes all around the world. ❤️❤️
Its the sane stir fried noodles
It's actually just in the US that the term came to refer to a different dish. The original meaning of chao mian/chow mein refers simply to stir-fried noodles that everyone is familiar with. The dish in this video, however, is not chao mian, but is actually "liangmian huang" (literally means "two sides yellow/golden", referring to how the noodles are fried on two sides until golden and crispy). For some reason the term chao mian morphed in the US and came to refer exclusively to liangmian huang while actual chao mian came to be called "lo mein" (lao mian in Mandarin; literally translated as "stirred noodles"), which is supposed to originally refer to an entirely dish altogether (basically a mixed noodle dish which is served with the sauce and toppings laid on top of the cooked noodles which are just boiled, not stir-fried, and you have to mix them all before eating.
TL;DR Americans are bad at terminologies and decided to use them for the wrong things.
@@svyatoslavrurikovich8831 you mean chinese americans? unless you seriously think white people were coming up with names for chinese restaurants
@@booates Chinese-Americans are Americans are they not? Or are you suggesting they are somehow second-class citizens?
@@svyatoslavrurikovich8831 You may have completely missed Sin's point. The dish he makes is 100% chow mien - more than once he mentioned he's making chow mien Hong Kong style. If you order 'chow mien' in Hong Kong, the odds are you'll be served this crispy chow mien most of the time (albeit it can also be called 'double-sided yellow' as you put it correctly). Anyhow, his dish is surely called 'chow mien' in Hong Kong. Of course Americans may have no idea what chow mien looks like outside America, hence confused by the varieties yet having the same name 'chow mien'.
I really like hearing about that food history!
Thank you, Munchies, for giving these charismatic food-historian-chefs a platform to share this knowledge.
Chef Sin is a fascinating history teacher too. I would attend his lectures everyday. He can cook and talk at the same time.
This series is incredible. Some of the best stuff I've seen on Munchies in years.
I just love how Lucas Sin explains the history of the dishes he cooks.
What an amazing story teller!
It's obvious this guy loves what he does. And he doesn't talk down to you, he makes everything super accessible.
Literally my favorite dish ever. I appreciate the history because it makes sense that I only get the one I love in Chinatown. Any other restaurant I order chow mein from its thick noodles that are not crispy or they give me these weird crunchy things with the stirfry sauce. Yum!
I like how we get both a History and a Cooking lesson at the same time. This guy is great.
I love all of the videos Lucas has been in. He’s insanely knowledgeable about food history. I grew up working in Chinese American restaurants and am familiar with the dishes and techniques, but had little knowledge of the history of how they came to be. When I first learned of his restaurant menu and concept, I thought it was just another white washed take on Chinese food without soul or nuance. But knowing he’s behind the menu, I think I can say I was wrong.
A celebration in survival
LOVE all the history and cultural stuff Lucas brings!!!
This guy is very, very good at explaining food. Possibly the best I've ever seen.
I like this new series “why we eat” well done vice
Also, because of the Chinese exclusion act of 1882, the only Chinese people who could gain legal entrance and residency to the US were people who performed services (food or laundry labor) were on work contract (cookie laborers) or merchants (people with money)
that’s why there are so many chinese restaurants and laundromats and grocery stores. it was the only way to keep from being deported or becoming undocumented
and in fact a lot of chinese restaurants became the loophole for Chinese immigrants to gain legal entry to the US.
so like yeah there were tons of people who “didn’t know how to cook” who worked Chinese American kitchens, sure as hell beat being a coolie and doing back breaking dangerous labor
Super enjoyed watching someone that is a foodie and passionate about not only the food but the historical context of the food and why it is that way. Thank you
Lovin' this series, the chef's historical and cooking knowledge is fascinating
OMG who is this guy - Munchies please give this guy his own series - he's the ultimate dream host for the perfect dinner party
MOAR LUCAS VIDEOS!!! ❤
The style of chow mein Lucas makes in this video is the kind I grew up eating. Just like Gramma's chow mein!
But he doesn't use any soy sauce. How can it be chow mein? Surely, it's better with soy sauce. Sorry, but I don't get it. I know he's knowledgeable etc but I don't see Chinese people doing it this way.
@@ryand141 he's doing it the way you find it in Hong Kong restaurants. Maybe if you listened to what he's saying you'll learn that there are regional variations. His cooking here is absolutely authentic.
What an absolute historian, and master of his craft. This young man is super compelling. He does it without a chip on his shoulder, or disdain, like the majority of the munchies chefs.
The way he pronounced "chow mien" in Cantonese leads me to believe he probably grew up in Hong Kong when he was younger. He definitely deserves his own show. He's very talented, articulate, and proud of his culture.
HK is his birth city.
Wow. I love it when chefs show off, not only their cooking skills, but the amazing history and knowledge behind their dishes. Great content!!!
MORE LUCAS VIDEO! HE NEEDS HIS OWN SHOW!!!!
I’m glad to have discovered this channel. I love cooking shows that seamlessly add food history.
This series is amazing! Lucas is so incredibly knowledgeable and a fantastic host. Keep making these!
The information is phenomenal. I spend soooo much time deciphering this info to people.
Love the history lesson! He's a great food communicator.
I love him and his explanation of Chinese food and its history. MOAR PLEASE!
How do we get more of Lucas? This guy is brilliant. Educational and fun to watch!
Lucas is a pleasure to watch and listen to. His food looks delicious, and his narrative is so interesting. Please post more of his videos.
This is THE quintessential Cantonese dish for sunday tea-house family lunch, aka yum cha (飲茶)
N yum cha need to serve with other dish call yum mee...
@@mulkanmulkan5620 i also like to serve mi cok along with both of those dishes
What is this dish called in Cantonese Chinese?
@@violetviolet888 濕炒肉絲麵, “wet” stir-fried noodles with shredded pork
@@darthcoward Thanks, how do you pronounce it in Chinese phonetically in English?
More of Lucas Sin! I'm learning so much.
Now THIS is good content. Good job, Munchies.
Every new video of Lucas Sins' I watch, the more I adore him! Charm, intelligence and passion in his work.
Love this content, getting a little tidbits of food and cultural history in this is really interesting and gets me going on research rabbit holes!
Awesome video. I doubt I'm alone in saying that Chef Lucas is a badass that needs his own show/documentary series about Chinese cuisine, especially Chinese-American cuisine. His culinary skill and history lesson here was a joy to watch.
The view count to like ratio just shows how good this video is
I like him, he cooks with passion and care. Gives a very positive vibe ❤️
Chow Mein has always been my favorite food. This was some awesome history. 😁
Food is history, culture, an experience, evolution, and window into people's soul.
Absolutely.
China’s chowmein definitely had a huge impact on Nepals food culture. Every single Nepali restaurants sells chowmein and every household knows how to cook it. It does differ from person who cooks it but nonetheless chowmein has become a comfort food for the Nepali’s.
India too. And also momo/dumpling, its become almost like native food.
I love how American-Chinese food is different in all the regions of the USA, just like in China.
Many many moons ago my friends Stevey Lu told me to try the seafood noodle from the new chef from China cooking at the Tropicana in AC. I have spent the rest of my life perfecting that dish and it is done with such similar techniques. It’s my favorite thing in the world to eat.
Omg, I grew up eating Hong Kong style chow mein in NorCal. I moved to the south and did know how to get what I was used to. Thank you I learned so much. I miss the pan fried noodles this way. They don’t cook them this way where I live now. I say pan fried and get the very crispy brown noodles. Ohhh the memories watching your pan fry. I miss pan fried noodles this way.
What restaurants did you get this dish at? I'm new to NorCal and have been seeking it but when I order I end up with deep fried crispy noodles that are too big. I'd love to find this. I My uncle used to make these noodles and he has since passed away.
Right before he adds the pork, you see him rest the chopsticks in the oil. A great visual cue to know when the oil is hot enough is you will see small bubbles around the chopsticks.
I'm from HK and it's a common skill your nan or mum teach you when you walk into the kitchen haha
Wow I was just about to comment and ask about this, but you answered it before I even had to. Thank you!
I'm a simple person, I see Lucas and their fascinating history explanations and I like
Love the Chinese American history here!!! Also, best when the sauce sits on it for a minute!
The pen by the ear is the stamp of authenticity, greetings from Malaysia where i am also a Chinese descendant.
This dude is an eloquent and engaging speaker.
This guys keeps me BEYOND interested in whatever he's teaching. Knowledge just pours out of this guy
Yayy! Lucas is back!
Knowledge is POWER! thank you brother for sharing your amazing knowledge and experience with us all. Being SE asian, i thank you for being able share the culture on a massive platform representing us all 🙏🙏🙏🇰🇭
In my town the Canton restaurant has a sign.
"Notice to tourists: Our chow mein is cabbage."
It doesnt have noodles. It is just cabbage and maybe a piece of brocolli or carrot.
For anyone that haven’t had this dish before, the texture is like super interesting. Cuz the noodles are pan fried it is partially crunchy, but with the sauce some of it becomes soft, while the insides still retain the bounciness of noodles, great mouthfeel.
Love to know all the history about the dishes. He is really good at this.
He is an adorable educator! He needs his own show please.