Bao Family

Bao and dumplings of all varieties are everywhere. Formerly eaten mostly in restaurants, people are increasingly making them at home - they're fun to make, look good enough to post on social media, and are perfect finger food for a crowd. In this hugely original book, we're introduced to the family members behind the Bao restaurants in Paris, led by Céline Chung. Just the right combination of talent and energy was needed to reinvent Chinese restaurants in Paris. It also required the boldness to face the most appalling stereotypes head on. Céline Chung brings all this to the table as well as one more special ingredient: her bicultural identity. Born in Paris, but originally from Wenzhou (south of Shanghai) she perfectly embodies the global citizen 2.0. The recipes in the book reflect those in the restaurants - relaxed, modern and accessible and conveyed with a playful approach. It's also more than just bao, with recipes for breakfast, soups, noodles, mains, rice and desserts. With a design that means it's as at home on a coffee table as in the kitchen, it's full of both familiar and lesser known recipes. Many recipes are very easy, dispelling preconceived ideas about Chinese cuisine, or rather Chinese cuisines.