About

Nov, 2007

About Diana Kuan

I am a freelance writer who has contributed to The Boston Globe, Food & Wine, TimeOut New York, World Hum, That's Beijing, and Metro US. (See Published Writings archive.) In addition to writing I have also worked as a web editor and web content writer for a New York City non-profit.

Growing up 1) in a Chinese family and 2) with parents who ran a bakery naturally compelled me to become obsessed with food. After attending culinary school and working in a New York pastry kitchen, I realized my passion was in finding the stories behind the food we eat. Currently I am traveling, writing, and eating my way through China.

About Appetite for China

This website branched off from indietrekker.com, my other site focused on general travel. While entries prior to Nov 2007 can be found on both sites, food-specific posts dated after the beginning of November are exclusively on appetiteforchina.com.

Food in China can be difficult to sum up. In a country of 1.3 billion people, the culinary traditions, foods, and cooking styles are as diverse as the provinces that produce them. Cantonese, Sichuan, Hunan, and Yunnan styles barely scratch the surface of the foodscape of this incredibly complex country. And while I constantly encounter people who proudly carry on the local techniques of their ancestors, there are also chefs who are experimenting and blazing new paths in China's culinary culture.

I created Appetite for China as an outlet for my enthusiasm and curiosity for this country's numerous cuisines. Big city restaurants, provincial products, and cooking at home are just a few of the topics I cover. Hopefully this website will also be a resource for anyone visiting or living in China, or anyone just plain interested in learning about food and drink from this immense and dynamic country.