Page 8 - Bonhams Los Angelis Asian Works of Art December 15 to 16 2020

Cecilia Chiang (1920-2020),
‘The Mother of Chinese Food in America’

Cecilia Chiang was born Jiang Sun Yun on September 18, 1920 The Mandarin brought an unprecedented level of sophistication to
in Jiangsu, China. She was raised in Beijing as the tenth of twelve Chinese-American fare and introduced the American palette to au
children. Growing up, she was given the nickname as the “seventh thentic flavors and presentations, with over 300 items on the menu.
daughter”, a name she would later use as a title for her memoir. Raised Soon, the restaurant became a phenomenon, attracting luminaries
in a wealthy family, Cecilia enjoyed elaborately prepared meals by the and celebrities such as Alice Waters, James Beard, and John Lennon.
family’s two classically trained cooks---a1n experience which laid the Following this success, in 1968 the Mandarin moved into a 300-seat
foundation for her unparalleled understanding of Chinese cuisine. restaurant space in Ghirardelli square. This second iteration would
The family’s good fortunes quickly changed after the Japanese be even more elaborate and upscale than the last, further cementing
occupation of Beijing in 1939. In 1942, Cecilia and her sister were Cecilia’s place as an American culinary icon. In 1975, She opened
forced to flee Japanese invasion on foot and walked for nearly six a second Mandarin in Beverly Hills with her son Philip Chiang. This
months to safety in Chongqing. While living in Chongqing, she met her would later become the model for P.F Chang’s, which Phillip founded
future husband Chiang Liang and in 1949 the couple settled in Tokyo with Paul Fleming in 1993. In recognition of her vast contributions
with their two children Philip and May. to American cuisine she was awarded the 2013 James Beard
Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Cecilia’s storied life and
In 1959 she took a fateful trip to visit her newly widowed sister in accomplishments were also the subject of the 2014 documentary
San Francisco. While there she met two friends from Tokyo who “Soul of a Banquet” directed by Wayne Wang.
had recently emigrated and wanted to open a restaurant in the Polk
Gulch neighborhood. Although Cecilia generously invested $10,000 Cecilia Chiang changed the landscape of Chinese cuisine in America.
into the fledgling business the friends backed out and left her with a However, to her loved ones, she is most remembered for her love of
non-refundable deposit, making Cecilia an “accidental” restauranteur. people and the central role food had in bringing them together. Even
Undaunted, she was determined to bring the Chinese food of her in her 90s Cecilia was a regular fixture at food festivals and events
childhood to the United States. Shortly after, the Mandarin officially celebrating art and culture., where it is said she remembered every
opened its doors. name and face she met. Cecilia Chiang has left an indelible mark
not only on the culinary world but also on Chinese-American history.
Throughout this two day session, Bonhams is proud to honor her
legacy by offering a selection of the objects she lived with at the end of
her remarkable life.

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