Culture and Food
Memories of a childhood in a Chinese take-away . This is good listening and reminds us of the cultural importance of food and its link to family and identity. The Chinese take-away is based in a former mining village in Wales. Angela Hui grew up behind the counter of her parents’ Chinese takeaway, Lucky Star, in the former mining village of Beddau, Wales. It opened on the luckiest day of the century, 8 August 1988, an auspicious date with the number eight signifying good wealth, fortune and prosperity in Chinese culture – three key factors needed for a young, growing immigrant family. On one side of the counter Angela interacts with the takeaway’s loyal staff, Cecilia, Dewi and Lowri. They serve and deliver food lovingly prepped and cooked by Angela’s parents. Regular customers pester Angela at the counter as she tries to do her homework. Running a Chinese takeaway is hard work and there is tension in the overlapping spaces of home and work, playground and business. Angela and her t