The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook

Mission Chinese Food is a cookbook that also functions as a memoir. The restaurant began as a pop-up within an Americanized Chinese restaurant in San Francisco's Mission District, characterized by resourcefulness and inventive cooking. It has since expanded to locations in San Francisco and New York City, where customers wait for dishes like Sizzling Cumin Lamb, Thrice-Cooked Bacon, Fiery Kung Pao Pastrami, and Salt-Cod Fried Rice. The book traces the restaurant's rise through conversations between Danny Bowien and his collaborators, with each chapter covering different periods—from the early pop-up days to a trip to China to the New York opening. Detailed recipes accompany the narrative. The cookbook presents Bowien's approach to Chinese cooking and offers insight into his creative process and background as a chef.