ABSTRACT
The recent boom of Peruvian gastronomy has not only catapulted chefs and national dishes to the world stage, prompting the emergence of a national sentiment of pride and unity around local cuisine, it has also exposed the selective way Peruvian cuisine has been constructed, favoring dishes associated with coastal areas and reifying an estranged yet contentious approach toward ethnic dishes with large presence in the country, especially Chinese food. This chapter examines the ubiquitous—and also neglected—Chinese contribution to Peruvian cuisine, analyzing its spread nationwide during the Age of Migration (1860s–1930s). We show how both fondas chinas (Chinese restaurants) and chifa became crucial arenas where national identities and the role of immigration were contested and disputed by policy makers, the Chinese community, and ordinary citizens. Although fondas provided an affordable alimentary alternative for thousands of lower class limeños, they were constantly under attack by elites and the press. Located mainly in Lima’s Chinatown, Chinese fondas were under permanent scrutiny by police officers and health inspectors. Authorities portrayed Chinese immigrants as carriers of diseases responsible for epidemics, a discourse conveniently exacerbated during the bubonic plague outbreaks. Other cities with a large presence of Chinese immigrants, such as San Francisco in California, experienced similar conflicts. Drawing from a wide array of sources, e.g. travelers’ logs, newspapers, cartoons, and official health reports, we aim to illuminate the role played by Chinese gastronomy in the establishment of a trans-Pacific community.
