Join Michigan Humanities for an evening of cuisine and conversation as story-makers Curtis Chin and Angela Chi talk about all things food, culture, family, and Detroit. Join us at the table as we celebrate the power of food to preserve heritage, spark dialogue, and sustain the vital work of public humanities. Chef Angela Chi has curated a menu not to be missed-rooted in heritage, family, and culture.
Because stories feed us, and this one needs saving, all proceeds from the evening will support Michigan Humanities in their ongoing work to bring people together through stories, histories, cultures, and conversations.
Tickets are $100/person and include light fare. A cash bar will be available. Tickets can be purchased here: https://secure.givelively.org/event/michigan-humanities-council/cuisine-conversations
About the Story-makers
Curtis Chin is the author of the award-winning memoir and Michigan Humanities’ 2025-26 Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. A co-founder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop in New York City, Chin served as the nonprofit’s first executive director. He went on to write comedy for network and cable television before transitioning to social justice documentaries. Chin has screened his films at over 600 venues in 20 countries. He has written for CNN, Bon Appetit, the Detroit Free Press, and the Emancipator/Boston Globe. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Chin has received awards from ABC/Disney Television, New York Foundation for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and more. His essay in Bon Appetit was selected for Best Food Writing in America 2023 and his short doc, “Dear Corky” premiered on American Masters (PBS). He is currently working on a new docuseries on the history of Chinese restaurants in America. Learn more at CurtisFromDetroit.com.
Angela Chi is the founder of Chi Fan Le, a Chinese food pop-up and experience focused on sharing nutritious homestyle Chinese food. The business is named after the Mandarin phrase 吃饭了(chi fan le) which means “time to eat.” It’s a phrase that brings Chi joy because it’s what her mom shouted across the house when it was dinner time. In New York, she frequented Chinatown and Flushing with restaurant owners from Guangdong, Hunan, Sichuan and other areas of China, all with their own distinct flavors. Chi moved from New York to Detroit a few years ago, and one of the first things she missed was the taste of home. The “taste” can be summarized as Chinese cuisine, but broken down into many different cuisines. Her mom is from Wuxi, and their cuisine is known for adding a lot of sugar. Her dad is from Weihai, a city along the coast, often categorized as “the north.” Their cuisine is composed of seafood, wheat-based foods (dumplings, baozi, and noodles), and lots and lots of garlic. Food has always been the way Angela’s mom and extended family expressed their love. Chi Fan Le came from Angela’s hopes to share a taste of the love, care, and diversity of the nutritious Chinese food she grew up eating. Learn more at chifanle.co.