CGTN America presents Tso’l Food – an American journey through the Chinese kitchen with Gerald Tan.

Chicago’s urban Chinatown is a rare breed , the only of its kind that’s still growing. While Chinese families in cities across America have opted to move into the suburbs, here lies a thriving community that’s something more than a pastiche tourist attraction. In this episode of Tso’l Food, host Gerald Tan traces how this sense of community binds the many Chinese eateries all over Chicago and into its suburbs.

Tso’l Food: Chop Suey

What exactly is chop suey? Tso’l Food visits the oldest Chinese restaurant in Chicago to introduce this Chinese American classic.

Tso’l Food: Jiao Zi

A thorough fixture in almost every Chinese celebration; dumplings, whether boiled, steamed or fried.

In this installment of Tso’l Food, CGTN’s Gerald Tan gets a masterclass from two siblings who made this delicacy their life’s work.

Episode 1: Peking Duck

When Washingtonians want Korean cuisine, they head out to the suburb of Annandale in northern Virginia. 

The businesses in this enclave can be so niche, some don’t even bother with English signs.  

But nestled among them is a Chinese restaurant with a unique place in history… in the normalization of China-U.S. ties half a century ago.

Episode 2: Crab Rangoon

Go to any Chinese restaurant in the United States, and you’re likely to find an appetizer called Crab Rangoon. It’s a rather misleading name as it neither has roots in the former capital of Myanmar… nor in China. CGTN’s Gerald Tan explores this curious dish in our latest edition of Tso’l Food.

Episode 3: Lamb Kebab

In this week’s episode of Tso’l Food, we’re exploring ‘yang rou chuan’, one of the most popular street foods in Beijing, and how it’s become the source of inspiration for one businessman who moved to the U.S.

Episode 4: Emperor’s Jar Soup

In this episode of Tso’l Food Los Angeles, we learn all about Emperor’s Jar Soup at Bistro Na’s. Take a trip with CGTN’s Gerald Tan.

Episode 5: Char Siu

The best char siu anywhere! A bold claim indeed, as Tso’l Food tastes some of LA’s finest offerings.

Episode 6: Winter melon pastries

It’s a pastry that goes by many names — sweetheart, wife or old lady cakes. In our latest episode of Tso’l Food, CGTN’s Gerald Tan learns all about this traditional treat from one of the oldest bakeries in Los Angeles.

Episode 7: Water Boiled Beef

Sichuan cuisine is taking the U.S. by storm! And it’s raining peppercorns in this episode of Tso’l Food, where a dish so dramatic in presentation and personality takes center stage.

Tso’l Food: Los Angeles

Los Angeles has emerged as one of the best cities to sample authentic Chinese cuisine in the United States. In this episode of Tso’l Food: Los Angeles, meet chefs clinging onto age-old traditions while trying to revive the traditional Chinatown, now surpassed in volume and popularity by restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley.

Tso’l Food: Cheong Fun in Chicago

CGTN’s Gerald Tan travels the world in search of exciting flavors and compelling stories, looking at what we eat, and why? As part of his American journey through the Chinese kitchen, Tan is in Chicago, trying Cheong Fun, or steamed rice rolls. Take a look.

Tso’l Food: Dong Po Rou

China has eight main regional cuisines. Each known for its unique ingredients, cooking styles, and, of course, signature dishes.
In this week’s edition of Tso’l Food, CGTN’s Gerald Tan meets a restaurateur set on introducing all these flavors to American diners.