Meet Grace Young, the wok guru fighting to save America’s Chinatowns

(CNN) — If you don’t already own a wok or have plans to buy one, chances are you will after talking to Grace Young.

But like the thousands who have attended her wok demonstrations or read her award-winning books over the last two decades, you won’t regret it.

This year, the revered food writer, historian and ‘wok therapist’ has been named the recipient of two of the culinary world’s most prestigious food culture awards — the 8th annual Julia Child Award and the 2022 James Beard Humanitarian of the Year Award.

The awards don’t only recognize Young’s work promoting Chinese culinary culture, but also her recent efforts advocating for mom-and-pop businesses in Chinatowns across the United States during the pandemic — neighborhoods devastated by Covid-19 lockdowns and anti-Asian hate crimes.

An advocate for Chinatown

On March 15, 2020, as New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio contemplated a city-wide lockdown in response to the fast-spreading virus, Young was in Chinatown with videographer Dan Ahn documenting the community’s distress and uncertainties about the future of their livelihoods.

“It was a very powerful experience for me to be in the middle of living history to see Chinatown on one of its darkest days. That motivated me to do everything that I could to help,” Young tells CNN Travel.

While the pandemic has affected businesses across the city, the small establishments in New York City’s Chinatown had it the worst as people felt unsafe to go there — “even though there were no cases of Covid that had been reported from Chinatown then,” Young adds.

“People were afraid to come to Chinatown because of misinformation and xenophobia,” she says.

As reports of such crimes increased, businesses began closing their doors early, allowing their workers to head home before dark, a trend that continues today.

“Chinatown, pre-pandemic, was very lively till 10 or 11 at night. Now, it’s very painful for me to see that a lot of stores and markets close their door at 5 o’clock. During weeknights, it can be very quiet,” says Young.

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