The Bao “family” named in the title of this terrific debut cookbook is actually a group of chefs connected through their work at author Chung’s various Bao restaurants in Paris. The recipes within have been adapted by these cooks to bring a taste of Chinese culture and cuisine to the home chef. Chung starts with the basics: staple ingredients, condiments, spices, and useful utensils. Following this foundation, she takes readers on a culinary adventure from sunup to sundown, covering breakfast (pineapple buns), bao and dim sum (with step-by-step directions on making baozi), noodles (Shanghai noodles with scallions), soups, main dishes (twice-cooked Hunan pork and Hong Shao eggplant), and desserts (fried milk). The book closes with a brief description of tea culture along with how to make and drink tea. Each recipe is accompanied by a mouthwatering image that will make readers want to get right into the kitchen and start cooking. Not all the recipes are simple, nor are they all quick, but that is part of the journey. VERDICT Those interested in cooking Chinese food at home will not be disappointed by this delicious and culturally rich read

– —Whitney Bates-Gomez

“[A] delicious and culturally rich read … The Bao ‘family’ named in the title of this terrific debut cookbook is actually a group of chefs connected through their work at author Chung’s various Bao restaurants in Paris. The recipes within have been adapted by these cooks to bring a taste of Chinese culture and cuisine to the home chef … Each recipe is accompanied by a mouthwatering image that will make readers want to get right into the kitchen and start cooking ....”

– —Library Journal

“The complex flavors and textures of eight types of traditional regional Chinese cuisines are demonstrated with style and aplomb in this visual treat of a cookbook … The illustrated introduction provides essential information on types of condiments, noodles, flours, vegetables, and other ingredients and utensils for cooks … There’s a vibrant mix of grainy black-and-white photographs of chefs at work with candy-striped, eye-popping color backgrounds and photographs of the dishes. The recipes, spanning from breakfast to dessert, are a varied sampler of traditional Chinese cooking … The Bao Family Cookbook introduces elevated Chinese dishes with reverence for sharing food and having it define ‘the rhythm of the day.’”

– —Foreword Reviews

“Chef and entrepreneur Chung, founder of the Bao Family chain of restaurants, invites readers into the world of Chinese cuisine, sharing the necessary tools and know-how, key ingredients, and family stories that make her passionate about Chinese food. Chung explains that Chinese cuisine is really a collection of cuisines, with each region—like Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong—offering a unique cultural and culinary identity. This book covers recipes for breakfast, appetizers, bao and dim sum, soups, mains, rice and noodle dishes, and desserts, with familiar favorites and dishes that might be new to readers, like congee with century eggs, pineapple buns, cheese scallion pancakes, and pork baozi. Recipes are densely packed with as much information as there is flavor but still generally fit on a single page, which adds to the ease of this wonderful and diversity-celebrating Chinese cookbook.”

– —Booklist

“[A] wonderful and diversity-celebrating Chinese cookbook … Chef and entrepreneur Chung, founder of the Bao Family chain of restaurants, invites readers into the world of Chinese cuisine, sharing the necessary tools and know-how, key ingredients, and family stories that make her passionate about Chinese food ….”

– —Booklist