Club Câllas featuring Christine Wong

At Câllas, we’re inspired by you, our community. Club Câllas is a celebration of friends from our inner circle who answer all of our burning questions. Featuring Christine Wong Christine Wong, a dear friend and former Parsons roommate, is a renowned chef and cookbook author. Her latest book, The Vibrant Hong Kong Table, explores the cuisine’s rich culture with inventive plant-based interpretations. Beyond her culinary talents, Christine is a devoted AAPI advocate and an ambassador of New York’s Chinatown. Join us as she leads me through this vibrant neighborhood to celebrate the Year of the Snake. Derek Lam Italians think, talk and dream about food, what inspired you to become a food creator/cookbook author? Growing up, I've always loved cooking and sharing food with friends, but what really started me on my culinary journey was when my children were born – from making their baby food from scratch to introducing them to multicultural cuisines and plant-forward dishes. After attending a year-long program at The Institute of Integrative Nutrition in 2014, I became plant-based and started sharing healthy recipes and veggie-friendly inspiration on my Instagram page @conscious_cooking The Vibrant Hong Kong Table (2024) is a love letter to my family heritage, food memories, and reimagining the city's iconic dishes with a plant-based twist–without compromising the flavors and cultural tapestry of Hong Kong. Since Câllas is an Italian brand, I have to ask, what is your favorite Italian dish? With any cuisine, I love celebrating some of the simplest and most rustic foods, and Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino is one of those dishes. Common, shelf-stable pantry ingredients, one can truly make "something out of nothing". And do you have a favorite town or city in Italy? The summer before my last year of art college, I traveled to Italy with a friend, and fell in love with Siena. We were there in time for Palio di Siena. Christine, give us a tour of your favorite spots in Chinatown: Xian Famous Foods - Fast casual hand-pulled noodles with bold, spicy, and aromatic flavors Mabu Cafe - Modern Hong Kong diner with iconic and nostalgic decor Dim Sum Go Go - Beautiful selection of handmade vegetarian dim sum What recipes do you recommend for the amateur cook from your new book? And for the more intrepid chef? For amateur cook Corn Soup Steamed "Egg" Curry Puffs The more intrepid cook Turnip Cake Rice Noodle Rolls Jackfruit "Brisket" Noodles What do you think is going to inspire you in 2025? I have plans for a month-long trip to Vietnam, to be inspired by the country's cuisine. I recently learned that vegetarianism is an intrinsic part of Vietnamese culture due to the large Buddhist population who eat a meat-free diet. SHOP CHRISTINE WONG'S FAVORITES NOW