musingsbymichelle's reviews
853 reviews

Restaurant Kid: A Memoir of Family and Belonging by Rachel Phan

emotional hopeful inspiring

5.0

A story that explores the complicated relationships of family from the youngest daughter of immigrants. I love that the restaurant functions as a character in this memoir. When you have something that becomes so ingrained in your family structure, of course, it becomes a central part of your life. Rachel Phan explores being a Chinese person in Canada. She is frank about the struggles she has faced and the ways that she needed to grow. She holds herself accountable. She does the same for her parents, and through this story, she acknowledges what they have been through and how that has informed how she was raised. I don’t want to give too much away, but Rachel’s parents sought refuge in Canada to escape their war-torn home during the Vietnam war. She gives grace and love to her parents, her siblings, and herself that I found so beautiful.

I was moved by this memoir. The reason I sought out this book was that I saw some similarities between the author and myself. In my request of this arc, I explained how I, too, was the daughter of an immigrant. Although the circumstances of how and why my mom moved to the US differed greatly from Rachel’s parents, the desire for a better life for herself and her kids is the same at its core. My mom also started her own business and it took a lot from her mind, body, and soul. I admire how Rachel gives her parents their flowers through this book, and I thank her for sharing their story.

Content Warnings