Grace Young knew she wanted to cook from a young age. She was making Julia Child recipes at the age of 10 and as a teen and washed dishes in exchange for cooking lessons from a local instructor. Grace went on to work in test kitchens and write her own cookbooks, including two classics, The Wisdom of The Chinese Kitchen and Breath of a Wok. Before the start of the pandemic in 2020, Grace found herself in a new role, that of activist, as she started fighting for the survival of Manhattan’s Chinatown. Her activism expanded to include Chinatowns around the country, as well as AAPI communities. Because of that work, Grace received this year’s Julia Child Award from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, as well as Humanitarian of the Year from the James Beard Foundation. She joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about her work and culinary calling, and the unexpected turn her life has taken. 

Thank you to Brightland for supporting this episode. Shop and find recipes at brightland.co.

Here is the KK Discount Go Fund Me that Grace mentioned. 

Radio Cherry Bombe is recorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Our theme song is by the band Tra La La.

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More on Grace: Instagram, The Julia Child Award, Website