Interview with Author Jacqueline Chio-Lauri
Guest post by Lerner Publishing Group, 2024 Platinum Sponsor
Q: Your first two books are cookbooks. What made you veer off to picture book writing?
A:The idea to write for a younger audience blossomed when I was invited to do a cooking demonstration at the 2019 Sharjah Children’s Reading Book Festival in the United Arab Emirates. It was a wonderful experience to cook adobo and with and for kids whose minds are free from preconceived notions. The children were such an amazing and engaged audience. They were eager to participate, excited to try something new, and brimming with curiosity.
I wouldn’t say that I veered off to picture book writing. My first two books are not really traditional cookbooks. They are a collection of mini-stories or mini-biographies, if you will, much like Mami King, and followed by recipes, also like Mami King. I’d say that picture book writing is an extension of my previous work but geared toward a younger audience. Filipinos live in all corners of the world but not much is known about our culture and us as a people. I’d like to help change that.
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: I came across the story of Ma Mon Luk in 2018 when I was preparing for a meeting with the executive producer of Street Food, a documentary series on Netflix. I fell madly in love with the story! In so many ways, it’s like a classic fairy tale and the fact that it’s a true story made it even more endearing to me. Call me naïve or a hopeless romantic, but I thought it would make a wonderful Disney Pixar animation movie! At that time, there were no Pixar animated movies that showcased Filipino characters, so I thought, wouldn’t it be so cool if…? (Anyway, in 2019, Pixar released an animated short film, Float, which is the first to highlight Filipino characters.)
In 2020, I decided to write stories about overlooked or not-so-known characters and settings for kids. Of course, Mami King is one of the first that came to mind.
Anyway, though Mami King has not become the Disney/Pixar movie I envisioned, with this book and Kristin Sorra’s illustrations, it’s almost as if I’m seeing the story on the big screen.
Q: Why were you drawn to the story?
A: I was drawn to Ma’s story perhaps because my father, like Ma, was a Chinese immigrant in the Philippines. My father passed away when I was very little. We don’t know of any relatives on my father’s side so that part of my ancestry and heritage remains a big mystery to me. Or maybe because my father and mother met in Manila’s Chinatown, where most of Mami King is set. They were also Ma Mon Luk customers. Or perhaps it could also be because, like Ma, I know what it’s like to be poor and to be looked down on for being poor (which in itself is another form of discrimination–povertyism). Or perhaps because it’s such a beautiful feel-good story, I couldn’t resist retelling it to the world.
Q: What is the most surprising thing you discovered while researching or writing the book?
A: The Chinatown in Manila (Binondo) is the oldest Chinatown in the world! 430 years old! It was established in 1594 by the Spaniards, who ruled over the Philippines at that time, to keep a close eye on the growing Chinese population on the islands. Binondo Chinatown still stands today as a living testament to the harmonious coexistence of diverse cultures.
Q: What do you hope readers will learn or discover from reading your book?
A: With this story, I would like readers to learn more about Filipino food and culture and how it intersects with Chinese food and culture.
Ultimately, I would like Mami King to serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that love— not money or material possessions—is our true fortune. Love fuels people to persist, to be kind, to be generous, to embrace each other’s differences, and to make it against all odds.
Jacqueline Chio Lauri is a writer, anthologist, and editor based in Manchester, England. Her work includes The New Filipino Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from around the Globe, We Cook Filipino: Heart-Healthy Recipes and Inspiring Stories from 36 Filipino Food Personalities and Award-Winning Chefs, and articles on global media sites, such as Huffington Post and Epicurious. Born and raised in the Philippines, Jacqueline holds a bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration from the University of the Philippines and earned multiple MBA-level Executive Certificates in Marketing & Business Strategies from Cornell University.
- Website http://www.myfoodbeginnings.com
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/myfoodbeginnings
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/myfoodbeginnings
- X/Twitter https://twitter.com/myfoodbeginning
