Kit Fan’s second novel, Goodbye Chinatown, is a heartfelt and elegiac tale centred on 22-year-old chef Amber Fan. The story begins in late 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks, as Amber prepares to open her own east-meets-west fusion restaurant called Luna in London’s Chinatown. She acknowledges it is “the worst possible time to open a restaurant,” with global markets in turmoil and traditional Cantonese establishments closing, often sold to cash-rich mainland Chinese investors.
A Family’s Farewell
Amber’s parents are booked on the midnight flight from London to Hong Kong, having sold their family restaurant to enjoy retirement. The novel bids goodbye to the old Chinatown of peking duck, red lanterns, rude waiters, and sticky tables—a world built by hard-working Hong Kong émigrés who fled after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Amber loves her parents and their legacy but has her own plans for the future.
Rise to Stardom
Despite the challenging timing, Amber quickly establishes herself as a rising star. Her inspired addition of ginger to chicken broth—strictly forbidden in traditional Chinese cooking but resulting in “total satisfaction of the taste buds”—draws queues of hungry diners. She catches the attention of Celeste Gao, a mysteriously wealthy Shanghainese woman linked to the Chinese Communist party, who boldly declares, “My family is going to own Chinatown. That is a fact.” The two bond over estrangement from their parents and shared memories of Tiananmen, and Celeste offers a cash injection with the promise of making Amber the “Asian Alain Ducasse.”
Food as Love and History
For Amber, food expresses love and shared history. “Her bond with her father was not built on hugs and kisses but on the nose and mouth, the garlicy fingertips, the wok, the fire, the cleaver and the chopping board,” Fan writes. When trying to win over her younger brother Bobby—the emotional core of the novel—Amber cooks him a special burger (recipe included). Bobby, however, is sceptical: “I think she has confused food with love from a very young age.”
Historical Backdrop
The narrative spans from 2001 to 2007-08, 2019, and finally 2020, spurred by historical events: the destruction of the Twin Towers, the global financial crisis, the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, and the introduction of the national security law in 2020. The focus shifts between London, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, viewed through various family members’ eyes. As Amber’s star rises, Hong Kong’s situation worsens, sparking a fresh wave of emigration. The scenes where the Fans mourn a changing Hong Kong—also vividly covered in Fan’s previous novel Diamond Hill—and Bobby’s risky involvement in the protest movement are the most affecting. It’s not just goodbye Chinatown, but goodbye Hong Kong too.
Ambivalence and Complexity
The novel maintains an appealing note of ambivalence. Amber’s outsider status is tempered by her privilege: she attended Marlborough College and Oxford University, the latter through slightly devious means. The complexities of being a successful, ambitious immigrant—and the loyalty felt toward a left-behind country and culture—are interestingly explored. While there are weaknesses, including occasionally clunky prose, the fire and flavour with which Fan imbues this ambitious, exuberant, and often brave salute to a district, a city, and a world passing into history make it a highly satisfying offering.
