The Nootka Sound Kitchen

In a world that speaks a thousand tongues, the universal language is a shared meal. Canada 1788. Jian Chen, a skilled artisan from Guangdong, is hired to build a ship at the remote fur-trading post of Nootka Sound. He arrives alone, unable to speak a word of English, surrounded by the towering evergreens and rough-edged men of the Pacific Northwest. Isolated by language and culture, his only comfort is the familiar taste of home, cooked over a small, private fire. But when the aroma of his cooking draws the curiosity of a Hawaiian sailor, then a Scottish carpenter, and then a Nuu-chah-nulth hunter, a simple idea is born—a kitchen. What starts as a humble lean-to becomes the beating heart of the settlement, a place where a whaler can confess his fears, a botanist can marvel at new spices, and a lonely trader's wife can find a kindred spirit. Through shared stories and his innovative fusion of Chinese tradition with local ingredients, Jian's kitchen becomes a beacon of community. But as the seasons turn, the settlement is tested by fierce storms, deep isolation, and the threat of starvation. Jian must use all his resilience and the bonds he has forged to help his newfound family survive the long, dark winter—and discover that home isn't a place you find, but a world you build together, one bowl at a time. A poignant and uplifting historical novel, The Nootka Sound Kitchen is a celebration of resilience, the power of food to bridge cultures, and the quiet magic of finding your place in the world.