Salt Sugar MSG

“Calvin Eng draws on traditional Cantonese techniques and the mixing of Cantonese and American flavors that reflect our own experience. And he does it with a verve and creativity that make us want to run to the kitchen and start cooking!”—Sarah, Kaitlin, Bill, and Judy Leung, New York Times bestselling authors of The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family“Salt Sugar MSG is a triumphant celebration of home and family, showcasing Calvin’s inventive approach to cooking that breathes new life into classic Cantonese dishes. Most of all, the book perfectly captures the bold spirit and generosity of Cantonese American cooking.”—Hetty Lui McKinnon, food writer and James Beard Award–winning author of five cookbooks“So much of Chef Eng’s book resonates with my own experience as an immigrant from Canton. Thoughtful, personal, and joyful, it’s a wonderful read as well as a handy guide in the kitchen.”—Chef Martin Yan, host of Yan Can Cook on PBS“In this debut cookbook, Brooklyn-born chef Calvin Eng delightfully weaves stories of growing up in New York’s Chinatown eating and learning to cook his mother’s humble Toisan dishes with his culinary path to develop his own distinct style, adding a fresh twist to Cantonese classics. With his inventive fusion of modern and traditional ingredients—what he affectionately calls a ‘mishmash of identities’—Eng contributes a vibrant chapter to the ever-evolving narrative of multicultural American cuisine.”—Grace Young, James Beard Award–winning author of Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge“This book is more than just breaking the misrepresentation of MSG—it’s about the delicious places that live in between American and Chinese traditions.”—Brandon Jew, executive chef and owner of Mister Jiu’s and author of James Beard Award–winning Mister Jiu’s in Chinatown“Everything from the title, the mouthwatering recipes, the stunning photography, and warm writing feels like a homecoming. Salt Sugar MSG is an important cookbook that will add so much inspiration, nostalgia, and flavor to your kitchen.”—Kristina Cho, James Beard Award–winning cookbook author of Mooncakes & Milk Bread and Chinese Enough“Salt Sugar MSG reads like a reflection of my own life experiences as a Chinese American. The writing spoke so genuinely to what life was like for so many of us that it felt like Calvin was at times telling the story as opposed to just his own. The recipes are as effortlessly rooted in identity as they are effortlessly clever and full of a love of eating.”—Jon Kung, author of Kung Food“As a third-culture kid myself, growing up between worlds, I’ve always felt a recognition and kinship with Calvin and his food. His ‘not-traditional-but-personal’ mashups and twists on Canto classics are approachable yet revelatory, pushing Chinese cuisine further within our collective culture.”—Jing Gao, founder and CEO of Fly By Jing, author of James Beard Award–winning The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp

Calvin Eng is the chef and owner of Bonnie’s, a Cantonese American restaurant in Williamsburg. Brooklyn-born and raised in a traditional Chinese family, Eng had been dreaming of opening a restaurant for a decade when he realized how important it was for him to pursue Cantonese food and dive deeper into the dishes of his heritage. Bonnie’s has been praised in the New York Times, The New Yorker, New York magazine, Eater, and Bon Appetit. Eng is a James Beard Emerging Chef finalist, Food & Wine Best New Chef, Forbes 30 under 30 recipient, StarChefs Rising Star, and two-time James Beard Best Chef- New York State Semifinalist.

Phoebe Melnick is a video journalist with a deep love of storytelling and food. She has worked for the New York Times, Martha Stewart, Food Network, Thrillist, and Food & Wine, where she first met Calvin on set in 2016. The two have been inseparable ever since.