Interview: Chef Jenny Dorsey author of Avatar The Last Airbender cookbook

Avatar the last airbender cookbook

For women’s history month we’re interviewing  Jenny Dorsey an amazing chef and author of Avatar The Last Airbender cookbook!

I love your Avatar the last airbender cookbook. Since Avator is now in live action on Netflix. If you got the chance to make one dish for the show, which would it be?

 “Thank you so much! I'm excited to see even more folks join the AITA fandom with the new live action. If I could make one dish for the show, it would definitely be the cabbage cookies! I love that recipe - it's honestly very delicious - and of course so iconic.”

 What we(Americans) think of Chinese cuisine is often an Americanized version. What are some authentic meals you wish more people knew about?

 “As a food academic, I often speak about why the idea of "authenticity" is a myth (see a video about this here). Chinese American cuisine is most certainly also "authentic" to its context, so I don't have things I believe are somehow "more" authentic. If folks are interested in regional Chinese cuisines, I've done my best to showcase different types of preparation styles and ingredients in the different kinds of Earth Kingdom dishes in the book, as that country is inspired by China.”

 If you could make another cookbook for any anime/cartoon which would it be and why?

 ”I'd love to make cookbooks Ghibli!”

What's next for you and where can people find you?

 “'Im currently in Singapore as a Fulbright-National Geographic Fellow researching hawker centres. Folks can find me on Instagram and TikTok at @chefjennydorsey, and subscribe for updates via my newsletter, Way Too Complicated (https://waytoocomplicated.substack.com)”