Kansas City chef part of new generation of Asians stirring traditions into meals
Growing up, Christina Clark’s earliest memories were of helping her Vietnamese grandmother and mother in their family’s kitchen. Originally Clark had planned on a career in early childhood education. But those plans changed when she set out on a path to use her childhood lessons in the kitchen to build a career around the culinary arts.
Clark’s journey to fully embrace the beauty of her heritage and recognize that culture, cooking and her love of them both, took her to Puerto Rico where she got to experiment with the home-cook recipes she remembered eating as a child.
Now, during the day, Clark, who is a personal chef and an entrepreneur, works as the catering and event coordinator for The Combine, a popular Kansas City pizzeria. By night she is making traditional Vietnamese soups, jerkies, infused salts and catering events for her business Christina Consumes The World.
Clark says that she has found her purpose and strength through embracing her cultural heritage and is proud to stand among a new generation of Asian chefs in KC who are stirring their traditions into meals.
Recently, Clark sat down with The Kansas City Star’s culture and identity reporter, J.M. Banks to talk about finding her passion in the kitchen, the generational power of food and embracing her cultural roots through cooking.
Can you begin by telling me about your early life and upbringing?
I grew up in Dodge City, Kansas as the daughter to a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant and that’s really interesting because Kansas is super white, super country and we did not quite fit that bill. There wasn’t ever much to do, but some of my earliest core memories, I remember being at the dinner table with my family. I always remember the dining table full of an assortment of dishes, always a fresh vegetable, oftentimes a soup and of course, there’s always a pot of rice. It was always, you know, very family style dining. So you’re interacting with the people at your table, passing those dishes back and forth to make your plates. Cooking was always a family activity, I remember my grandma with a big butcher knife preparing the main protein, my mom and aunts preparing the sides and us kids helping by cleaning the vegetables.
When did you start to find a passion for cooking?
I think my love of food and cooking came from a place of healing. I recognized that I just didn’t fit in certain friend groups, certain social groups and a lot of that healing began in the kitchen. Growing up in Dodge City I had this really whitewashed experience. So whether it was the way I viewed myself or the way I view the world around me, I was always able to make sense of things in the kitchen. I was a confused and insecure drifter growing up. I was an angry teenager and it wasn’t until my early 20’s that certain experiences put me in the place where I was able to own my culture and womanhood.
Did you always envision yourself going into this particular field?
No, I moved to Kansas City for college and graduated from Johnson County Community College. I studied early childhood education and I worked in that field for about 10 years before I reached this point where I felt really unfulfilled. I had this stable job and I felt I could wreck it by leaving my security and going into catering. I started to feel like a failure because what I wanted to do was not something that was by the books and it didn’t look like success to me. I had to realize that success is whatever I made it. For me that meant being happy by fulfilling my creative side and doing what I loved.
What were those first years were like starting off in the culinary field?
They were rocky and I still feel like I’m in those first years in a way. Sometimes I have to remind myself that even in the culinary realm I’ve already lived several different lives. I started around 2018 and for about three years, in the beginning, I was a private chef, spending the winters in Puerto Rico. I did that for a while. I got to create my own menu and naturally people going to Puerto Rico they want cuisine from that specific destination. So I got to learn about authentic Puerto Rican cuisine and learn about the cultural staples of the dishes. I would plan nights where I did Asian cuisine night where I got to showcase those dishes from childhood and my culture. Getting to showcase the significance of the meals and why I chose them was special to me and a catalyst in my healing journey in owning my culture.
Have you seen an increase in the interest of Asian cuisine in Kansas City?
I have and it’s really inspiring, which makes me feel encouraged. One of my biggest influences in Kansas City is Jackie Nguyen. She owns Cafe Cà Phê, a Vietnamese coffee shop. Seeing how she supports her business, her employees and her culture is really invigorating. There’s just so many of us right now.
Why do you think Asian food has been so widely accepted in the United States?
I think Asian immigrants have always used food as a way to sort of melt into society. A lot of these foods became popular after veterans who served in Asia came back home and fell in love with the food. So there was this emotional significance to a lot of these guys because it brought back memories of their younger years during a significant time in their lives. I do think it is healthier than most foods also. It’s usually a whole protein, vegetables and lots of rice. But we do have fried things though like egg rolls and crab Rangoon.
What are the challenges that you face in your career?
Diligence, being my own boss and staying on track. I severely lack discipline sometimes. So, to stay disciplined and doing the things that are boring can be hard.
Have you ever experienced the stereotype of Asian’s being super disciplined or focused in their work and felt hindered by it?
Yeah, I feel that pressure because I don’t feel like I relate with that like image. I feel it’s something that has made me feel defective in the past. I’m bad at math, I am not disciplined, and I hate hard work. Something I do have that is really stereotypical to my culture, is overworking. If I am passionate about something I will work on it even on my scheduled time off. It is really hard for me to take a break or take time off.
How do you feel your work impacts the community around you?
The work that I do impacts my community by providing them spaces to enjoy nourishing meals and to show them that their goals are accessible.
What is the most fulfilling part of your work.
The most fulfilling aspect of my work is knowing that as a woman from my culture I get to be an impact to those like me that will come after me.
Do you have a personal motto or philosophy that guides you?
What if. A lot of my crazy ideas and creativity have come from me saying what if and then I working out how to make that a real thing.
What are your goals for the future?
My goal professionally for the future is that I would love to continue growing The Combine’s event and catering program. I want to continue to support that business because they have always supported me. I would eventually like to have a brick and mortar of some sort, whether that be a food truck, a type of dining establishment, or a place where you can just come and purchase my products. Currently I am doing beef jerkies, finishing salts and I have been making soup kits during this winter time called pho kits which is a Vietnamese beef noodle soup that has become really popular.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to follow the same career path as you?
The advice I would give is create your own version of success. Something that will fill your heart and provide a spark for continuing to live.
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This story was originally published November 19, 2024 at 1:36 PM.
