As the project leader, I spent the whole day reflecting on what “community” truly means, and why even a small gathering like ours here, left all of us feeling so full — not just in our stomachs but in our hearts.
Our project is called Cooking for Connections – we celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of Richmond through Asian food sharing. We invited Asian immigrants to bring in a homecooked traditional dish and tell us the cultural aspects of the dish. Then the non-Asian to tell us what they love about Richmond and share their favourite go-to places!
From the beginning, many of us wondered what this community event would be like. Would we feel shy? Would it be awkward? Would it be uncomfortable?
But what happened instead was simple and beautiful — a gentle smile, a warm handshake, a short introduction about who we are, what we love about our neighbourhood and Canada, and eventually, a safe space to hear each other’s cultures, stories, and memories behind the dishes our Asian immigrant friends so lovingly prepared.
Slowly, the room transformed into a friendship centre, with people already looking for opportunities to grow this community together.
When I pause and ask myself, “What are we really doing?” The answer is simple. We’re all looking for something in common — a space to do what we love, and to share it with others. To cook, to listen, with no judgement. When cooking becomes connection, sharing becomes friendship, and inviting someone to the table becomes an act of love.
And when we do that with open hearts, God takes care of the rest.
And what touched me most was seeing both Asian and non-Asian guests sitting together with no borders between us — no race, no labels, just people sharing food and stories. In those moments, our dishes became more than recipes. They became windows into memories, childhoods, migrations, and hopes. And our guests, regardless of background, leaned in with genuine curiosity to understand a little more about our Asian food stories, and in return, we learned a little more about each other. That is the beauty of a shared table — it makes strangers feel like friends.
We look forward to making another event soon! Stay tuned and contact us if you want to join.
