Hawaii Magazine
Sep 29, 2018
The food of Hawaii is most commonly described as being a reflection of its multiethnic population, a smorgasbord of exotic delicacies brought to the table by various ethnic groups as each came to call the Islands home. While this familiar axiom is largely true, it is also interesting to explore in greater detail why people eat what they eat in Hawaii and the important role that food has played in the process of forging a common cultural identity called “local.”
Chinese cuisine
Chinese immigrants introduced Asian staples such as rice, noodles, shoyu and tofu to the Island table, and created chicken long rice, chop steak, beef tomato and other local classics in the process. They also created a near-monopoly in the restaurant business. Chinese restaurants quickly gained in popularity because they served fast, tasty, affordable food.