Quotes from Jennifer Lee

For most of our young lives, my family was baffled by elementary school bake sales, to which we were told to bring in goodies to sell. While other kids arrived bearing brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and apple pies, Chinese families didn't bake.

Headline writing is an art form.

Broccoli is not a Chinese vegetable; in fact, it is originally an Italian vegetable. It was introduced into the United States in the 1800s, but became popularized in the 1920s and the 1930s.

When a dish really hits a nerve with the American palate, it can really take off across the entire country, facilitated by food vendors' freedom to copy good ideas.

Chinese cooking is noisy - a multitasking activity that requires constant vigilance. There is no downtime.

Don't lose faith in what you are trying to do, even though you will get pummeled emotionally left and right. There are a lot of "nos" to any "yes." And that's OK.

People are funny. They often don't mean to be, and that's what makes it even more endearing.