About

Hi! My name is Grace, a designer, engineer, and passionate home cook based in Tokyo.

I grew up in the suburbs of New York, but my family hails from Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

To me, cooking a meal is part science experiment, part creative exploration, and part expression of love.

I started Journey East to share that love with you. Thanks for joining me!

Recipe Principles

Accessibility over authenticity. I've never understood the fixation with "authentic" cuisine. There's no one right way to cook, and just because a dish has historically been cooked a certain way doesn't mean it's the best way! So, while each week's recipes are inspired by a style of Chinese cooking, they favor approachability over tradition. Good food is good food, period.
Great cooking starts with science. As a nerd, something I love about home cooking is how an understanding of the underlying science unlocks the confidence to be creative. To that end, I try to achieve a good balance between clarity, brevity, and explanations of the why behind each step. If you have any questions or suggestions for how to an improve a recipe, I'm all ears–just comment on the week's post at @journeyeastchallenge on Instagram!
The recipes are only suggestions. I get it. Sometimes you don't have the right ingredient on hand, or you can't find it in your area. Skip it or sub it out–that's the spirit of home cooking! The same applies to the instructions: Approach them with a critical eye, taste as you go, and go off-script–that's how many of the best culinary inventions came to be. Just don't forget to share back; I'd love to see what you come up with!

Have questions, feedback, or just want to chat? I'd love to hear from you. Hit me up via one of the following methods: