Chinese restaurants in Australia

Lore & Background

Chinese restaurants in Australia began with the gold rushes of the 1850s, when Chinese migrants opened cookhouses or cookshops providing hot meals to Chinese and European gold diggers. The first documented Chinese restaurant, owned by Chin Thum Lok, opened in 1854 at Bakery Hill, Ballarat, but served English-style food such as roast beef rather than Chinese dishes. By 1890, Chinese cooks formed a notable part of the Australian culinary workforce, though precise census records do not support the claim that they made up one third of all cooks. Migration largely stopped after the White Australia policy of 1901, but cooks were granted exemptions, and from 1934 Chinese traders could bring in non-relative workers. Family members often entered under different names and learned cooking on the job. By the 1970s, Chinese restaurants were established in many country towns and all cities.

Reader's Guide

Chinese restaurants in Australia have played a crucial role in shaping the nation's food culture. From their origins on the Victorian goldfields, they introduced Cantonese cuisine, which became dominant due to migration from Guangdong and Hong Kong. Dishes like sweet and sour pork and beef with black beans were typical in the 1960s and 1970s, while tofu, once unknown, became widely accepted in the 21st century. The dim sim, invented in Melbourne's Chinatown at the Wing Lee restaurant, became a popular Australian snack. Yum cha also gained popularity in upmarket restaurants. By the 1970s, Chinese restaurants were ubiquitous in Australian cities and country towns, reflecting the resilience of Chinese communities despite restrictive immigration policies. Their legacy includes the adaptation of Chinese culinary traditions to local tastes, creating a distinct Australian Chinese cuisine.

Did You Know?

• The first documented Chinese restaurant in Australia opened in 1854 at Bakery Hill, Ballarat, and served English-style food like roast beef.
• The origins of the dim sim are debated; while it is often associated with Wing Lee restaurant in Melbourne's Chinatown, its exact invention is not definitively established.
• By 1890, Chinese cooks formed a notable part of the Australian culinary workforce, though precise census records do not support the claim that they made up one third of all cooks.
• The oldest Chinese restaurant in Canberra opened in 1962 and was still operating in 2016.