Making a life and other disruptions

The Kolkata Chinese share a cordial relationship with other communities, such as the Anglo-Indians, for example, which inhabit the outer reaches of Bengali society. Many Chinese in Kolkata, and India, are Christians. Children of both communities study in the same schools, they meet in church, and socialise. When Waldorf, the famous Kolkata Chinese restaurant on Park Street, changed hands in the ’90s, the ownership went to the Mantoshes, an Anglo-Indian family.

Then came 2002, yet another watershed moment for the Kolkata Chinese. In that year, thanks to the Supreme Court ultimatum to the Chinese-owned tanneries to shift out of Tangra, the Hakka Chinese centre of the area nearly emptied. Those who did not or could not leave Kolkata—the Chinese community is spread across Mumbai and Delhi, though Kolkata is the only city with two Chinatowns, one in Tangra and the other in central Kolkata—turned their godowns into restaurants. This is where the Indianisation of Chinese restaurants began.

Boss lady

Liu, a Hakka housewife, became a success story on a simple gameplan—in her restaurants she has always cooked ‘authentic Chinese’ but did not challenge established tastes—mainly of the Bengalis—too much. In her restaurants, the Chinese food is spicy. Liu always keeps a chilli-garlic gravy handy as it is popular with the local clientele. If customers want chicken dry or with gravy, she puts in some gravy or holds it back, depending on the demand.

Till the ’70s, Bengali boys did not look for jobs in standalone Chinese restaurants like Liu’s. Now they do. In her kitchen, Biharis also fire up the woks, with two Hakkas supervising them. Liu has always been a strict boss. In her kitchen, she is the boss, but says her staff is family. For her staff, in the days of flux and instability, they know “Madam” is not going anywhere. As Liu had told me firmly, the last time we met, she was not looking to be Chinese in China. “Home is here—in Kolkata.”

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