In Roselle Lim’s latest young adult novel “Celestial Banquet,” the way you cook noodles can change your life. The novel begins with 16-year-old Cai, our hot-tempered protagonist who is a young noodle chef in Lu Pong, an impoverished town. Despite living a hard life, she honors her late father’s memories through cooking. However, when the Major Gods host the Celestial Banquet again for the first time in 10 years, contestants from all over the Continent start to assemble their teams. Cai wants a piece of the competition too, especially the highly valuable, enticing reward — the Peaches of Immortality.
Readers and those who grew up with Asian myths and folklore may find the Peaches of Immortality to be familiar. These are often portrayed as a prize for overcoming a series of dangerous trials and shared among long-lived beings. For Cai, the celestial peaches could change her life. Moreover, they promise to transform the lives of many others in Lu Pong and the surrounding peninsula itself.
At the same time, noodles, especially Longevity Noodles, symbolize a long life in Chinese culture. It was not a coincidence when Lim selected Cai to be specifically a noodle chef.
“The two things that I wanted to show is that noodles are very much an earthly aspect, and the Peaches of Immortality is more of a fantastical and mythical aspect to it,” Lim explained.
Set in a vibrant, whimsical environment, “Celestial Banquet” seeks to captivate others with its magnificent world-building, a delightful but arduous love triangle, and a deadly culinary competition where only one team will emerge as the victors. I talked to Lim about the world of colorful, delicious recipes laced with nuances in social class and traditional gender expectations.
Revisiting Favorite Food with Writing
Lim infused her life experiences of growing up around cooks and her memories of northern Scarborough in Ontario, Canada, into the wondrous world and cast of the Continent. Drawing on…
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