To Eat At Someone Else's Table: Vicky's Scallion Bun Egg Sandwich
My fourth guest of To Eat at Someone Else’s Table is Vicky Gu. I met Vicky, like many of the wonderful women in food now in my life, through Pineapple Collaborative - a community that connects, uplifts, and supports women who love food. Vicky is a thoughtful chef, a bold designer, and an eloquent journalist. Her ability to connect these three passions and talents together is an inspiring act to watch.
Learn more about Vicky, her connection to food, and her Scallion Bun Egg Sandwich in her interview below!
& to connect with Vicky on social, you can find here on the gram here, and on twitter here.
Interview with Vicky Gu
Tell us about yourself!
“I'm a designer-journalist-chef based in Brooklyn, born in Dallas, and schooled in DC. My food journey started through little things like volunteering at the farmers market and getting involved with organizations like Pineapple Collaborative early on. DC also gave me the chance to think more systematically about food—particularly in health and accessibility—through gigs at Health & Human Services and in childhood nutrition advocacy.
My first dip into the culinary world wasn't until Copenhagen, where I studied New Nordic culinary culture with a researcher from Noma's R&D lab. Our activities ranged from dissecting articles on lacto-fermentation to foraging for ramson in the woods to debating chef activism. It was crazy in all the best ways, while sharpening the way I thought about food itself—intellectually, viscerally, and socially.
New York City felt like the natural next step, and I spent a couple years in brand marketing at a food & drink consumer product brand. Of course, NYC also comes with its bias for glamour and sensationalism with media and tech. I saw many of the subcultures that contributed to the recent exposés on lack of equity in food media. These all led me to start Currant, a new food publication + community that's dedicated to changing how we think and feel about food, for the better.”
Tell us about this dish. What is it & where do its origins lay?
“It's a simple breakfast sandwich. A fried egg in between two thick, lightly pan-fried slices of scallion bun. A bundle of euphoria. It's inspired by the breakfasts my dad would whip up on the weekends, when he had more time to cook in the mornings. His regular rotation included slicing up any plain or scallion steamed rolls we had on hand, lightly frying, and generously salting them. Sometimes he'd dip them in egg before frying. The fried egg sandwiched in between is my Americanized take on it.”
Do you have a special memory associated with this dish? Why is this dish special to you?
“My freezer's always stocked with scallion buns I get from Chinatown bakeries (though sadly not at the moment). My last roommate here in NYC was obsessed with these, so we often had them for breakfast on the weekend. I'd make one sandwich for each of us, we'd inhale it, and then I'd make more. It's just simple and good, and aren't those the special ones?”
What inspires you to cook and/or bake?
“Everything. A new favorite cookbook, learning from bartenders when I sit solo at the bar, reading/watching all the food things, spending time closer to the natural world (as opposed to in the city), wanting to carry on my heritage, the list goes on.”
What’s your favorite spice to cook with and why?
“Scallion, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Can't choose one, because they're best together :) It's the foundation of flavor for Chinese dishes in many (if not all?) regions, including where my dad grew up in Shanghai.”
Do you have anyone you look up to in the culinary world?
“Elizabeth Tilton, founder of Oyster Sunday and both a badass + compassionate boss lady. Natasha Pickowicz for her insane pastries and work in food activism. Rene Redzepi for documenting his processes in a published journal and supporting his staff in their future endeavors. Among many others.”
Why are you passionate about cooking?
“I could say it's the creativity and pride of it, or that it's a way to craft beauty with my hands, or nourish and connect with others, or use it for justice—but really, it goes deeper than that. I just think about it and work with it and evangelize it, and I can't help it.”
Scallion Bun Egg Sandwich
Ingredients:
1 scallion bun
1 egg
A handful of chopped scallions
Salt
Directions:
Procure scallion buns (花卷), either from a Chinese bakery or homemade (recipe here).
Slice each bun into slices a little less than an inch thick—thin enough to fry & thick enough to use as your sandwich base. You'll get some nubs from the tops, which are perfect for munching on the side.
Oil & pan fry the slices on medium heat. Salt generously (important!!).
Fry up an egg however you like, & throw some chopped scallions over it while you're at it. Over easy or over medium goes good here.
Assemble an egg between two slices of scallion bun, eat, & make another one.