The Kitchen Thief is a father-daughter project to make Sino-Burmese cooking accessible to all!
Why is it called "The Kitchen Thief"?
I've always wanted to cook, a desire that puzzled my mother. Raised to become a housewife, my mother had never attended school. Her parents believed she should focus on domestic skills, so she learned to clean, cook, sew, and knit under her grandmother's supervision. So, when I expressed my interest in cooking, she dismissed it as inappropriate, saying that cooking was not for a boy. No man she knew cooked at home.
However, her dismissal of my curiosity only strengthened my interest. At age 10, I stole an egg, peanut oil, salt, and MSG and lit a fire in the backyard. Using a paint can lid as a makeshift pan, I fried the egg. My mother's discovery of my outdoor cooking adventure led to a swift punishment with a bamboo stick for the fire I had started. Yet, in a quieter moment, she invited me to cook alongside her in the kitchen—a gesture that marked the beginning of my culinary journey.
Cooking has been a source of relaxation, satisfaction, and pride, especially when I create delicious dishes. Through this zine, I want to share the joy I've found in cooking and introduce you to the rich flavors of Burmese cuisine.
- NELSON LIM, Author