She has spent decades bringing memorable characters to life on screen: June Woo in The Joy Luck Club, Dr. Jing-Mei Chen on ER, Mulan in Disney’s animated film, Agent Melinda May in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fennec Shand in the Star Wars universe. Now, Ming-Na Wen is inviting audiences into a side of her life they haven’t seen before.
Her first book, Have You Eaten Yet? Family Recipes from a Restaurant Daughter (out October 6 from Simon & Schuster), is part cookbook, part memoir, telling her story through the food, family and traditions that shaped her. Long before Hollywood, Wen grew up working in her family’s restaurant, Chinatown Inn in Pittsburgh, which remains open today. It was there that she learned not only how to cook, but also how food could preserve history, connect generations and communicate love.
The book traces her path from “restaurant daughter” to Hollywood and raising a family of her own, interweaving personal stories with the recipes that accompanied her along the way—traditional dishes like egg rolls, wonton soup and shrimp fried rice; family secrets passed down from her father, Chef Baba; and her own creations, from shrimp with garlic noodles to dragon fruit cheesecake cups. At the center of it all is the question that gives the book its title: “Have you eaten yet?”—a phrase that, for Wen and so many families, means more than the words suggest.
Ahead of the book’s release, Wen spoke with us about the rituals that still shape how she shows care, what the restaurant taught her about taking care of herself and the beauty products that make the cut.
You’ve said ‘Have you eaten yet?’ carries the weight of ‘I love you’ in your family. Are there other small, food-rooted rituals that still shape how you show care for the people in your life today?
“When our kids, Cooper and Michaela, were young, I loved making them baked goods like banana muffins or chocolate chip cookies from scratch. That always brought big smiles to them, which in turn made me smile.
My husband and I have passed down our love of entertaining and feeding our family and friends to Cooper and Michaela. Every Thanksgiving or Christmas, we throw a big dinner party. My favorite thing is having our kids wanting to help us put together those holiday gatherings for our loved ones.”
Working in a restaurant as a kid is its own kind of wellness education—long hours, physical work, watching your parents give everything to a business. What did that teach you about taking care of yourself?
“The restaurant taught me that the rhythm of life comes in waves and that you have to ride it out and enjoy the highs when it’s happening. What do I mean by this? Well, here’s a typical day in the life of working at the restaurant. It starts out calm and easy as we set up for the lunch crowd. Then, once the rush comes in, we are all hauling ass serving our customers, hustling to and fro to fulfill all the orders and get everyone fed before their lunch hour is up. After the mad rush, another calm period follows before the dinner crowd comes in and we’re off to the races again.
This constant change of pace taught me to stay alert and be ready for whatever life throws at me. When an opportunity knocks, I run with it for as long as it lasts. Because I know, soon, there will be a lull for me to recover. That’s why I am always pushing myself to succeed, for my family and for my career. I will ride that wave until it breaks. I know I will have the time to breathe and relax, until the next wave comes. The restaurant gave me a strong work ethic, but it also taught me to take advantage of downtime to keep my sanity and find balance. I pamper and reward myself during the slower periods.”
You’ve played so many different women on screen. Do you have any favorite beauty/glam looks you’ve done?
“This is a tough question to answer, as each of these characters represents something so different. Mulan is an animation, Agent May often wears leather jackets and tight jeans and Fennec Shand wore only one outfit throughout her life it seemed! If I had to choose though, it would be Agent May’s silver dress, which was designed by our amazing costume designer, Ann Foley, and custom-made by our tailor, Henry Po. Add some sparkly silver Badgley Mischka high heel shoes and I was ready to dance and fight the bad guys. As for Fennec Shand, it has to be her most amazing elaborate hairdo. Hey, even mercenary assassins have to look stylish.”
Another hard question, but do you have any favorite beauty products that just work?
“I love Centellian24 Madeca Cream ($32), Alastin Skincare HydraTint ($84), Tarte Shape Tape Concealer ($32), WEN Cleansing Conditioner ($35) and both Qure and Lumara red-light therapy masks.
I feel all these items have helped me to maintain youthful, healthy skin and hair. I also believe in a gua sha tool to massage the face muscles for improved skin quality and reduce facial puffiness.”
After three decades in Hollywood, an industry with a lot of pressure around image and self-presentation, what does this book let you say about yourself that a role never could?
“When I embarked on writing my cookbook, I thought I was just going to share recipes and talk about food. It was going to be fun and easy! A new adventure and a different way to connect with my fans. Instead, I ended up reflecting back on my life, and learned that many things I thought were struggles were actually important lessons.
My journey through food made me re-examine my childhood. Each recipe helped me to gain a new perspective on every aspect of my life. Heck, I thought acting was tough, writing a cookbook got super personal! The meals shared were not just for sustenance, they were memories of family time, celebrations, special milestones and sometimes, loss and healing.
I learned that being a restaurant daughter made me the hardworking, grounded and focused person I am today. My parents sacrificed so much, working long hours and under constant pressure, so that my brothers and I could pursue our dreams. When I was a teenager, I worked as a waitress, a bartender, a cashier and helped out with everything in between. As a kid, I resented having to work on weekends instead of hanging out with my friends.
Now, I realize that running a restaurant isn’t very different from working in show business. I believe I am a better actor and businesswoman because of my life as a restaurant daughter. And I am a damn good cook and a passionate foodie, too.”
You’re passing these recipes and traditions to your own family now. Has becoming the one who feeds everyone changed how you think about aging, legacy or what you want to be remembered for?
“I am very thankful to the fans who inspired me to write a cookbook. My parents were very private people and, like many Chinese families of their generation, never shared much about their lives with us. They showed their love through the meals they made for their family.
These recipes are a tribute to our family traditions, culture and all the stories never told. Eating a delicious meal creates a sense memory from the smell and taste of the food, which is far more powerful and impactful than words. I hope that those who have my cookbook get to share these yummy dishes with their loved ones and create their own memories.
Food can make you literally age backwards, like that famous Ratatouille moment. I’m hoping to be remembered for the roles I’ve played and for the meals I’ve cooked for my family and friends. The greatest joy in life is making connections and experiencing happiness and love with others. Let’s eat!”
