Due to popular demand, we are offering a second session of this Sichuan storytelling dinner.

China's cuisine is unusual in the sheer number of dishes and ingredients that have a fascinating origin story. Some tales are rooted in ancient mythology while others center on a historical figure, but every story serves to illuminate a moment or a movement in Chinese history. In other words, every time you sit down at a Chinese restaurant, you're unwittingly dining with emperors, wizards, philosophers, and generals.

Sichuan cuisine is a crowd-pleaser, synonymous with numbing-spicy heat and bold flavors. Fewer people know that Sichuan restaurant menus are filled with dishes that are named after regional heroes: the humble street snacks linked to legendary warlords of the Three Kingdoms period as well as sublime banquet fare that was inspired by beloved poets from the Tang and Song dynasty. As we eat, you'll hear all of these folktales.

We'll also discuss the foodstuffs that date back to the ancient kingdoms of Ba and Shu (modern-day Chongqing and Chengdu), and contrast them to the ingredients that were imported to China during the 16th century Columbian Exchange. You'll smack your lips, you'll fill your belly, and you'll walk away marveling at how effortlessly food connects us to the past.

About the convenor: Lilly Chow is the founding editor of The Cleaver Quarterly, a magazine that explores Chinese food all around the world. She is currently working on a book about Chinese food folklore.

Seating for this dinner is limited to 12. Registration is limited to RAS members only.

The event price covers the cost of food but not alcohol. We will try to accommodate vegetarians and other dietary restrictions, but this meal will not be suitable for vegans, as most of the featured dishes do feature meat and fish.