Tommy Lei

Canteen, 2022 From the series Chinatown Reverie A diner sits quietly across from his companion in a neighborhood restaurant in Chicago’s Chinatown. Canteens—known as cha chaan tengs—play an integral third-space role for migrants from Hong Kong and the greater Canton region of China. Places like Ken Kee serve as informal gathering spaces where familiar language, food, and daily routines offer continuity and comfort. In these modest interiors, a midday meal becomes a small ritual of belonging, sustained through the simple familiarity of returning to the table.