Writing in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2004, Kim Severson increased that estimate to 90 percent.11
This chapter tells the story of how and why the donut, a popular staple of so-called traditional American cuisine since the nineteenth century, became linked to Cambodian refugees in twentieth-century Los Angeles. Using inter- views with donut shop owners, donut shop workers, and members of the Cambodian community, in addition to archival evidence, I examine the his- torical and structural foundations of this business niche. After explaining why Cambodians found this business model particularly advantageous, I describe the strategies they used to make it successful within a relatively short period of time. Finally, I explore the role of donut shops in the negotiation of identity for Cambodian refugees in the United States.
In addition, I raise questions about the relationship between Asian immi- gration, the urban built environment, and food cultures. Using Cambodian donut shops as the sites where local, national, and transnational histories intersect, I explore the development of relationships among a new group of Angelenos, Los Angeles, and Asia, highlighting the role of donut produc- tion and consumption. I show that donut shops (and perhaps even donuts
Cambodian Donut Shops
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themselves) serve as sites of cultural negotiation. Cambodians reimagined the traditional ethnic business niche in a form that reflects the physical and cul- tural landscapes of Los Angeles. In doing so, they demonstrated the ability of immigrant entrepreneurs to successfully negotiate, adapt, and modify business practices and consumption patterns. Accordingly, I suggest that immigrant entrepreneurs can also reshape our understanding of the role of food and food enterprises in the construction and contestation of ethnic, cultural, and urban identities.