In a vast and multicultural city like London, food has become more than a basic need — it is a form of cultural navigation. This website explores how a Chinese student (me!) experiences the city through digital platforms in search of comfort food, cultural connection, and a sense of belonging.

Research question: food memories of Chinese immigrants living in London, and the role of social media in this process

Research methodology: This project adopts a digital anthropological approach, combining online platform participation, offline observation and interviews.

- Online, I tracked Chinese food-related content and interactions on platforms such as Xiaohongshu, Instagram and Google;

- On the internet, I tracked Chinese food-related content and interactions on platforms such as Xiaohongshu, Instagram and Google; and I conducted field observations and interviews with seven diners and staff at the eight, a Chinese restaurant in London, as my research site;

- I also participated in content sharing and platform interactions as a user, and reflected on how these digital behaviors construct memories, emotions, and identities.

Anthropological significance:

Food is not just about filling our stomachs, but also carries a complex relationship between algorithms, visual culture and memory.

Digital platforms not only change “what we eat”, but also “how we feel, how we remember”, and “whose culture can be seen”. This project reveals how digital infrastructures are involved in cultural production through the daily act of “eating + swiping cell phone”, and provides an anthropological perspective for understanding the experience of “digital diaspora” in global cities.