Arts and culture | Film screening
Film Screening: Meer Dan Babi Pangang
- Date
- Thursday 24 September 2026
- Time
- Serie
- Asian Studies events
- Address
-
Lipsius
Cleveringaplaats 1
2311 BD Leiden - Room
- 0.19
Register to attend
Click here to registerAbstract
In Meer Dan Babi Pangang, Chinese-Dutch documentary filmmaker Julie Ng examines the success and looming decline of the Chinese-Indonesian restaurant, using Golden House—her father’s restaurant in Rozenburg—as a starting point. What begins as a quest to discover the origins of the dish Babi Pangang evolves into a personal and emotional exploration of her own cultural and culinary identity as a Chinese-Dutch person.
Why do Chinese-Indonesian restaurants serve dishes that Chinese people themselves do not eat at home? What does this reveal about assimilation, public perception, and the way cultures relate to one another? And why do so many Dutch people primarily associate "Chinese restaurants" with Babi Pangang—a dish born from the cross-pollination of three cultures: Chinese, Indonesian, and Dutch? The dish has Indonesian origins and a name to match; it was adapted by Chinese restaurateurs and tailored specifically to the tastes of their Dutch clientele. Meer Dan Babi Pangang is a tribute to the first generation of Chinese-Dutch immigrants who, through hard work, established a fixture of the Dutch streetscape. At the same time, it is an invitation to look beyond the takeaway menu.
The film will be screened with English subtitles. The screening will be followed by a panel talk and Q&A including filmmaker Julie Ng, Cherren Tang and Bastiaan Nugteren. The panel discussion will be held in Dutch. We will discuss the film, its wider context and discuss the current and historical state of Chinese-Dutch identity in the Netherlands.
About the speakers
Julie Ng (born 1979, Woerden) grew up in Sint-Oedenrode, where her father, Chun Yuen Ng, ran the Chinese-Indonesian restaurant Lotus. The family later moved to Rozenburg, where her father opened Golden House. In addition to being a documentary filmmaker, Ng is the initiator of the Meer Dan Babi Pangang Foundation, which she established in 2016 together with producers San Fu Maltha and In-Soo Radstake. The foundation is dedicated to increasing the visibility of the Asian community in the Netherlands and creating space for cultural expression, talent development, and dialogue. In 2021, the foundation was responsible for the inclusion of Chinese-Indonesian restaurant culture in the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands. Ng is also a co-author of the cookbook and storytelling book Maancake & Jasmijn – 100 geheime recepten van Chinese moeders. Meer Dan Babi Pangang is Julie Ng’s first film. In it, she not only explores Chinese-Indonesian food culture but also shares her personal journey as the daughter of migrants living between two worlds. Through her film, she aims to help break down stereotypes and preserve a rich—yet often overlooked—culture in the Netherlands.
Cherren Tang is a life coach born in Goes to parents who immigrated from Hong Kong. Growing up as the eldest daughter, she frequently translated for her family, learning early to adapt and prioritize others. After becoming a mother of two, Cherren underwent a transformative personal journey to reconnect with her own identity, intuition, and body. Driven by this experience, she now dedicates her passion to coaching women raised in multicultural environments. She supports them through their cultural challenges, empowering them to build self-trust and fearlessly claim their rightful place in the world. Her expertise and practice focuses on the second generation: what does it mean to find yourself as a child to migrant parents?
Dr. Bastiaan Nugteren is an Assistant Professor of Modern History at the University of Groningen. He is an expert in colonial history and international migration, with a focus on Southeast Asia. His research examines historical borders, labor migration, and migration policy, specifically focusing on the history of Chinese migration flows. In doing so, he investigates not only dynamics within Asia but also transnational histories, such as Chinese migration to the Netherlands.