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Meet Sarah Lai Stirland: A Story from The Shared Table

Updated: Mar 30

One of my favorite parts of hosting The Shared Table is realizing that every dish someone brings carries a whole life with it. Perhaps a memory, or a place, and if we're lucky, a person who first taught them how to cook it. This is exactly why I started The Shared Table. To create a space where we can slow down, share a meal, and get a glimpse into the lives of the people sitting around us. Sometimes those stories unfold slowly over the course of the afternoon. And sometimes afterward, I ask guests a few questions so we can capture a little more of the story behind the dish.


Meet Sarah Stirland, creator of silicon valley parenting podcast.

This month’s Shared Table guest, Sarah Lai Stirland, grew up surrounded by food that told stories. Sarah was born in Hong Kong and later grew up in England, and her early memories of food reflect the unique blend of cultures that shaped the city during the 1970s and 80s.


Below is her story shared in her own words. 💜


Q: (Unplugged) You were born in Hong Kong and grew up in England. How did those places shape your experience of food growing up? Were there flavors or dishes that felt especially like home?


A: (Sarah) I was spoiled for food options growing up. Hong Kong was a growing global cultural and trade node in the 1970s and 80s. People from all over the world, (but especially Asia) opened up restaurants in the densely-packed parts of the city. Many of the best operated in the outdoors in what looked like shacks. Some of my favorite food memories include eating some incredible Thai food with my Dad in Shek'O, Chinese desserts with my mother in Causeway Bay, and going out to eat Won Ton with my friends in the wee hours of the morning as a teen after exuberant nights of dancing in Hong Kong's nightclubs in Lan Kwai Fong.

The funny thing is that I remember everyday restaurants of all kinds being very affordable, but food in supermarkets being quite expensive. Basic items we take for granted in non-island nations, like fruit, were expensive because it had to be imported. I also had a completely different perception of food than Westerners. I grew up eating things that I now wouldn't, but which were part of the culture -- like shark's fin soup (I thought it was just a metaphor and did not realize that it REALLY WAS shark's fins) and Bird's Nest Soup (same thing.)


Q: (Unplugged) What dish did you bring to the Shared Table, and what inspired you to make it? Is there a story behind it?


Tofu in peanut butter sauce.
A: (Sarah) Tofu in a peanut-butter sauce! It was just something I whipped together that was healthy and quick!


Q: (Unplugged) As a writer, do you ever think about food the way you think about stories?Something that carries memory, culture, and connection?


A: (Sarah) Yes, in fact, one story I wanted to do and haven't managed to (yet,) is about Chinese farmers in Silicon Valley holding onto small plots of land farming Chinese vegetables for local Chinese restaurants. I also like showing my daughter all the food I grew up with when I go to supermarkets like 99 Ranch Market. During the pandemic, I also bought a cookbook by Yan Kit So called "Classic Chinese CookBook" that used to be on my mother's shelf. I think I remember that she used to excerpt recipes from it for her magazine called "Femina." I made dishes from that to comfort myself and my family! 


Q: (Unplugged) Was there someone in your life who influenced the way you cook or think about food? What did you learn from them?


A: (Sarah) Ironically, after having said so much about Chinese and Asian food, it was my English grandmother who influenced me the most. She could whip something up in minutes. My favorite dish was a breaded, mustard chicken dish. I made it the other day for my daughter. She actually said that it was the best chicken dish she'd tasted!


Q: (Unplugged) What do you enjoy most about gathering around a shared table with people you may have just met?


A: (Sarah) Getting to know them and delighting and sharing each others' small anecdotes about everyday lives. Seeing diverse perspectives in ways I hadn't thought about before. Talking about the dishes we brought.

Q: (Unplugged) What’s one small ritual, meal, or ingredient that helps you feel grounded no matter where you are?


A: (Sarah) Box breathing/Taking deep breathes to help me think clearly and calmly. 

Q: (Unplugged) What do you think makes a shared meal feel memorable?


A: (Sarah) Laughter and pointing out the absurdities in life. 

Closing Reflection

Every Shared Table reminds us that a meal is never just about the food. It’s about the places we’ve lived, the people who taught us how to cook, and the stories we carry with us. Sarah’s memories of Hong Kong, family, and everyday meals are a beautiful example of how a dish can open the door to connection.


Join The Shared Table

The Shared Table is a monthly, home-hosted potluck rooted in presence, creativity, and genuine connection. Each gathering invites guests to unplug, bring a dish that carries meaning, and share a meal in a space designed to move conversation beyond small talk.

If Gosia’s story resonated, we’d love to welcome you at an upcoming table.


 
 
 

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Unplugged began as a simple idea: put the phones away and come back to what matters. Conversation, shared meals, and real human presence. What started as small screen-free gatherings has grown into something much larger.

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Now we're evolving into a living network, a nonprofit dedicated to mapping, amplifying, and supporting community builders, gardens, mutual aid groups, and creative projects already bringing people together. We're still unplugging, but now its about unplugging from isolation and disconnection, so we can reconnect with each other and the places we call home.

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