MEET

Long Bio

Rachel Phan (she/her/hers) is a Chinese Canadian bestselling author whose work often explores the impacts of racism, assimilation, fetishization, and forced displacement on one’s feelings of identity, belonging, and self-worth.

Rachel grew up in a small town in Southern Ontario, the daughter of two former Vietnamese refugees who ran the local Chinese restaurant. Navigating life as a third-culture kid shaped her earliest questions about who she was and where she belonged—themes that continue to anchor her writing today.

A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Master of Journalism program, she and her work have appeared on CBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Toronto Star, HuffPost, National Post, Chatelaine, and Maclean’s.

Her instant national bestselling book, Restaurant Kid: A Memoir of Family and Belonging, was released in 2025 and named one of CBC Books’ Best Books of 2025.

Rachel lives in Toronto with her partner and their genius dog. She can usually be found buying way too many books, hunting down the city’s best bites, or drafting essays she swears she’ll finish one day. Follow her on Instagram @rachelmphan.

Short Bio

Rachel Phan (she/her/hers) is a Toronto-based Chinese Canadian author. A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Master of Journalism program, she and her work have been featured on CBC, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Toronto Star, HuffPost, National Post, Chatelaine, and Maclean’s. Her instant national bestselling book, Restaurant Kid: A Memoir of Family and Belonging, was released in 2025.