Cambridge Celebrates Women's History Month: Learn About Some Women Who Shaped Our Community

During the month of March, the Cambridge Women's Commission is sharing a piece of Cambridge women's history each day on its Facebook page.

Take a look to learn more about Joyce Chen, owner of the first Mandarin Chinese restaurant in New England, or Caroline Francis Orne, Cambridge's first librarian at the public library.

Each day highlights another woman or organization who has shaped our community.

Courtesy Photo of Joyce Chen: As part of the 2022 #WomensHistoryMonth, we remember Joyce Chen and her delicious contributions to American food culture. Joyce Chen was born in Beijing and after getting married, went to live in Shanghai. In 1949, Joyce Chen and her husband Thomas left Shanghai, fleeing the new Communist regime and settled in the United States. They were soon living in Cambridge on Kirkland Street. Nine years later, in 1958, Joyce opened the first Mandarin Chinese restaurant in New England at 617 Concord Street, Cambridge. By the 1960’s, it was a famous restaurant, visited by patrons that ranged from celebrities to ordinary restaurant-goers. She began to teach Chinese cooking at both the Cambridge and Boston Adult Education Centers and, in 1962, she published a widely-praised cookbook, Joyce Chen Cook Book. By 1968, she was asked to present a television cooking show for WGBH (PBS) “Joyce Chen Cooks”. In time, she opened restaurants in various locations in Cambridge, including Central Square, Memorial Dr., Rindge Avenue, and also in Boston.