Real Americans

Rachel Khong is a Chinese American author whose family roots are in Malaysia’s extensive Chinese community. Her family moved to the United States from Malaysia, and Khong grew up in San Bernardino County, California. Khong earned an undergraduate degree in English from Yale University and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Florida. She initially pursued a career in editing and publishing, and following the completion of her graduate degree, she obtained a position editing cookbooks for the nonprofit publishing house McSweeney’s. Khong was also the managing editor and executive editor of the now-defunct Lucky Peach, a popular indie periodical that bridged the gap between literary and culinary writing. Khong is also known for cofounding The Ruby, a creative work and event space for women and nonbinary writers in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Khong’s writing has appeared in American Short Fiction, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Joyland, and she is the coauthor of a cookbook entitled All About Eggs. In addition to her short fiction and culinary writing, Khong is the author of two novels: Goodbye Vitamin (2017) and Real Americans (2024). Goodbye Vitamin was a breakout success and was named one of the best books of the year by NPR, Vogue, The San Francisco Chronicle, and O, The Oprah Magazine.