When Tie Sing was a boy, many Chinese people in America worked in laundries and restaurants.  But Tie Sing had bigger plans—as big as the country he loved.  He hiked the mountains with mapmakers, whipping up gourmet meals for them.  His reputation grew: the best trail cook in California!

So it was no surprise when millionaire Stephen Mather hired Tie Sing to feed thirty men for ten days in the wilderness.  Mather was trying to convince the campers that national parks needed to be protected.  What better way than to take them into the mountains—and feed them the finest food around?

Tie Sing planned—and cooked! Steak and venison, peaches and cream, plum pudding with brandy sauce.  And when disaster struck, the talented, adaptable mountain man improvised.  By the end of the trip, Tie Sing had even come up with a way to help inspire the creation of the National Park Service.  

From the dust jacket