Humpty Dumpling’s chef uses Chinese heritage to share food with Bossier community

The Humpty Dumpling food truck provided an inside look at how their dishes are prepared.

It’s traditional food at its base. Chef Jenny Rucker rolls out the dough and begins folding each dumpling individually.

“In north China many families will do this for holidays, weekends or whenever they have time. We call it in Chinese, Jiaozi,” said Wei Robbins, friend and translator.

Their menu features cuisine that dates back throughout Chinese history particularly around holiday celebrations.

“Especially during Chinese New Year people gather around, people stay around just chatting and working,” Robbins said.

They are using the ancient techniques with modern cooking tools.

“The traditional use is a pot,” Robbins said.

With each one made from scratch.

“How did Jenny learn how to do this?” Alexandra Meachum asked.

“Parents,” Robbins translated on Jenny’s behalf. “Almost all the older girls will know how to make Jiaozi. We learn as teenagers and most of the girls will know what to do,” Robbins said.

Jenny Rucker is from north China.

“From Shijiazhuang. It’s a big city in north China,” Robbins said.

She brought her knowledge and love for cooking to Bossier City.

“People in north China enjoy anything made of dough or flour. South China likes rice with dishes,” Robbins said.

Jenny is learning English with help from Robbins who insists she is just the translator and Jenny is the master chef.

“Oh no leave me alone. I’m too lazy! This is more skillful. I cannot make them that fast. I just know how to eat them,” Robbins said.

Jenny is making dumplings in all forms.

“These are not boiled. They are fried,” Robbins said.

Jenny and Wei both have immigrant stories of how they got to America. Wei is also from north China and vividly remembers the Cultural Revolution.

“They prosecuted my parents who are intellectuals. So I didn’t know anyone. I just came here in 1991 as a student,” Robbins said.

Both Robbins and Rucker impressed with the attitudes of Americans.

“She likes people here. They are very kind with a big heart,” said Jenny Rucker, Humpty Dumpling chef and owner.

Jenny’s talent for delicious dumplings inspired her husband, Tom Rucker to start a food business.

“Jenny was cooking so much food at home and we had such a high volume of traffic, we looked like drug dealers. So I recommended we do a restaurant or a food truck,” Tom Rucker said.

Together they open the Humpty Dumpling food truck where Henny is bringing the skills her parents taught her to customers throughout northwest Louisiana.

“Her parents said oh you conquered the appetite of Americans!” Robbins said on behalf of Jenny.

Their main dish Baozi is hard to make along with being time-consuming.

“Use only two fingers! Don’t use too many fingers!” Robbins told Meachum. “My hands feel stupid,” Meachum replied as Jenny and Wei tried to teach how her to fold Baozi.

“It really does take a skill and a technique. There’s an artistry to it. That’s really cool,” Meachum said.

Jenny makes dumplings by the thousands sharing her labor of love with the community each time their food truck opens.

“She prepares all this after we get there,” Tom said.

The Humpty Dumpling food truck features dumplings galore plus interesting Chinese dishes.

It’s food from the heart, rich in unique flavor, skillfully created using knowledge passed down by the generations.

“Oh my god that’s so good!” Meachum said as she tried the freshly-made dumplings.

Customers can find the Humpty Dumpling food truck every Saturday at the Bossier Farmer’s Market. Plus Sundays’ at the Barksdale Farmer’s Market. Tom said they are looking into ways to expand to a brick and mortar location as well. Follow Humpty Dumpling on Facebook where you can request an order.