"if we are what we eat - then I am no longer what I am." Pins and Noodles follows videographer and noodle enthusiast PAUL KWAN on a gastronomic safari in search of a cure for his food allergies. Kwan has discovered, much to his dismay, that shellfish and the rich, spicy foods that give him such great pleasure may be the cause of red, itchy rashes and major discomfort.

Kwan journeys from San Francisco Chinatown to Saigon, Taiwan, and Hong Kong seeking the best--and most palatable--remedies for his ailment. In addition to delivering mouth-watering visuals for his travels, this documemoir presents a memorable series of characters and scenes--fascinating examples of East and West meeting. Kwan's physician choice is an 90-year-old Dr. Ng, who treats both Asian and non-Asian patients with Chinese herbs and acupuncture. In Taiwan, another practioner of Chinese medicine uses a computer and modern technology to update his diagnosis.

The tension builds as the Kwan's odyssey turns into a life-threatening ordeal when midway through making the video he suffers a debilitating stroke. Kwan's experience and his process of recovery lend extra significance to this video's preoccupation with food, medicine, culture and health.