Shot in the Sydney CBD, Sydney People at Leisure by Night is a silent black-and-white film from 1948 that captures the era’s nightlife, from youth gathering in milk bars to smoky tea rooms at social hubs in Kings Cross.

This particular excerpt captures the cooks, waiters and diners of a Chinese restaurant. Special focus is paid to a pair of Chinese chefs, who are shown wok-frying and plating meals in the kitchen. The footage is a rare glimpse of migrant workers in the 1940s and of the style of Chinese restaurants in major Australian cities at the time, where most patrons dine with a knife, fork and glass of wine.

Explore more of After Dark – a Deep Dive into Australian nightlife that draws on decades of material from the NFSA collection.