International Chinese chef delegations from Mainland China, Taiwan and Canada will also share their skills.
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Martin Yan The celebrated host of over 3,000 cooking shows, broadcast worldwide, Martin Yan enjoys distinction as a certified Master Chef, a highly respected food consultant, a cooking instructor and a prolific author. His diverse talents have found expression in 30 cookbooks, including the award-winning Martin Yan’s Feast, Martin Yan’s Asian Favorites, Chinese Cooking for Dummies, Martin Yan’s Chinatown Cooking,(intro by Julia Child) Martin Yan’s Quick & Easy, and his latest, Martin Yan’s China (a cookbook that documents his travels throughout the far reaches of China, and his culinary discoveries). Born in Guangzhou, China, to a restaurateur father and a mother who operated a grocery store, Chef Yan possessed a passion for cooking at an early age. His formal induction into the culinary world began at age thirteen, with an apprenticeship at a popular Hong Kong restaurant. He refined his natural talent at the Overseas Institute of Cookery in Hong Kong, and then pursued an MS in Food Science at The University of California/Davis in the US. He discovered a flair for teaching when he became an instructor in the university’s extension program. In 1978, he pioneered a daily TV Chinese cooking show: the now classic “Yan Can Cook.” A valued instructor at top culinary institutions, Chef Yan has taught at The Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, The California Culinary Academy and The Chinese Cuisine Institute in Hong Kong. In 1985, he founded the Yan Can Cooking School in California and in 2007 founded The Martin Yan Culinary Arts Center, a unique international culinary academy for professional chefs in Shenzhen, China. Also a restaurateur, his Yan Can and SensAsian Restaurants offer inventive pan-Asian menus. |
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Khai Duong Khai Duong, Executive Chef at Ana Mandara in San Francisco, is considered one of the world's leading Asian chefs, and one of the pioneers of modern Vietnamese cuisine. He has been featured in Gourmet Magazine, Bon Appetit, InStyle Magazine, USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle, Chef Magazine and many others. Using inspiration from his native village of Nha Trang, Duong has created some of the most original and striking executions of modern Vietnamese dishes in the world since Ana Mandara's opening in 2000. Ana Mandara is one of the few Asian restaurants in the U.S. with a full-time sommelier and has consistently been awarded the Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Academie Culinaire De Paris, Duong's professional experience includes stints at Le Bernardin in New York City, the Boca Raton Resort Hotel (Mobil 5 star/5 diamond) in Florida, the Maui Prince Hotel in Hawaii, and Le Colonial in Beverly Hills. Duong is the founder of Chefs Without Borders and the Asian Chefs Association and the recipient of the 2007 California Culinary Academy Educational Foundation’s Chef Star of Fame, presented by Martin Yan. |
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Chef Simon To Chef Simon To, a Paiza Club chef since its inception in 2004, has 35 years of experience cooking Asian cuisine. Originally from Hong Kong, he specializes in Canton and Szechwan styles and is considered a Dim Sum master. Chef To has served his signature dishes all over the world including France, Hong Kong, and Canada and was recently awarded the coveted Bleu Ribbon award from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. In recognition of his outstanding contributions and accomplishments in the hospitality industry, especially at The Venetian’s exclusive Paiza Club, Chef To was inducted into the Les Amis d’Escoffier Society of China. The Society selected Chef To, Known for his professionalism and excellent reputation within the Asian and American Hospitality field, as Honorary Chairman for his achievement in the culinary field. |
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Hoi Fung In 1982, Chef Hoi Fung arrived in Houston from Hong Kong, seeking his long-cherished American dream. He gradually became sophisticated and professional in restaurant operation, after accumulating ample culinary experiences. In 1990, Chef Fung, opened Fung’s Kitchen, initiating his dazzling performance in catering business. Being the owner and head chef, Chef Fung, with innate talents, constantly improving his exquisite culinary skills and carrying on the splendid Chinese gastronomy. Consequently, he won the 2002 Channel 39 Unsung Hero Award, laying a substantial foundation for his later harvest. By the year of 2005 he reached the pinnacle of his career: in July, he received gold medal at The World Golden Chef Competition in Malaysia; in October, not only was he rewarded with the Super Gold Medal for the Red Pocket Chinese Culinary Competition in Wuhan, China, but became a member of Les Amis D’Escoffier Society and the special committee of the Famous Chef Society, and later a member of Chaine Des Rotisseurs Society in France. Still in the same year, the Houston Chronicle ranked Fung’s Kitchen the Best Dim Sum in Houston. In 2007, Chef Fung was elected for the judging panel for the Second American Chinese Culinary Competition in Los Angeles, and in 2008, he becomes the member of the International Exchange Association of Renowned Chinese Cuisine Chefs. |
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Jackie Zhou Jackie Zhou, born in Zhongshan in Guangdong Province, was a disciple of Yeung Koon Yat, a world-renowned chef from Hong Kong known as the "Abalone King”. Jackie was invited as a guest in President Obama's inaugural ceremony. Having lived in Canada, he came to the United States in 2001 and opened Happy Harbor Restaurant, starting his catering business. Proud of his hometown, he is dedicated to promote Cantonese cuisine, with a vision of "carrying on Chinese gastronomy and creating exquisite food." In 2007 , Jackie, cooperated with master chef Yeung Koon Yat, and jointly launched a feast serial—Happy Harbor, displaying profound Chinese gastronomic culture to the U.S. mainstream society, helping Americans imagine far beyond some common dishes like sweet and sour pork or hot and sour soup. He has been affectionately devoting himself to the catering industry; as of now, ten years have passed and his business has become even more prosperous than he could have imagined. |
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Tony Hu Tony Hu is a splendid Chinese chef and an elite restaurateur. He is famous for persistently promoting Chinese cuisine and culture, and his merits are often reported on television and in newspapers. In 1993, he founded Tony Gourmet Group, a chain of five Chinese restaurants located in Chicago and Connecticut, with Sichuan, Beijing, and Shanghai as the three types of Chinese cuisine served. For over ten years—owing to his exquisite culinary skills, a rich variety of dishes, and attentive and thoughtful service—Tony has been widely recognized by people from all walks of life. Thus, he has also become a well-known TV presenter in different culinary programs. Tony graduated from the Culinary Institute of Sichuan, China, in 1989, and started running an authentic Sichuan style restaurant in Chengdu. It was the foundation of Tony Gourmet Group that enabled him to gain worldwide fame and become an internationally known Chinese chef. In 2002, he was awarded "Asian Pacific American Outstanding Leadership Award" in Chicago. In 2007, Haocai Luo, the Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Chairman of Zhi Gong Party, during his visit to Chicago, made a special trip to meet with Tony. |
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Willy Wu, Ronny Wu Willy Wu and Ronny Wu are brothers, who jointly established Koi Palace. Now they have three chain restaurants of the Koi Palace's style, and a snack bar serving barbecue, porridge, noodles and so on. Koi Palace mainly provides Hong Kongstyle dim sum and seafood delicacies, which are popularized and highly praised in the local Chinese community. Willy once learned Chinese gastronomy from various professional chefs and has travelled to many countries to study different culinary arts, so he has mastered consummate culinary skills; while Ronny is proficient in marketing, management and public relations. With the two brothers cooperating in concord, their business has been booming. Koi Palace has been rated, for many times, as the Bay Area's most outstanding restaurant by the media, and has consecutively won the Top 100 Overall Excellence Award granted by the Annual Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in USA Competition. |
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Chef Rommel Dela Rosa Chef Rommel attended the University of Anchorage, Alaska Culinary Arts & Hospitality Program, and then graduated from the California Culinary Academy with an Associate of Occupational Science in Culinary Arts. He then extended Pastry Training under Master Confectionary Chef Bo Freiberg. He previously served as sous chef for one of Alaska’s finest restaurants, Orso, and served as executive chef for the Petroleum Club of Anchorage and the executive chef / general manager of Yan Can Restaurant in Santa Clara, California. Rommel was also a guest chef instructor for Allen and Petersen’s cooking classes, teaching advanced sushi and Asian cuisine. Rommel dela Rosa is currently working as a chef for BON APPETIT. |
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Jet Tila Jet Tila takes his first executive chef position at Wazuzu at Encore, the new signature resort in the Wynn collection. He has worked in various restaurant settings, from fine dining at Grace Restaurant to the hip and trendy Hungry Cat. He has been a feature chef for the Hass Avocado Board, The Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board and Zespri (New Zealand) kiwi fruit. He also serves as the Asian food consultant to the Bon Appetit Management Company. In 2005, Tila entered the Guinness Book of World Records for preparing the world’s largest stir-fry, which weighed in at 1,805 pounds. He has made numerous television appearances including The Travel Channel’s No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain and TLC’s Take Home Chef with Curtis Stone. He was also a regular on KCRW’s (NPR) Good Food radio program and currently hosts a television show called Chasing the Yum on the Veria Network. |
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Michael M. Wei In 1977 Michael opened Ming Garden in Elkins Park and later Szechuan East in the Northeast. In 1991, Michael transformed an old restaurant icon into a fine dining destination. Michael created the East-West cuisine and redesigned everything, with Yangming’s birth rewarded with applause. Michael's next challenge was creating CinCin in toney Chestnut Hill and this French-influenced Chinese bistro concept was a hit. Michael more recently opened Nectar; an impressive multi-level Rockwell-designed venue. The Executive Chef for most of his restaurants, Michael has been honored with many prestigious awards including: “The Keystone Award”- The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, “America’s Top Tables”- Gourmet Magazine, and “Ten Great Chinese Restaurants” - USA Today. |
