#ChineseFoodiesofIG: Victor Liong, Lee Ho Fook

 

This is part of an ongoing series of interviews I’m doing with my favourite Chinese foodies that I follow on Instagram. Come and follow the #ChineseFoodiesofIG hashtag on Instagram and leave a comment showing your support for these talented folk!

Where are you from? Where are you really from?

Sydney, Australia. My parents were born in Malaysia; I was born in Brunei. I guess I'm Malaysian Chinese. 

Rice or noodles?

Rice is might! Noodles for lunch, rice for dinner.

What does Chinese food mean to you?

It's a nice link to 20% of the world's history and people.

How did you learn to cook?

I trained, wrote down and remembered dishes, flavours and techniques. The search and learning is perpetual.

Share a food memory:

I was sick once as a small child, maybe three years old. I hassled my father in the middle of the night, complaining I was hungry (my dad does not cook at all). Instead of waking my mother, he fried an egg and finished it with a few drops of soy sauce. This will always be in my mind the perfect fried egg. My father has a lot of patience in technical application and work — this was a nice story to highlight his temperament.

Who’s your Chinese food legend?

Probably Susur Lee. I've been lucky to meet most of my food heroes through work. His book, demeanor and personal style has always been inspirational.

Know any good Chinese restaurants?

In New York City: Guan Fu, La Chine, Hunan Slurp, Le Sia, South of the Clouds, Wu’s Wonton King...(Sydney) Golden Century, Mr Wong, Queen Chow, Happy Chef at Sussex food court, Eaton in Ashfield. (Melbourne) Flower Drum, Shangdong Mama, Dainty Sichuan, Oriental Impressions, Dragon Hotpot. (London) XU, A. Wong, Chinese Laundry. (HK) Ho Lee Fook, Yat Lok, Lung King Heen, The Chairman, Mak's Noodles, Nova. (LA) Nightshade, Needle. (NYC) Great N.Y. Noodletown, Hunan Slurp, Baohaus. (Singapore) JB Ah Meng, Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck Restaurant, Din Tai Fung at Marina Sands.

Probably heaps more but I forget...

Dream dinner party guests:

Malcolm Gladwell, Eric Ripert, James Turrell, Tom Hiddleston, Yotam Ottolenghi, Rick Owens, Tiger Woods, Tiffany Haddish, Dave Chapelle, Kanye West and Phoebe Waller-Bridge - this would be a fucking amazing time!

What would you like to tell the world about Chinese food?

It's more important, similar, robust, technical, historically interesting, diverse, valuable and significant than everyone thinks.

 
#ChineseFoodiesofIGJenny Lauchinese identity, chefs, malaysian chinese, melbourne, australia, restaurantsComment