Born in Guangzhou, China, from a restaurant and grocery family, Chef Yan acquired a passion for cooking at an early age as a young apprentice in a popular restaurant in Hong Kong. In , he launched the now classic Yan Can Cook series, infusing cooking lessons with his brand of humor and skill. For four decades the Yan Can Cook show has been broadcast on public television in the U.
Generations of audiences have grown up watching his shows and learning the joy and wonders of Chinese and Asian cuisines. This will be followed by Taste of Malaysia with Martin Yan, a part series produced on location throughout Malaysia, and another part series of Korea Food Alive.
With a view of the litchi garden nearby, the restaurant offers an international menu with an emphasis on "East meets West" fusion dishes. The crispy rice with assorted seafood cooked in supreme oyster sauce is served piping hot in a pot. The seafood compliments the flavor of the dish very well.
The most special part is the dessert: silky tofu pudding and Korean kumquat in sweet Thai chili sauce. It makes for a unique combination of sweet, spicy and sour flavors blended together, creating an explosion in your mouth. A highly recommended appetizer is the potato samosa with sour cream. China Archives Year From Korea to Singapore, to Vietnam and Malaysia, and of course we just finished the series in Chengdu, China, where we explored how the food and spices have shaped the history and culture of that region.
Simply put, we go where there is good food and good people, which pretty much means everywhere in Asia these days. The next project is going to be Cambodia. I want to visit the homes of people, cook with the locals and talk to them about their heritage, the history, and the struggle that Cambodians have endured in the last 40 years, and how they survived and prospered. The Malaysia series will be aired soon.
I had the special honor to visit and actually cook with Her Majesty, the Queen of Malaysia—the first for a foreign chef. Now that is truly a career highlight for any chef. This may sound biased, but I truly believe that we are living in the golden age of Asian cooking.
A lot of it is related to the booming economies in Asia. As income levels rise, the market for good food becomes more and more competitive. Asian cuisines are well accepted simply because they are based on fresh and healthy ingredients, have a range of flavors, and there is something for everybody—be it ramen, sushi, or beef noodle soup.
Most of the last century was dominated by European cuisines, but I am convinced that in this century, Asian cuisine is stepping up, and it will take its rightful place under the international spotlight. As people become more health-conscious on both sides of the Pacific, I think that vegetarian and Asian fusion restaurants will be popping up more, particularly in big cities such as Los Angeles, Houston, New York and San Francisco. Also, we will continue seeing more and more noodle shops and restaurants.
Noodles are comforting, fast and nutritious, and people are really digging the flavor. Just look at how ramen restaurants became popular in just a matter of years. I go by that old saying: Love what you do, and you will never have to work a day in your life. I might not have known what I wanted to do as a year-old apprentice, but now I can tell you with all my heart that I cannot think of doing anything else in life.
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