NEW YORK—Dish after dish, round after round, dozens of Chinese chefs tirelessly cooked up exotic Chinese delicacies, showing off their technical skills and superb creativity. But after the judging committee had made up its mind, only one chef stood out, winning the Gold prize in the Shandong cuisine division: Chen Yongming, a Chinese-American from Flushing, Queens, whose final round dish was the colorful “Red Lotus.” Because the competition had five different cuisine subcategories which participants could only join one of, judges were allowed to award Gold, Silver, and Bronze prizes in each category but eventually only one Gold prize was awarded: to Chen.
Chen was one of the 38 chefs awarded in the culinary competition, which NTDTV said was to “promote authentic Chinese culinary techniques, revive traditional Chinese culinary methods, as well as carry forward the exquisite culinary culture of China and disseminate orthodox Chinese culinary philosophy.” The awards ceremony was held Wednesday night at the Peking Hunan Park Restaurant at 100 Park Ave. in Manhattan, where the preliminary and final rounds of the competition were held on Monday and Tuesday. After the awards ceremony, NTDTV hosted an extravagant banquet where guests were treated to such Chinese classics as Sautéed Shrimps with Rainbow Julienne Vegetables and Spiced Mock Duck.
Chen, however, couldn’t make it to the awards ceremony and arrived at the Peking Hunan Park just as the banquet was winding down. Because his cooking was so popular at the restaurant where he worked, he was – ironically - busy cooking at a party hosted by his boss’s wife. “She really loves my beef with black pepper steak,” he said after showing up late.
Stepping into the spotlight, Chen spoke of his many influences. “I’d like to thank my parents, all my teachers, my wonderful wife, and NTDTV for hosting this competition,” he announced. “And I’d also like to thank all of those who love Chinese food.”
NTDTV’s International Chinese Culinary Competition is divided into five subcategories, each a different type of Chinese cuisine. Each of the separate cuisines has its own unique style and presentation: for example, Szechuan cuisine is known for being very spicy, while Cantonese cuisine is known for its utilization of fresh produce and seafood. Northeastern cuisine (originating in Northeastern China) emphasizes richness, while Huaiyang cuisine (originating in Jiangsu province of China) emphasizes fine cutting and mild tastes. Shandong cuisine, which is Chen’s forte and the category in which he won his Gold prize, was the designated cuisine for palaces in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
Chen was one of the 38 chefs awarded in the culinary competition, which NTDTV said was to “promote authentic Chinese culinary techniques, revive traditional Chinese culinary methods, as well as carry forward the exquisite culinary culture of China and disseminate orthodox Chinese culinary philosophy.” The awards ceremony was held Wednesday night at the Peking Hunan Park Restaurant at 100 Park Ave. in Manhattan, where the preliminary and final rounds of the competition were held on Monday and Tuesday. After the awards ceremony, NTDTV hosted an extravagant banquet where guests were treated to such Chinese classics as Sautéed Shrimps with Rainbow Julienne Vegetables and Spiced Mock Duck.
Chen, however, couldn’t make it to the awards ceremony and arrived at the Peking Hunan Park just as the banquet was winding down. Because his cooking was so popular at the restaurant where he worked, he was – ironically - busy cooking at a party hosted by his boss’s wife. “She really loves my beef with black pepper steak,” he said after showing up late.
Stepping into the spotlight, Chen spoke of his many influences. “I’d like to thank my parents, all my teachers, my wonderful wife, and NTDTV for hosting this competition,” he announced. “And I’d also like to thank all of those who love Chinese food.”
NTDTV’s International Chinese Culinary Competition is divided into five subcategories, each a different type of Chinese cuisine. Each of the separate cuisines has its own unique style and presentation: for example, Szechuan cuisine is known for being very spicy, while Cantonese cuisine is known for its utilization of fresh produce and seafood. Northeastern cuisine (originating in Northeastern China) emphasizes richness, while Huaiyang cuisine (originating in Jiangsu province of China) emphasizes fine cutting and mild tastes. Shandong cuisine, which is Chen’s forte and the category in which he won his Gold prize, was the designated cuisine for palaces in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
