A top chef's main ingredient: hard work

Editor's note: China is divided into as many culinary regions as there are different ethnic groups. Its geographical diversity and kaleidoscopic cultural profiles contribute to an unending banquet of flavors.

Chinese cuisine is an old game played through a revolving door of new players. For thousands of years, generations of cooks have labored anonymously behind kitchen doors to innovate and fine-tune one of the world's most intricate epicurean heritages.

Now, in the new-age era of the celebrity chefs, they are finally stepping out in style.

Menex Cheung, 34, is the Chinese executive chef of the Shangri-la Hotel Group's China World Summit Wing, Beijing, an imposing edifice on the Third Ring Road that eyeballs the iconic CCTV Building across the way.

Menex Cheung is the Chinese executive chef of the Shangri-la Hotel Group's China World Summit Wing, Beijing. Photos Provided to China Daily

The shiny steel and glass tower is a fitting backdrop for the chef, who would stand out anywhere with his spiky Mohawk hair and his preferred modes of transport, a remodeled Mini Cooper and a Segway.

I first met him when he was helming the kitchen of the best hotel in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, where he was both shocking and delighting the locals with his dramatic innovations at the table.

And, yes, he was riding his Segway even then.

The young chef next moved to Beijing, where his talents blossomed for the opening of the Waldorf Astoria on Jinbao Street, and his dormant desire for adventure matured like a simmering stock pot.

Cheung experimented, ate and traveled, often representing China at international cooking exhibitions and contests. When he accepted his latest assignment, he was ready to show off what he could really do, as a chef, innovator and manager - essential in a Chinese kitchen.

He offers insights from the kitchen floor.

How do chefs of your generation bring a new perspective to such a time-honored cuisine?

I trained as a Chinese chef, so I should speak first from this angle. In my opinion, it's really hard to say what's good and what's not. The reason is: Individual tastes vary so widely.

It's an age-old problem, pleasing the palate of your diners. For me, innovation is to offer your diners something fresh, something they've never seen before, something to stimulate their senses, their tastebuds.

But it cannot be blind creativity, because diners must be pleased within a comfort zone.

I always make it a point to ask my diners: 'Did you enjoy the meal? Was it satisfying? Was it a comfortable experience?'

As a chef, I have to make sure the meal is a complete experience, that they leave the table with a full tummy and happy tastebuds. It's an ongoing mission and I'm still striving for perfection.

Modern logistics have widened the spectrum of ingredients to choose from. How has that affected Chinese cuisine?

As a chef in China, you already have a vast choice of local ingredients from almost an entire continent. At China World Summit Wing, I have the added advantage of an international purchasing system

This has given me the freedom to shrug off many die-hard traditions. For example, I may use Beijing's signature ceramic pot yogurt and combine it with traditional cat's-ear noodles for my version of lasagne, or use Spanish red prawns for a very Cantonese finely-diced ginger and Shaoxing steamed prawns.

What are the essential qualities for success in this age of intense competitiveness?

No matter which generation you come from, which profession you choose, it really boils down to hard work and passion.

If you are not willing to work hard, and don't love what you're doing, or if you cannot resist temptation and stay unwavering on the course, you'll never reach the top.

I want to share something with aspiring chefs: Don't be seduced by what you see on television, that's only the superficial glamour. You don't see the sweat and tears, you don't see the physical hard work. You have to really love what you're doing, or you'll never succeed.

Do you have a formula for success?

This is a tough one. As my wife often reminds me, I'm not as young as I used to be. I can hardly bear the weight of being labeled young and successful.

But I can share a little story: When I first started my apprenticeship in the Chinese kitchen, most of my fellow disciples would take advantage of our afternoon break to take a siesta, play video games or go for a cup of tea before returning in the evening.

This is normal practice, because the long hours in the kitchen can be truly tiring.

Only two boys ever stayed behind, resisting the calls of the brothers to go out and play. Instead, they practiced their wok-tossing skills and perfected their knife-work. They spent two-thirds of their waking moments in the kitchen.

I was one of those boys, the other is Lee Sheng, the executive Chinese chef of the Shangri-la Hotel in Paris.

You need to invest a lot of hard work and determination even if you have the talent, a glib tongue and creative hands. You have to have the desire to learn, either from a five-star chef or a cook at the dapaidang street food stall. Once you've learned these skills, no one can take them away from you.

You need to have the confidence to want to learn. Only a man with no self-confidence is afraid to open his mouth to ask.

Chef Menex Cheung certainly understands the hard work behind the glamour, but his creativity can be seen in the unique dishes offered to his diners.

Let his food speak for itself.

paulined@chinadaily.com.cn

Chef Cheung's new take on old classics:

Popcorn Rice in Lobster Stew

Every chef has a signature dish that testifies to his personal culinary journey. For Chef Menex Cheung, this popcorn rice is part of his evolution as a young cook experimenting with textures and flavors to his eventual confidence as a master chef who is totally in control of his presentation. This playful creation encapsulates all the best in Chinese cooking with a flavorful tomato-based lobster broth, a medley of sweet seafood and the pop and crackle of crisp popcorn rice

Crisp-Skinned Lamb with Cumin

The chef spent a few very interesting years in Inner Mongolia, where lamb is the main meat and cumin a major seasoning.Cheung embraced these unfamiliar flavors and made them his own, playing again on the contrasting textures and flavors to surprise the diner with an adventure in the mouth. His use of spring roll wrappers add an almost architectural interest.

Fire and Ice Little Egg Waffle

A delightful dessert and a meal in itself that is a nod to the chef's Hong Kong roots. These little egg waffles were every Hong Kong child's secret indulgence and favorite street food.Cheung piles ice cream and fresh berries on top of the piping hot waffle to create a contrast of hot and cold, crisp and juicy, and finally, popping candy adds the finishing touch to a dessert that dances on the palate.