So Can You...

I just read this SFgate.com article about Martin Yan opening a cooking school in Shenzhen, China.

MARTIN YAN'S CAN-DO ATTITUDE The Bay Area's gregarious TV chef focuses on his native China with new school and book

His show was one of the first cooking shows I've ever seen (but does anyone remember Chef Tell on Evening Magazine?) mainly cuz he was Chinese. But, his show was really entertaining. My mom was a great cook and I'd watch every little thing she did in the kitchen. I still remember hot meals that'll come out similar to what we'd eat in restaurants. She'd spend days preparing and cooking chinese meals, pastries, dumpling, etc...especially for special occasions like Chinese New Year. She'd make sooo many things and give them away to family/friends for special celebrations. Although she kept kicking me out for being in the way, I'm glad that I've persisted and assisted on many occasions. To this day, I don't have measurements or lists of ingredients written down, but can remember all the little things she did and say to me as she was making things. I've not cooked as much as I'd like since the kids (primary reason is they like simple foods now), but do plan to begin cooking more soon! So, for all the little missing pieces of information, Martin Yan's show filled. Originally, I thought he was a bit too much, but in learning his background and passion for food, I really respect all that he has accomplished. It's a pretty good article to read about a guy with passion and drive.

Excerpts from the article:

"I always tell people," he says, "that if I didn't have crisis or need in my life, I never would have learned to survive."

This is sooooo true, it's something that I believe in. There are some things that just cannot be taught and is only found within yourself.

In China, he says, "We've always eaten with the seasons based on what's available locally," so that's nothing new.

It's the way it should be. Why are people here in the U.S. just finding this out now?

"Up until now," says Yan, "there has been nothing like this in China. You want to learn French cuisine? You go to France. Spanish? You go to Spain. In order to really learn the cuisine of a particular country, you need to go there."

Good or Bad. The good, we (in the U.S.) have exposure to a variety of ethnic foods. The bad, we can form a first impression and opinion of how that type of food should taste.  For example, people who eat Panda Express will say that is the best Chinese food, but when sitting in a family style chinese dinner, there is a "Eww, what's that? Where is the egg roll?"

As his friend and fellow longtime TV personality Jacques Pepin says, "We cannot escape ourselves. Martin is what he is and he does what he does because he loves it. He has no intention of doing something else."

Passion.

chef Martin Yan's Culinary Art Center in Shenzhen, China, visit www.mycic.biz or yancancook.com