New Yorker and self-proclaimed salt freak Lee Anne Wong is a dynamic combination of talent, personality, and passion. A contestant in season one of Bravo's home-run reality show Top Chef, Wong won over audiences with her skill, sense of humor, and no-nonsense work ethic; off camera, she works as the Executive Chef of Event Operations for the International Culinary Theater at the French Culinary Institute. Quite a mouthful of a title, which is more than fitting for a woman who has so much on her plate.

For nearly thirty years, Master Chef Martin Yan has been teaching the world how to cook, and how to smile doing it. The affable, energetic host of television shows such as Yan Can Cook and Martin Yan's Chinatown is beloved by aspiring chefs the world over. A native of Guangzhou, China, Yan is a fan of fresh, seasonal ingredients, and considers simplicity and flavor to be the main ingredients for culinary success. He makes appearances all over the world, in person and via television and radio, and will soon be opening several more branches of his restaurant, Yan Can; Fresh Asian Cooking. Check out his website www.yancancook.com for a list of appearances, recipes, and new and exciting projects!

Click here for Martin's interview

Gourmet Delight
1045 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 392-3288

Ten Ren Tea
949 Grant Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 362-0656

David Bank Opens Land NorthEast Thai

Mouthfuls of chewy, savory noodles swimming in a sea of fragrant broth. Meat that's tender and delicate, floating harmoniously alongside scallions and pickled bamboo. Ramen noodles are the quintessential comfort food, a marriage of texture and soft spice that fills your belly soothingly, warmly. This Japanese comfort food of Chinese origin was popularized worldwide by a Taiwanese entrepreneur and is a staple of American college kids, so it's pretty safe to say that ramen is a multicultural phenomenon with universal appeal. Made from wheat flour, salt, water, and kansui, ramen is a deceptively simple food.  It was ma de even simpler by Momofuku Ando, who invented the classic instant version that many of us know and love. 
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The question of to go or not to go – to culinary school – is a decision that all potential chefs must make. There are so many considerations; time, money, location … the list goes on and on. Asian Restaurant News spoke with chef and culinary educator (among other things) Robert Danhi, who gave us a taste of the many rewards reaped from of a culinary education.
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David Chang
Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York, NY

Pho 75 (Traditional Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
3103 Graham Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
(703) 204-1490

Jake Klein
Pulse, New York, NY

Minca Ramen Factory (Japanese Style Ramen)
536 E. 5th Street
New York, NY 10009
(212) 505-8001

Martin Yan
Yan Can Cook, Santa Clara, CA

Fung's Kitchen
7320 Southwest Fwy # 115
Houston, TX 77074
(713) 779-2288

Korean Fried Chicken is apparently turning some heads in New York City, garnering press that includes a recent New York Times article exposing its secrets. Its thin, crackly crust stands out from the thicker, greasier crunchy crust that is a trait of the Southern style. Korean Fried Chicken is usually fried in two steps; cooked once and then left to sit for a while, and then cooked again to finish it. Here are some recommended restaurants to grab delicious bites of Korean Fried Chicken.

Bon Chon Chicken
314 Fifth Avenue (32nd Street)
NY, NY
(212) 221-2222

Bon Chon Chicken
157-18 Northern Boulevard (58th Street)
Queens, NY
(718) 321-3818

Bon Bon Chicken
98 Chambers Street (Church Street)
NY, NY
(212) 227-2375, Opening In March.

Unidentified Flying Chickens
71-22 Roosevelt Avenue (71st Street)
Queens, NY
(718) 205-6662

This hairy plant, also known as Japanese artichoke, knotroot and chorogi, is grown for its edible tubers that have a sweet, nutty taste. Though Chinese artichoke tubers are usually eaten as raw snacks, they can also be eaten boiled, in salads, stir fried, baked, steamed or in soups. When buying Chinese artichokes, choose ones that are firm and white. The tubers are not peeled but scrubbed clean. Exposure to light darkens the tubers and causes a loss of flavor. You can store these tubers in the refrigerator wrapped in a plastic bag up to a week.

Tatsoi has tender, sweet tasting stalks and leaves that are commonly used in high-quality dishes, stir-fry, and in salad mixes. Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. Its spoon-shaped, dark green, evenly spaced leaves have given Tatsoi its popular name, “spoon mustard”. This plant is high in calcium and vitamin content. Tatsoi has been gaining popularity in North American cuisine and has already found its way onto the McDonald’s menu as an alternative to shredded lettuce.

Try Wok Seared Spicy Calamari Salad with Tatsoi, Sriracha, Lime and Toasted Cashews by Cliff Wharton

Asian chives resemble a bundle of long leaves of grass. The texture and consistency varies from  rice-paper-fine to pencil-thick, and the thicker the chive, the more flavor it has.Asian Chives have a light garlic taste and are especially delicious with potatoes, eggs, rice, stir-fries, Pad Thai, and smoked or pickled fish. They are also eaten raw and used as garnish for dishes. Asian chives have a generous amount of potassium and bone-building phosphorus, and good amounts of calcium and vitamin A.  While cooking with chives, you should keep the heat brief to preserve flavor. Always use fresh chives; dried ones lack flavor. You can store chives in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Momofuku Ssam Bar

Momofuku Ssam Bar
643 Hudson Street,New York, NY, (212) 352-3590

David Chang, proprietor and chef of the great Momofuku Noodle Bar, has introduced New York to one more of his genius creations. His newly opened Momofuku Ssäm Bar is located in the East Village and has a sleek appeal, with about 55 backless stools at a two sided counter or at communal tables. Chang's eclectic menu focuses on its name, ssam - a Korean term for wrapped food, which is something of an Asian burrito. His must-have on the menu is the juicy, flavor-packed Berkshire Pork Ssäm: with rice, edamame, onions, pickled shiitakes, kimchee puree, and fresh, Berkshire pork, all wrapped up for your enjoyment.