Grace Choy: Cooking dreams on 'Chef of China'

Hong Kong chef Grace Choy, known for her delectable Queen's Chicken, has captured the hearts of audiences on "Chef of China" (Yifan Fengshen), a cooking competition premiering on Tencent Video on July 17. Choy's personal journey proves it's never too late to pursue one's dreams.

Beginning her culinary career at the age of 43, Choy initially hesitated to join the show due to the belief that she didn't fit the mold of a "TV contestant" because of her age. However, with encouragement from a close friend, she took the leap, hoping her journey would inspire others to chase their passions regardless of age.

The show draws inspiration for its competitive structure from Chinese chess, featuring two distinct camps: the "Master Chef Camp" composed of 16 chefs with exceptional culinary skills and high respect in the industry, and the "Home-Style Chef Camp" consisting of 84 chefs who excel in cooking everyday dishes. Choy, nicknamed "Not a Queen" in the show, represents the latter.

Fierce competition among culinary experts

In a heated culinary face-off, 16 chefs outshone their peers from a pool of 84, showcasing their culinary wizardry in a high-stakes battle. The standout moment arrived when Choy captivated the judges with her exquisite poached soy sauce chicken, winning their hearts and earning a coveted spot in the next round.

"While the show looks enjoyable on screen, the filming process was incredibly demanding. We had to wake up at 5 in the morning and often didn't finish until midnight," Choy said.

Despite the exhausting schedule, Choy embraced the challenge and saw the show as an opportunity to showcase her skills and share her culinary vision with a vast audience.

The competition escalated in the second round as chefs from opposing factions engaged in one-on-one duels. Both contestants were tasked with crafting a dish using the same material, a specific ingredient from a Chinese province or autonomous region.

For Choy and her competitor from the Master Chef camp, it was still chicken, specifically, Wenchang chicken, the specialty of Wenchang city, Hainan province, which boasts China's National Geographical Indication.

This time, Choy infused her unique perspective as a female chef into her new dish-Queen's Chicken, a recipe crafted with deep care, complexity, and intention, especially for women.

"Traditionally, both chefs and diners in the culinary world have been mostly male. But what if we shifted that focus? Lately, I've been wondering: What if I designed more food experiences specifically for women — meals that reflect their taste preferences, health needs, and emotional connection to food?"

The dish typically takes a long time to prepare, but Choy shortened the cooking time to 2 hours to meet the requirements of the competition.

"Queen's Chicken is not just a dish. It's a tribute to grace, nourishment, and the feminine spirit — infused with delicate elements like lotus seeds, huangjiu, kombu, and Wenchang chicken, all steamed and layered with love and meaning," Choy said.

"True flavor, after all, can't always be rushed."

Innovation at the heart of her craft

Choy's cooking philosophy is centered on innovation and the harmonious blend of different culinary elements. Her signature concept, "Japanese Ingredients, Chinese Cooking," was born from her travels to Japan, where she noticed a limited understanding of Cantonese cuisine. Determined to change this, she began crafting Chinese dishes using high-quality Japanese ingredients, blending freshness with bold Cantonese flavors.

In one episode of the show, she was required to create a dish using specific ingredients. She took the challenge in stride and crafted a dish that combined the freshness of Japanese-style seafood with Cantonese spices. The dish was not only a visual delight but also a harmonious explosion of flavors, impressing both the judges and the audience.

"My signature soy sauce chicken is already deeply rooted in Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine. But on the show, I refined it with techniques I picked up in Japan—especially in enhancing umami, often called the "fifth taste". It's the deep, savory flavor that gives a dish richness and lasting complexity," Choy said.

For Choy, the show was as much about learning as it was about competing. She has been inspired by the different cooking styles and stories of the other chefs, both from the "Master Chef Camp" and the "Home-Style Chef Camp".

"I witnessed techniques and flavor combinations I had never considered before. One moment that stayed with me was watching a young chef use humble local ingredients to create something extraordinary. It reminded me that "delicious" doesn't always come from luxury—it comes from heart, memory and meaning," she told China Daily Website.

Her warm personality and passion for cooking have also endeared her viewers, who appealed to her warm and friendly demeanor, which shines through on screen. Her passion for cooking is contagious, and she often shares interesting anecdotes about her culinary journey during the show.

A long journey to find bliss

Choy's culinary odyssey is a testament to perseverance and passion. Despite lacking formal culinary training, her unwavering love for cooking has propelled her to remarkable heights.

Born into a modest family, Choy was sent to the UK by her single mother—who raised six children with unwavering love and courage—to train as a professional secretary, with aspirations for a secure future. Upon returning to Hong Kong, she took up a secretarial role but grappled with focusing on paperwork, later diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), which posed significant challenges in maintaining concentration and organization. After being let go from three offices, she found herself stripped of self-respect. With nothing left to lose, she courageously invested her savings to opening a small restaurant, viewing the kitchen as her last chance to reclaim her dignity.

Choy was fortunate to receive wholehearted mentorship from renowned chefs who admired her fearless spirit as a middle-aged woman. With their invaluable guidance, her culinary skills flourished, and her restaurant, ChoyChoy Kitchen, garnered acclaim when CNN recognized it as one of the Best Private Kitchens in Hong Kong. This success allowed her to rediscover her focus and self-worth in the realm of cooking.

Eager to expand her culinary horizons, Choy ventured to Tokyo to establish a restaurant with a partner, only to face the harsh blow of the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the restaurant industry and dissolved their partnership. Undeterred, she purchased a quaint house in Aobadai, Meguro, and launched her intimate restaurant, catering to just four guests at a time, specializing in authentic Chinese cuisine crafted from premium ingredients. Despite the financial challenges posed by Japan's high cost of ingredients, her guests heartfelt appreciation for her authentic dishes reinforced her mission: to spread the essence of authentic Chinese cuisine, or as she calls it, the "gospel of real Chinese Cuisine", throughout Japan.

Juggling multiple roles, Choy embraced the dual responsibilities of chef and waitress, cherishing the direct rapport she shared with her guests. This hands-on approach allowed her to receive immediate feedback on her creations, enabling her to continually refine and elevate her culinary artistry. However, as she encountered hurdles stemming from a recurring medical condition, she was compelled to adapt her career trajectory.

In 2023, Choy made the difficult decision to halt bookings at her Japanese restaurant. Rather than being discouraged, she embraced fresh opportunities, stepping into the role of a guest chef at prestigious five-star hotels across Asia. Through these collaborations, she continued to impart her love for authentic Chinese cuisine to a broader audience.

In 2018, Choy unveiled her cookbook, "Grace's 60 Recipes", sharing her culinary treasures with the world. That same year, she began showcasing recipes from the book on the China Daily Website. She also has her Little Red Note (ID:ChoyChoy).

Click here to savor more of Grace Choy's delectable creations.