Shanghai Superman Chefs Tell All
Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Position/company: Jean-Georges and Mercato (Shanghai) and numerous concepts worldwide [Michellin starred celebrity chef and owner]
What is your biggest achievement?
Probably opening all these restaurants and having all these awards. I mean the Michelin, the New York Times, everyone who gives us something. It’s more for me organizing what we do for the team, you know? When we get a Michelin star it’s more for the team. It’s a labor of quality, but I think my biggest accomplishment is getting to where I am today after 44 years of cooking. I never dreamed to be involved in like 38 restaurants, to have all that, and to employ 5,000 people.
What are your inspirations?
Everything! People, life, Shanghai. Shanghai is a very happening place. I’m scared, because all these restaurants were coming in, but then we were even busier than we were before. People attract people and restaurants bring that. I think people live to eat these days. We live in an amazing time. A crazy time, but an amazing time.
How did you get through the difficulties you encountered?
When you go into the restaurant business, you are always busy and you don’t see how time flies. We had some hiccups, but like I say, every day is a new day in the restaurant business. Whatever doesn’t work today, tomorrow we do something else. It’s a beautiful business because people need to eat every day, three times a day, so it’s amazing. There are no boundaries, there’s no stopping and selling deliciousness is easy.
How did you get to where you are now?
You know I left school when I was 16 and do not have an education as an entrepreneur, and I became an entrepreneur without knowing it. But it’s all about people. You cannot do anything by yourself, because the restaurant business is teamwork. I know how to pick talents. We have a lot of young talents around us, so I feel like I’m a talent agency. You have to find someone with the right energy, positivity, and talent as well.
Paul Pairet
Position/company: Ultraviolet, Mr & Mrs Bund, The Chop Chop Club [chef de cuisine/founder/partner]
What is your biggest achievement?
Ultraviolet
What are your inspirations?
Everything in life
How did you get through the difficulties you encountered?
With complete determination and faith in what we are doing
How did you get to where you are now?
Years of hard work and cultivation of my profession/passion; with complete determination and faith (again)
Craig Willis
Position/company: Mr. Willis [cook], Henkes, Bang, La Strada and Pelikan
What is your biggest achievement?
Building an amazing family of cooks and servers who love and care for our restaurants and having the opportunity to support those in need.
Also - controlling my addiction to Xiao Long Bao.
What are your inspirations?
Great ‘home style’ cooking from around the world, rustic, authentic, traditional – things that I want to eat!
How did you overcome challenges on the way to your success?
Challenges need to be faced straight up – my biggest problems come from the things I put off…
How did you get where you are now?
I rode my bike!
Every day is like starting out fresh, the stoves are empty, the tables are bare.
Every chef must cook with care every time and every server must smile till the end of the day.
Willy Trullas Moreno
Position/company: el Willy [Group founder/owner]
What is your biggest achievement?
I arrived in Shanghai almost 10 years ago without a penny in my pocket and was able to start el Willy restaurant without borrowing any capital, through a mutually beneficial partnership. The success of el Willy was a crucial first project, step by step we’ve been able to develop the other group venues and by the end of this year will be in 5 different countries/regions. To compare myself in my hometown of Barcelona 10 years ago with today is something I never expected.
What are your inspirations?
My inspirations mainly come from traveling and researching what is happening in different markets. Every year we travel to Spain, and next year will visit Mexico to explore different areas and learn about the regional cuisines, as well as most modern concepts around the cities. We spend time with our suppliers visiting their farms, wineries, and facilities to understand where our products come from.
I also find inspiration through cook books & social networks like Instagram, YouTube where you can learn about new culinary techniques, forms of presentations etc…
How did you get through the difficulties you encountered?
I believe that tough times will always be part of life. Stay positive, keep on fighting, learning and be flexible to re-invent yourself. The world moves so fast these days, especially in Asia. Stay dynamic, open-minded and fast in adapting to new trends, and eventually difficulties will turn into a good ride again.
How did you get to where you are now?
With lots of PASSION, HARD WORK & PERSISTENCY! There will always be ups and downs but keeping the above you will end up always riding the ups and enjoying the downs too as part of the process!
Eduardo Vargas
Position/company: Azul and Colca [chef/owner]; plus several different food concepts in Shanghai since 2002
What is your biggest achievement?
To see people who worked and learned with me for the last 14 years… I was part of their learning experience. I guided them somehow to become what they are now, to achieve more... I feel in many ways like a sort of ‘godfather ‘ to them. Sometimes, I still give them advice. This June, I opened a new concept, Colca, in Yongping Lane and I am very proud of what a fantastic job we have done giving Shanghai the Peruvian experience.
What are your inspirations?
I am very passionate about food… this passion made me a chef and I focus on it 100%. Eating was part of this as well of course, but unfortunately that made me diabetic too. When you are high-level sugar diabetic and overweight, things don t go the way you want, including your everyday energy level.
Last January, I took a 2-month break and moved to Phuket. I totally changed my lifestyle there through boot camp, HIIT, and diet. I lost 24 kilos and, best of all, I was able to stop insulin injections and medicine, to this day I still don’t need them anymore. I will always be diabetic but I’ve learned to control it with exercise, good food and healthy habits. It feels like being a new person: doing exercises in groups, walking 10,000-15,000 steps per day. I’m just happy to keep going forward and I love what I am doing now.
How did you get through the difficulties encountered?
Sometimes it is hard to keep going. Sometimes in life we make mistakes. However, even if this happens, we always have a chance to try again. Wake up the next day with a better idea. That has always made me positive and willing to improve.
How did you get to where you are now?
With time and persistence. I moved to Shanghai from Singapore 15 years ago. Firstly opened a tapas place in Shanghai “Che tapas and grill’ and the next year Azul. Still running and crazy busy. Meanwhile joined over 18 different concepts. Some are still open, some close. I learned with the experience and never give up, keep going with persistence.
Austin Hu
Position/company: Madison Kitchen, Union Trading Company [chef/owner/co-founder], Bonobo, spot (Taipei) and fresh off [executive chef/partner]
What is your biggest achievement?
There are many things I'm proud of; winning awards, getting covered by international press, opening shops in different markets… But I think it is far more important to focus on how to improve. This constant awareness keeps you motivated to move forward without distracting you. Our industry is in constant evolution. If you're not pushing yourself to continually improve both professionally and personally, you're losing ground.
What are your inspirations?
I am inspired by the people around me on a daily basis. My former chefs, who mentored me and put up with a nonstop stream of questions over the course for fifteen years. I hope they are proud now. My parents, who worked so hard to provide the best life they could for our family while constantly impressing on us the importance of character and hard work. My friends, here and abroad, who have all achieved so much in their lives and are poised for even greater things. My team, it is a pleasure and an honor to see them grow as people and industry veterans, they remind me what's really important in the grand scheme of things.
How did you get through the difficulties encountered?
Just like anyone else who's managed to survive in Shanghai's F&B landscape for more than five years, I've had more than my share of trials and tribulations. The key to survival is blind confidence, plus good support from a group that sticks with you, regardless of what you're going through. It's natural to get down on yourself when things don't go your way and wallow in self-pity. It's a mistake to repress all of these self-doubts and simply continue as if they never happened. Give it time, mourn your losses, try and reflect on what led you down that road, and hopefully, learn to be better from it. When you're going through all that garbage, see your closest relatives. Believe me, they want to be there for you. Do not let it break your spirit, if you don't believe in yourself how can you expect anyone else to?
Charles Zeng
Position/company: Charlie’s [chef/owner]
What is your best achievement?
Learning Chinese and the Chinese culture. I won’t lie, when I first arrived in Shanghai, I was a little bit snobby, I had the whole “America is awesome, China is ehhh” mentality. For a while I didn’t really focus on learning Chinese, after all, in Shanghai I can get by with English just fine, and if anything, girls responded to English better at the clubs anyways. But after spending some time here, I realized if I wanted to achieve any level of success here in China, I needed to learn the language, and more importantly, I needed to learn and respect the culture. One example: before I always wanted to create “genuine” American hamburgers, now I’m coming out with hairy crab burgers, and they are selling!
What are your inspirations?
It’s a reach, but I want to make Charlie’s the biggest fast-casual burger chain in China. Charlie’s is still a work of art, there are still many things that we need to improve on, but I am confident we can get there. Our goal is to make food and create places where people can gather and have a great time. I think what would define our success is in a long long time from now, our customers would tell their friends or maybe even their kids, that one of the best burgers they had when they were younger was at Charlie’s, or that some of the best memories they share with their friends was at Charlie’s.
How did you get through the difficulties encountered?
With a god damn good temper! And trying to understand the situation from the other person’s point of view. So I have given up “face” for a long time already, it’s pointless to argue over who is right or 48 30116 48 14745 0 0 3959 0 0:00:07 0:00:03 0:00:04 3959oh you promised,” getting shit done is what’s important, and arguing never gets shit done. So always take it like a man, put your pride aside, don’t make the other party feel stupid, and let them save face. A Chinese proverb I really like is 和(he)气(qi)生(sheng)财(cai),it means an even temper brings wealth.
How did you get to where you are now?
Lots and lots of hard work. When I started my first restaurant, I didn’t know ANYTHING about the F&B industry, in fact the reason why I got into it was because I wanted a break from the consulting industry and thought opening a restaurant/bar was going to be a fun break, boy was I wrong. I quickly learned opening a restaurant might possibly be the hardest business of all, but at that time it was too late, my money was in it, I hate to lose, so I worked, hard! I learned how to wait tables, I learned how to bartend, I learned how to fry stuff, I learned how to cut stuff (this lesson did not come cheap, I lost a substantial amount of blood and an index finger that now can only partially feel stuff). But yea, no shortcuts in life I guess, to do kind of well in anything, you have to pay your dues.
John Liu
Position/company: Scarpetta, Coquille [owner, operator], Baomi (China's leading restaurant table management, CRM and instant booking system) [owner, founder]
What is your best achievement?
It is a tie between three things in my life. First and foremost, finding and keeping the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. My wife, Sophia, is truly the light of my life. Secondly, I take extraordinary pride in that the two most important businesses in my life are being run with two of my closest friends. Thirdly, it would be learning to cook professionally as a self-taught chef and opening Scarpetta six years ago.
In retrospect, it felt great betting on myself, but the amount of courage, diligence, and energy it took was enormous.
What are your inspirations?
My parents are without a doubt my strongest inspirations. My father is the hardest working man I have ever met. At 75, he’s still building his software company and solidifying his legacy. He’s unconditionally supportive, an amazing leader, teacher, and great role model. My mother is the most loving and creative person I know. She is most definitely the root of my creativity.
All of my friends and partners are my inspirations. I have been blessed with having the opportunity to meet so many amazing individuals in my lifetime and make some of them my close friends or partners. Their passion, knowledge, expertise, and experience are a constant fountain of inspiration for me day today. Finally, the Internet and all the books the world has to offer. I read constantly, always with an insatiable curiosity.
How did you get through the difficulties encountered?
There’s no secret. It’s everything your parents told you. Hard work, diligence, tenacity, and of course: people. Sometimes it's a conversation that can pull you out of the deepest depths of depression. Sometimes, it's a sacrifice someone else makes to give you hope. Sometimes, it’s a helping hand you didn’t expect. But, it’s always people.
How did you get to where you are now?
Insatiable curiosity, to satisfy my own high standards much like both of my parents, self-reflection, time spent on work, and a lot of it is what I mentioned before: people. Succeeding even a little bit is stressful, you need people to support you emotionally and in execution.
Related Articles
Where Business Ballers Go For Drinks in Shanghai