About Ken Hom
Chinese-American chef and television cookery pioneer specialising in Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking
Ken Hom is a Chinese-American chef, teacher, and food writer who introduced Chinese cooking to a mass British audience through his BBC television series Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery in the 1980s. Born in Tucson, Arizona, and raised in Chicago, he trained in his uncle's Chicago restaurant before becoming one of the most recognised authorities on Chinese and Asian cuisine, publishing numerous bestselling cookbooks and popularising the wok in British kitchens.
His cooking centres on classic Chinese techniques, stir-frying, steaming, and braising, applied with a teacher's clarity so home cooks can follow along. Dishes lean on staples like soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, and black beans, and he ranges beyond China into Thai, Malaysian, and Indonesian cooking, reflecting his broader interest in Southeast Asian flavours. He is known for demystifying techniques such as velveting meat or achieving proper wok hei, favouring straightforward methods over elaborate ones.
Seven recipes on Mello, imported from thehappyfoodie.co.uk, mostly Chinese and Malaysian.
