About us

Image 1 (Page 16 - Cover Page)

A magazine spread featuring chef Huang Wei. The left half is a light textured off-white background with a red chef hat logo, the text "餐饮箴言 What I've Learned From Being a Restaurateur" and "黄维" below it. The center features large Chinese calligraphy: black text reading "我不做传统意义" and red text reading "上的中餐". Small text at the bottom reads "采访 | Yixiao Ren 摄影 | Hank Lyu 吕海强 www.lyuphoto.us" and "16 The Restaurateur 2024". The right half is a portrait of Huang Wei, a middle-aged man with short black hair, smiling, seated in a restaurant wearing a black chef's coat with a logo.

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Image 2 (Pages 18-19 - Article Spread)

A two-page article spread. The left page contains Chinese text about Chef Huang Wei's restaurant, Chef Huang, located in Murray Hill, Manhattan. It discusses the restaurant's non-traditional Chinese cuisine, its signature Peking duck, the chef's background, and quotes including:

• “我不会在我的菜单里放上芥兰牛肉左宗棠鸡，哪一个中国人爱吃这些东西？他想吃这些菜的，可以去旁边的外卖店，不必到我的Chef Huang来吃。也要改变这些‘老外’的想法啊，不要觉得这才是中国菜。”
• “菜单越厚，倒闭越快。什么都有，样样不精。要精，让客人吃别人家吃不到的，让客人就为了冲你这三四道菜而来。”
• “我不做传统意义上的中餐，可是又离不开传统。传统意义的中餐流程繁琐，菜系区分大，但我要做的，就是吸取各菜系好的东西融入进一道菜，形成大家都接受的一些元素。一是视觉，二是味觉。”
• “食材到我手里之后我会考虑用最好的方式呈现它。比如像象拔蚌，我用三种刀工两种味道来呈现它。”

The right page features two images: the top is a plated dish of sashimi-style seafood, and the bottom is the restaurant interior with a round table and an "OPEN" sign. A caption below the interior image reads: “原本打算创办一家主打煎饼 + 烤鸭的快餐店，因为被迫更换地址，餐馆的经营方向也变成了新派中餐，但招牌、灯箱都做好了从中国运过来，索性将就挂了起来。”

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Image 3 (Pages 20-21 - Article Spread)

A two-page article spread. The left page contains Chinese text with Huang Wei discussing his philosophy and training:

• “菜不能整得太复杂太精致，不然你的精力会达不到。一个菜，要能做到大众口味，然后呈现出一个独特的造型，我感觉现有的条件就只能做到这样。”
• “所有的菜都是四大菜系出来的，川、鲁、粤、淮扬。谁不服可以往上倒，哪家菜不是从这些菜系出来的。”
• “我差不多十五岁在天津当学徒，赶上最后一批国营师傅。刚开始都是打杂，脏活累活都干，师傅让摸到刀还特别高兴呢，把手切了也不敢说话。”

The right page is a portrait of Huang Wei holding his signature dish, the crispy beef brisket inspired by Wolfgang Puck. The caption reads: “Chef Huang 的招牌菜却是一道灵感来自惠灵顿牛排的酥皮牛腩。这也正是它被称为‘隐藏的珍宝’的原因，这家中餐厅以平民的价格提供高端餐饮的菜品。”

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Image 4 (Pages 22-23 - Article Spread)

A two-page article spread. The left page contains Chinese text discussing Huang Wei's life, move to the US, meeting his wife, and early struggles in New York. A portrait of Huang Wei and his wife Summer appears on the top, with the caption: “我和妻子两个人的故事平平淡淡的，不像电视剧里那样浪漫，但我们有一点是一致的。” Quotes include:

• “二十八岁，我来了美国。我脑子里从没想过签证会不会过啊，有没有钱，我就是没想过会不成的。想来也挺奇怪的。刚来美国我其实不打算做这行，想干点别的，不干这个。但又感觉不干这个我干什么去，又开始重操旧业。”
• “真正好的东西，能广泛流传的并不是一些大菜，反而是一个小东西，你把它做成品牌，又好复制。”

The right page continues the article, discussing the challenges of finding a location, the restaurant's evolution from a planned fast-food spot to a fine dining establishment, and his hopes for the future.

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Image 5 (Pages 24-25 - English Article Spread)

A two-page English-language article spread. The left page features the title "Huang Wei: I Don’t Do Traditional Chinese Cuisine" with a subtitle "What I’ve Learned From Being a Restaurateur" and the byline "By Yixiao Ren / Photography by Hank Lyu". The text discusses the restaurant's nickname "Murray Hill’s Hidden Gem," its modern take on Chinese cuisine, and Huang Wei's philosophy. Quotes include:

• “I refuse to put dishes like General Tso’s Chicken or Beef with Broccoli on my menu. What Chinese person actually eats those? If someone wants that, they can go to the takeout place next door. We change the perception that these dishes represent Chinese cuisine.”
• “I don’t make traditional Chinese cuisine in the conventional sense, but I can’t do without tradition. Traditional Chinese cuisine is intricate, with strict classifications between regions and styles. I want to combine the best elements from various traditions into a single dish that appeals to everyone—both visually and in taste.”

The right page continues the article, detailing his training, his focus on presentation, and his desire to change the perception of Chinese food in America.

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Image 6 (Pages 26-27 - English Article Spread)

A two-page English-language article spread. The left page features a photo of grilled lamb skewers on a table and another of the restaurant's interior with the "OPEN" sign. The right page continues the English article, detailing Huang Wei's early training in Tianjin, his first jobs in the US, and the challenges of learning the craft. Quotes include:

• “Back then, being a chef was a particularly unstable career… I didn’t realize how much it would cost me to make it in this industry. I really didn’t know.”
• “My first job in the U.S. was ‘Zhu Ma,’ which is what we call ‘dun er’ in the North. In the U.S., the workload is much bigger than in China. If a restaurant can use one person, they won’t hire and a half. From sorting vegetables to preparing meat, everything has to be done by me. That’s when the importance of my foundation really showed.”

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Image 7 (Pages 28-29 - English Article Spread)

A two-page English-language article spread. The left page features a portrait of Huang Wei holding his signature beef brisket dish. The right page continues the article, discussing the challenges of opening the restaurant, the initial chaos, and his hopes for the future. Quotes include:

• “The happiest moment for me is when someone acknowledges our efforts. Some foreigners, even though my English isn’t great, I can sense their genuine appreciation and respect in their eyes. Of course, when the business is doing well. We now get one day off a week, and that’s something we truly appreciate—we don’t have to work 365 days a year.”
• “In the future, I want to open a flagship restaurant that specializes in Tianjin-style pancakes (jianbing guozi). I want customers to choose the grains for the pancakes while I make the whole process… I want to bring Chinese cuisine to the mainstream market. I want to find a team that’s passionate about Chinese food, can make money, and help promote and preserve Chinese cuisine.”