Meet S.Pellegrino Young Chef Mentor Zhenxiang Dong

Chef Zhenxiang Dong is a giant in the world of Chinese gastronomy with his famous Da Dong Roast Duck restaurants lauded as more than places to eat, but restaurants that provide a cultural experience. Known as 'Da Dong' because of his towering stature, the chef is a tireless advocate for high-quality ingredients and the rich history of Chinese cuisine. We caught up with him to ask about his history, what inspired him to become a chef and what he can pass on to young chefs starting out in the industry today. 

Beginning his career way back in 1981 at Beijing eateries Yanqiao Restaurant, Yansong Restaurant, and Tuanjiehu Roast Duck, chef Dong has a wealth of experience, talent and humility, all of which makes him a perfect mentor for those cutting their teeth in restaurant kitchens today. 

Can you remember the moment you decided to become a chef – what inspired you and what obstacles did you overcome to achieve your dream?

Everyone wants to work hard to make their lives materially better. But our spiritual lives are important too. For example, a person can keep doing a task for many years and make it into something great, but they themselves might actually be very ordinary. I don’t consider myself to be a particularly creative person, and I’m certainly not an artist, but I try to do everything to the best of my abilities. In a way, it’s a kind of craftsmanship, taking something and making it better. The reason I decided to be a chef is that I wanted to use food to express the charm of Chinese culture. To be a great chef, you can’t just go through the motions; the food we cook has soul, and that means we have to have soul too. As chefs, we might not be doing something earth-shattering, but we are working hard and making a contribution to society as a whole.

How important are competitions such as S. Pellegrino Young Chef Academy for young chefs?

S.Pellegrino Young Chef is not only an important test of a chef’s skills; it also gives young chefs from all over the world a platform to communicate with and learn from each other. The opportunity to take part in an international competition at this level is a very important experience for any young chef.

In the 2019-2021 edition of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, for the first time the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility was awarded to the signature dish that was able to show that principles of sustainability enhance food. How do you integrate sustainability in your kitchen?

Sustainable development is a key concern for any industry nowadays, and chefs across the Chinese F&B industry are waking up and realising its importance. I believe that Da Dong was one of the early leaders in terms of sustainability and has set an example for the rest of the industry. We realised long ago that we should promote green, healthy, safe and sustainable products. Myself and the company’s other directors also take part in public welfare projects related to the protection of plants and wildlife. Restaurants should offer guests a great dining experience, but they should also consider their social responsibility. A modern chef should have more than just good skills in the kitchen; they should also be able to take ordinary ingredients and transform them into something extraordinary, creating dishes that express the core concepts of sustainable development. In other words, their dishes should make people think.

You will be a mentor for Victor 汪志诚 / Wang Zhicheng, how you will challenge him?

Victor won the Greater China final because he is a great chef who cares about his art. His dishes reflect the competition’s three main judging criteria: creativity, ideas, and technique. In truth, possessing these three criteria should be the benchmark for any chef. How a dish tastes is really just one way to judge it. I want to help Victor dig down and explore his potential as a chef so that he can think clearly about his future and what he wants, which will help him bring creativity and ideas to his dishes. 

S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy is not just a skills competition; chefs have to demonstrate that they are well-rounded. In a way, the participants are as much artists as they are chefs, and their dishes should be able to tell a story or reflect their personal philosophy, just like a work of art. I hope to help Victor create dishes that reflect regionality, seasonality, and outstanding cooking.