 Chef Ming Tsai |
The Ming Tsai Story
Ming’s story began in his
hometown of Dayton, Ohio,
where he spent countless
hours cooking alongside his
mother and father at their
family-owned restaurant,
Mandarin Kitchen. His love of
cooking (and eating!) great food
was forged in these early years,
while he gained valuable
experience in both the front and
back of the house. With food
still deeply ingrained, Ming
headed east to attend school at
Phillips Academy Andover.
From there, Ming continued to
Yale University, earning his
degree in Mechanical
Engineering. During this time,
Ming never strayed far from the
kitchen; while at Yale, he spent
his sophomore summer at Le
Cordon Bleu cooking school in
Paris. Upon graduation, Ming
decided to focus on food and
learn as much as he could in
kitchens around the globe. Ming
trained under renowned Pastry
Chef Pierre Herme in Paris and
in Osaka with Sushi Master
Kobayashi. By the time Ming
returned to the United States,
he was confident in his
decision to pursue a culinary
career. To get closer to his (and
every chef’s) dream, Ming
enrolled in graduate school at
Cornell University, earning a
Master’s degree in Hotel
Administration and Hospitality
Marketing. After Cornell, Ming
continued to learn varied styles
of cuisine, holding positions in
both front and back of the house
at establishments in Chicago,
Atlanta, California and Santa Fe.
In February of 1998, Ming’s
dream became reality. He and
his wife, Polly, opened the
doors to Blue Ginger, a bistro-
style restaurant dedicated to
East-West cuisine. Located in
the Boston suburb of Wellesley,
Massachusetts, Blue Ginger
brings urban dining and
sophistication to the Boston
suburbs.
Since opening, Blue Ginger has
impressed diners from Boston
and beyond with its unique
East-West cuisine. In its first
year, Blue Ginger received 3
stars from the Boston Globe,
was named "Best New
Restaurant" by Boston
Magazine, was nominated by
the James Beard Foundation
as "Best New Restaurant
1998," and Esquire Magazine
honored Ming as "Chef of the
Year 1998." The popularity
continues. The James Beard
Foundation crowned Ming
"2002 Best Chef Northeast,"
while the 2003, 2004, 2005 &
2006 Zagat Restaurant Guide
rated Blue Ginger as the "2nd
Most Popular Boston
Restaurant." In 2005, Ming was
honored as “Restaurateur of the
Year” by the Massachusetts
Restaurant Association. Ming is
also a founding member of
Chefs For Humanity
(chefsforhumanity.org), a
coalition of chefs and culinary
professionals who organize
relief and fundraising for people
in need throughout the world.
Most recently, Ming was in
Gulfport, Mississippi with CFH,
cooking for the police force and
displaced victims of Hurricane
Katrina.
In the winter of 2000, Ming
launched his Blue Ginger line
with Target, the on-trend,
quality-focused retailer. Ming's
Blue Ginger line of tasty, easy-
to-use Asian-inspired
ingredients and snack foods is
available exclusively at Target
stores nationwide. In 2005,
owing to Ming's popularity and
market viability, Target planned
a major line expansion. Ming’s
frozen dim sum, noodle bowls,
rice bowls and stir-fry kits debut
across the country in Fall 2006.
These delicious, exotic meals
bring Ming's East-West cooking
from the microwave or skillet to
the table in minutes!
Ming is currently the host and
executive producer of the Public
Television cooking show,
SIMPLY MING, now in its third
season. His Simply Ming video
podcasts, featuring tutorials on
everything from filleting fish to
decanting wine, are available at
the iTunes Music Store. Ming's
Quest, his popular cooking
adventure series, can be seen
on Fine Living Network. Ming
began cooking for television
audiences on the Food
Network, where he was the
1998 Emmy Award-Winning
host of East Meets West with
Ming Tsai. For the past two
years, SIMPLY MING has been
awarded the prestigious CINE
Golden Eagle Award. In addition
to television, Ming is also the
author of three cookbooks. His
first, Blue Ginger: East Meets
West Cooking with Ming Tsai, is
now in its 8th edition and was
selected by Food and Wine
Magazine as one of 1999’s
twenty-five best cookbooks.
Ming’s second cookbook,
Simply Ming, published in
November 2003, echoes the
format of his television series
by the same name, featuring
recipes from the show,
recommended beverage
pairings for each dish, helpful
hints and a guide to Asian
ingredients. Ming’s third
cookbook, Ming’s Master
Recipes, was printed in
November 2004 and is a
companion book to the second
season of SIMPLY MING. Visit
ming.com, Ming’s information-
based site focusing on East-
West living, for recipes,
ingredients, culinary gadgets,
signature products, updates on
Ming, his restaurant and more.
Recipes by Chef Ming Tsai
Sweet and Sour
Pork Fried Rice
Serves 4
3 eggs, beaten
1 pound ground
pork
1 bunch scallions
sliced, white and green part
separated
6 cups cooked long
grain rice, preferably day old so
it’s nice and dry
Tip: In a rush, place
cooked rice on a sheet tray and
place in freezer to cool and
dry
1 cup Sweet and Sour
Cranberry Chutney, plus 2
tablespoons for garnish (recipe
below)
1 tablespoon naturally
brewed soy sauce
Grapeseed or canola
oil for cooking
Kosher salt and
freshly ground black pepper, to
taste
In a wok (preferably non-
stick) or sauté pan coated well
with oil on high heat, add eggs
(they should puff up
immediately), stir quickly and
transfer to a plate lined with
paper towels. Place the wok
back over high heat and add the
pork. Break up and cook until
browned, then add the scallion
whites and mix. Add the rice,
chutney, naturally brewed soy
sauce, and the eggs. Season
with kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper and check
for flavor. Serve in a large bowl
and garnish with scallion
greens and additional chutney.
Sweet and Sour
Cranberry Chutney
Makes 4 cups
2 red onions, cut into
1⁄2-inch dice
2 tablespoons
minced lemongrass, white part
only
2 cups dried
cranberries, such as Craisins,
chopped
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 cups naturally
brewed rice vinegar
Grapeseed or canola
oil for cooking
Kosher salt and
freshly ground black pepper, to
taste
In a sauté pan coated lightly
with oil over high heat, sauté the
onions and lemongrass until
soft, about 5 minutes. Season
with kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper and check
for flavor. Add cranberries and
sugar and deglaze with
naturally brewed rice vinegar.
Reduce by 75 percent, or until
liquid is absorbed. Check again
for seasoning. When cool,
transfer to a container, cover,
and store in fridge for up to two
weeks.
Copyright 2004 Ming
Tsai
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