I Was Raised in Restaurants, Says Chef Kelvin Cheung

KELVIN CHEUNG, chef and owner of the famous restaurant Bastian is all over the social media and creating a storm with his culinary skills.  He comes with a vast expanse of gourmet experience and a champion of gluten-free food for the growing health-conscious population. Recently, BW Hotelier caught up with this young and enterprising chef, to know a little more about his life. 

Brief us about your culinary journey?

I was raised in restaurants. My father is a restaurateur, and while I started cooking at a very young age, my first official job in a restaurant was as a dishwasher for my father’s restaurant. He made me work my way up and prove myself before I was ever allowed to actually cook in the kitchen.

From there, I went to culinary school at Kendall College in Chicago, won a few cooking championships, followed my passion for cooking to Belgium, Canada, the United States, and eventually India. I have worked for two hospitality companies in Mumbai and currently am the Executive Chef and F&B Director of the brands Bastian, One Street, and Whole and then some.

What is your speciality in terms of cooking and what is your personal favourite?

My speciality is comfort food. I call it American Comfort Food because it pulls inspiration from my childhood in North America, both Canada and the United States as well as my Chinese heritage. The wonderful thing about North America is that it’s a melting pot of cultures and flavours. My personal favourite to cook is brunch! There’s nothing like starting your day off with a little indulgence.

What is the most essential part of becoming a chef?

I love feeding people. There is nothing more rewarding than watching someone truly savour the food you’ve served them. Cooking is all about heart, and if you don’t have your heart in the game, you won’t love what you’re cooking and people will taste that.

What new you are experimenting in your association with Dewar’s?

‘You Got Chef’d!’ in association with Dewar’s was the first time I had ever hosted a web series instead of appearing as a guest. While cooking will always be my first love, I couldn’t have picked a better team and platform to explore and expand my repertoire not only in the kitchen but also in the digital content sphere. As they say, double is better!

What are your future plans?

You’ll definitely hear about expansion in 2019. Can’t say what. Can’t say where. But it’s happening!