In this episode of Chef AF, I chat with Chef Shirley Chung, about finding her love for cooking, working in several superstar chef’s kitchens and sharing her Chinese heritage through her Chinese American cuisine at Ms Chi Cafe in Culver City, California.
Chung is a native of Beijing and moved to the United States to get her degree in business management. She talks about loving food growing up and says, “When I first came to America the way for me to learn English I guess the fastest way naturally was through food.” Chung got her business degree from Cal State Hayward and began working in Silicon Valley for six years. In early 2000 when the dot-com bubble burst, Chung decided to go to the California Culinary Academy and train in culinary arts. This is when she discovered her calling.
Chung knew she wanted to work for the best and learn from the best. She had an impressive start to her career, she started her externship at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry and then went to Bouchon in Yountville. Chung opened Bouchon’s Las Vegas location and then moved to Restaurant Guy Savoy in Caesars Palace. Chung says about that time, “Being in Las Vegas is definitely like a really amazing stage to work for all of the celebrity chefs from all over the world.” Added, “So I got a reputation to become the opener for all celebrity chefs.” She opened Mario Batali’s B&B Ristorante and in 2010 Chung became the Executive Chef of Jose Andres’ China Poblano. She has twelve new restaurant openings under her belt.
Chef Chung shares that she struggled with depression and began to feel burned out. Chung takes a mental health leave and during that time Top Chef’s casting was looking for Chung. In 2013, Chef Chung was a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 11 where she finished top 3. She was invited back to Top Chef Season 14 where she was the runner-up.
We talk about Ms Chi Cafe, Chung and her husband Jimmy’s restaurant in Culver City, California. They opened in 2018 even though Jimmy wanted to open an Oyster Bar. Chung says she wanted to do Chinese American comfort food and make everything she literally wanted to eat. You can get Chef Shirley Chung’s Vegan Scallion Pancake recipe on Chef AF.
Chung talks about surviving the pandemic, selling on Goldbelly and co-founding the Dumpling Mafia NFT, a chef-driven NFT on this episode of Chef AF “It’s All Food.” You can check out this episode and more on Spotify!
RECIPE
Vegan Scallion Pancakes
Yield: 4 pancakes 4 servings
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 cups (240g) AP flour
2 + ½ teaspoon (15g) Kosher salt
1/2 cup (120ml) Boiling hot water
1/2 cup (120ml) cold water
5 scallions (green onions)
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spices
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup AP flour as dry flour
Preparation
Add the 2 cups AP flour and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large mixing bowl and pour boiling hot water all over the flour.
Use a fork or a pair of chopsticks to stir and mix so all the water absorbed into the flour and the flour is damp
Pour cold water all over the dough and knead the dough with your hands
When the dough is formed and there aren’t any visible dry flour lumps (be careful not to over knead it), cover the dough with plastic wrap and rest for a minimum of 30 minutes
Clean the scallions and finely slice them, make sure there aren’t any chucky pieces
Put sliced scallions, 2 teaspoon kosher salt and the five spice into a heat safe bowl.
Heat up the canola oil in a small pot, when the oil is hot, takes 1 to 2 minutes, then pour the hot oil onto the scallions. Let it cool down before using
Divide the well rested dough into 4 equal balls. Roll out 1 ball on a well oil flat surface as thin as possible into a large circle, about 12inches in diameter.
Use a slotted spoon to spread the oil and scallions onto the pancake, leave a rim!
Sprinkle dry flour a thin layer evenly over the oiled pancake dough
Roll up the dough tightly into a long rope, then pinch the both end lightly and roll up this “log” into a cylinder. Repeat and roll the other 3 balls.
Cover them with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes
Cooking Method
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
When the pan is heating, press the stuffed dough flat and roll it out to a thin pancake about 1/2inch thick, 6 inch in diameters.
Lay it flat in the skillet and start cooking it without adding oil
Cook on side for 1 minute, flip to the other side cook for 1 more minute, repeat this for couple more times, cook the pancake till both sides golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
When the pancake starts to puff up a little in the middle and both sides are golden, add 1/2 tablespoon canola oil and make the outer layer extra crispy, cook for about 15 second each side, scallion pancake is ready.
Vegan Scallion Pancakes
Clean flat surface for dough work; small sauce pot, large nonstick pan / skillet , 2 heat mixing resistant bowls, fork or chop sticks for mixing, small rolling pin, heat resistant spatulas, chef knife for slicing, cooking spoons and slotted spoon.