http://www.grandhotels.com.cn/eWebEditor_V280_Free_sp1/UploadFile/2008423153018784.jpg Meeting Henry Yang Xinyi, Chef of the Year 2007  C" TITLE="走近2007年度最佳厨师  Meeting Henry Yang Xinyi, Chef of the Year 2007  C" />

 

 

 

 

Do you still remember last December 17, when an extravagant award-giving ceremony and dinner party was jointly launched by “You Are The Chef”, a popular English-speaking cooking program, together with web portal sina.com and magazine to mark the successful completion of the “You Are The Chef” Hotel Cooking Contest? It was an evening full of climaxes, with the name of each winner announced. Mr. Henry Yang Xinyi was crowned as the recipient of the grand award—Chef of the Year 2007 Award, and we all think he deserves this title.

 

We didn’t have a chance to sit down with Henry for a serious talk until the spring of 2008, when all things on earth are awakened for a new life. The interview, the first with Henry after last year’s award-giving ceremony, took place at The Regent Shanghai where he serves as Executive Sous Chef.

 

The award-giving ceremony was evidently still fresh in his memory, when Henry recalled, “It is very unique, and creative, especially the plate-shaped trophy. Being a trade insider, I know clearly how one feels when doing a themed dinner party. I think I’ve learned a lot from this particular one, which has an important meaning to me. I feel everything is perfect, time control, food and all. The award-giving ceremony and dinner party has a big impact on the society, as well.”

 

Reflecting on his standing out from the eighteen contestants, all working with four- or five-star luxury hotels, as the winner of the Chef of the Year 2007 Award, Henry said, “This award is a big honor. I have great respect for all of them (other contestants), who are my competitors as well as counterparts. They all have attended cooking contests before, and I am glad I have been able to beat them and get this award, which is an acknowledgement of the time and efforts I have invested in my work. It is also a great honor to my hotel.”

 

Henry is a modest person who keeps a low profile in everyday life. He continued, “That I, a hotel cook, can attend a show like this and compete for a title is in itself a kind of encouragement. I didn’t say I must win, nor did I care how many votes I can get, since several contenders are my good friends. Of course, I did expect some good news, more or less, just like every other contestant present at the dinner party did. But, generally speaking, I’ve been quite surprised by the result, that I was the Chef of the Year 2007. I would like to thank “You Are The Chef” and for giving me the honor.”

 

After he has received the Chef of the Year 2007 Award, Henry is no longer a nobody, but a somebody in the public eye. His fame has helped attract a good number of consumers to dine at The Regent Shanghai. Speaking of the significant meaning of this title, he observed, “I, an ordinary cook, am delighted with it, which I think is a special award in acknowledgement of all my hard work. In the mean time, it marks a new beginning, urging me to work even harder and do a better job, as the consumers will have a higher expectation. It also brings more pressures on us, on people in the culinary circles. I feel obliged to attain a yet higher goal, to ensure that our food and service are further improved to satisfy the diners.”

 

As the only hotel chef who appeared in two episodes of “You Are The Chef” last year, Henry said he was a little bit nervous when shooting the first show, but not that nervous, since “I am not unfamiliar with the shooting procedures because I have assisted our Executive Chef, a foreigner, in the two earlier shows that feature him, doing some behind-the-scene preparation work. It’s just natural that I felt nervous when it was my turn to cook dishes before a camera, but I’d say my prior experience has helped me a lot.” Henry frankly admitted that the lessons he had learned from the first shooting helped him to go smoothly through the second. “I improved a lot in the second time, from the control of time to my easiness before the camera. Just as Heidi once said, she could shorten the shooting, because we communicated better. Communication is of vital importance. In addition to the fact that I had a better control of the rhythm, things I’d seen, heard and learnt from my earlier collaborations with my own boss and the Executive Chefs with other hotels, as I have just mentioned, also contributed to the successful filming. Former experience is very helpful; from other people’s shows I have noticed many points to which I should pay attention when I shoot my own.”

 

“You Are The Chef” has arrested the Executive Sous Chef’s attention from the very beginning, not only because the English-speaking cooking program bridges the gap between hotels and average consumers, but that it enables a growing number of hotel chefs to show their talents to television viewers. “I think ‘You Are The Chef’ offers a stage on which luxury hotels can showcase their kitchen strength and chefs their expertise. The program can always have my attention, and I have learnt a lot from the (foreign) executive chefs featured in the shows. It has undergone many changes, shifting the focus from western food to Chinese/Oriental delicacies, particularly those that can be easily cooked at home. What “You Are The Chef” presents to its viewers is culture, from hotel culture to popular culture.” Henry added, “ shows me and hotel customers a clear map of the hospitality world, introducing its history and trends as well as the culinary heritage, cuisines and even presentation tips of other hotels. I’ve learned a lot from this informative magazine.”

 

With “You Are The Chef” gaining a wider audience, its viewership is now on the rise, thanks to the participation of a growing number of luxury hotels. The TV program has changed substantially after it has gone partnership with , going out to explore hotels in Suzhou, Beijing and Sanya as well as focusing on Shanghai’s 4-star-plus luxury properties. “You Are The Chef” is on its way to maturity, and magazine is also applauded for its careful selection of hotels and chefs to be featured in the shows. Henry furnished his personal opinion, “I think the cooking program introduces hotel chefs directly to the viewers. Chefs weigh much heavier in today’s restaurants than it used to. Contrary to the stock image of a chef who always stays in the kitchen cooking, a chef’s role has been largely expanded and he/she will be also in charge of menu design and formatting, kitchen operation and administration and the management of the entire restaurant. Some hotel general managers used to be chefs. The use of “open kitchen” in today’s hotel restaurants puts the kitchen and kitchen staff under customers’ scrutiny, allowing the latter to clearly know how the food is cooked, whether it is fresh or not. Prepare food while being watched may make chefs feel a bit awkward. However, it’s part of a chef’s duty to communicate with diners and understand their real demands. Customers come to a hotel restaurant not only for filling their stomachs, but for a pleasant dining experience, as well. Being able to fulfill their special wishes is a great joy to us, too.”

 

“You Are The Chef” used to be aired once a week; it is now shown on ICS from Monday through to Friday. From the perspective of someone who had already attended filming, Henry suggested that future guest chefs have a clearly-stated concept of the dishes they’re going to cook in the shows, simplifying the procedures so that average consumers can make them at home with ease. He said they must be able to make a simple dish unique by bringing out the original flavors of the fresh ingredients, using fewer condiments. Simplicity is the trend, according to Henry.

 

He elaborated on the topic of innovation right before the interview was ended, saying, “Innovation means a lot to us. We should come up with creative new dishes to satisfy customers who expect more from us. Meanwhile, we change out of our own wishes. If we repeat ourselves in the kitchen day by day, we’ll soon lose the feeling of being fresh. Every time we come up with something new, the first thing we want is customer acknowledgement, or at least their opinions or suggestions and advices, which would push us forward. It is where the meaning of innovation lies.”

 

“You Are The Chef” is filming new shows, and will continue to scout around for innovative hotel dishes. Of course, Henry Yang will work harder to sharpen his cooking expertise in the days to come, and we expect more delights from him. Who will be the Chef of the Year 2008? Let’s wait and see.

 

 

您还记得吗? 2007年12月17日，《大酒店》杂志携手《洋厨房》栏目和新浪网举办了一场别开生面的《洋厨房》年度豪华颁奖盛典暨奢华晚宴。整场颁奖晚会高潮迭起，各大奖项最终“花落名厨”，而当晚的大奖——年度最佳厨师由上海龙之梦丽晶大酒店的杨新毅摘得，可谓实至名归。

 

在2008的春天，一个万物都呈现出欣欣向荣的气息的季节里，《大酒店》来到上海龙之梦丽晶大酒店，采访了杨新毅先生，这是他在去年年末获奖后首次接受我们的采访。

 

对于那一次的得奖体验，杨新毅先生至今感到记忆犹新。他是这样评价当晚的颁奖晚宴：“非常有特色，非常有创意。特别是把奖项做成一个盘子，显得尤为特别。我也是做酒店的，非常了解做那种主题宴会的那种感觉，觉得在当中也学到很多经验。对我来说，这是一个很重要的SHOW，各方面我都觉得非常好，包括它的时间控制、菜肴烹饪。再者，这次颁奖晚会对于社会来说，影响力也非常大的。”

 

对于能够从18位星级酒店的大厨中脱颖而出并获得年度厨师大奖，他说：“我很荣幸在这个大赛中获得一个这么大的奖项，总体来说其他厨师都有比赛经验而且是比较强劲的对手、同行，能够在他们当中拿一个这样的奖项我非常高兴，这是对于我工作的肯定，对于酒店来说，也是得到了一个很大的殊荣。”

 

杨新毅先生为人谦逊、低调，他说：“作为厨师能够参加这样的电视节目，能够参加评选，对我来说已经是一种鼓励了，所以并没有说一定要在颁奖礼上获得什么样的奖项。而且在候选人中，有好几位厨师还是我的好朋友，因此我并不是很在意票数的多少。当然，我多少也是有所期待的，在那个颁奖典礼当中，每个人应该都是那么想的。但总体来说能够得到这样的奖项，我自己也觉得很意外，感谢《大酒店》杂志和《洋厨房》节目组给我这样一个奖项。”

 

在成功折取桂冠以后，杨新毅先生俨然已经成了一名公众人物，不少消费者慕名前往酒店用餐。至于年度最佳厨师的头衔对杨先生而言意味着什么，他说道，对于一个厨师来说，获得一个奖项，当然是比较高兴的，也知道这是公众或是社会对我们的一种肯定。但同时这又是个新的开始，因为你要做得更加好。消费者们对于我的要求更加高，我们各个餐饮系统来说也会有更加大的压力，因此我觉得我要做得更上一层楼，让前来用餐的客人对我们的菜肴和服务更满意。

 

对于去年的《洋厨房》而言，杨新毅先生是唯一拍了两集的厨师，谈到两次上镜，他说第一次的时候，是有些紧张，但也不是很紧张。在此之前，一般都是老外厨师，我以前都是帮总厨做准备工作和幕后工作的，做了两次。因此对我来说，整个流程也是比较熟悉的，当然说自己来拍肯定会有些紧张，但自己已经累积了些这方面的经验，我觉得也是比较好的。至于第二次，杨先生坦言自己吸取了不少之前的经验，学了不少东西。他说：“从那种时间的安排，包括镜头的感觉，在第二期来说是完全有很大的进步，就像Heidi所说的，她能把时间缩的更短。因为交流是很重要的，从这方面来说，我能控制好节奏，另外来说就是说我刚才提到的，我跟以前的总厨和其他酒店总厨有过合作，经过几次和他们一起看、做，我已经觉得自己学到了不少的东西。以前到经验对我来说在自己面对这样的镜头的时候起了很大帮助作用，经过他们的拍摄从而了解到了很多拍摄时需要注意的东西。”

 

作为星级酒店的厨师，杨新毅先生一直很关注《洋厨房》这档节目，不仅因为这档节目拉近了普通百姓与酒店的距离，更让更多的厨师展现了自己的风采。“我觉得这个节目是展示高星级酒店餐饮以及厨师技艺的一个平台，看到节目中的总厨或者是一些老外做菜，我都会比较关注，从中也学到了不少东西。如今整个节目也有了不少的改变，从一开始的做西方菜到如今的菜肴比较偏向于东方风味，并且更加注重能够在家里就能做出来的菜肴，这档节目带给观众的是一种文化，从酒店文化到大众文化。”杨新毅先生说道，“而对于《大酒店》来讲，它让我更加清晰地了解了外面的酒店世界，消费者需要的酒店信息。也了解了整个酒店业的发展进程，对于酒店的潮流、菜系，甚至是摆设也有了一定的概念，能学到不少东西，增加知识。”

 

如今《洋厨房》的收视率可谓是节节攀升，观众的范围也在日益扩大，这与各大酒店的纷纷加入是分不开的。自从有了《大酒店》的加入，《洋厨房》的节目形式有了很大的改变，不仅走遍了上海的高星级酒店，更踏上了苏州、北京、三亚的土地，节目一直在不断成长着，而《大酒店》在每期节目中推荐的酒店和厨师都因其高超的水准而受到观众的赞誉。对此，杨新毅先生有着自己独到的见解：“我觉得这个节目使得厨师由幕后走向了台前，如今厨师在餐厅内的号召力比起以前来说有了很大的提高，厨师的技能不再局限于做菜，对于菜单的设计、厨房的管理、经营的理念都占了很大的主导地位。有的厨师甚至成了酒店的总经理，与人们概念中的厨师总是在厨房做菜截然相反。酒店内开放式的厨房，可以让顾客对厨房里面的一切一目了然，让他们清楚地知道自己吃的东西是从哪里来的，是否新鲜，但这对厨师来说也有一定难度，厨师要与客人沟通，了解他们的想法。客人来到酒店不光是为了填饱肚子，更是一种享受。满足他们的特别要求，我们也会感到高兴。”

 

如今，《洋厨房》由每周一集变成了一周五集在上海外语频道播出，杨新毅先生作为这档节目的“前辈”，他建议今后即将上节目的厨师们，最重要的是对于自己做的菜要有一个清晰的概念，要真正适合老百姓在家里制作这道菜，不能把做菜复杂化，要把菜肴还原到朴实上面来，但是原料一定要新鲜，味道要容易调和，从简单中突出菜肴的与众不同。因为如今的烹饪趋势就是返璞归真，尽量少用调味品，而是将材料本身的味道发挥到极致。

 

在采访的最后，杨毅新先生还讲到了“创新”。他说，“创新”对于我们来说非常重要，对于客人来说，他们对酒店的要求会越来越多，我们要有新的东西来满足客人的想法，厨师本身也会想要改变，每天做同样的菜会渐渐失去新鲜感。每当厨师做出了一道新的菜肴，只要得到客人的认同，甚至是想法或建议，你都会取得进步，我觉得创新就在这方面体现出来。

 

《洋厨房》还在继续，《大酒店》也将继续网罗各个酒店的招牌菜肴，当然，杨毅新先生的精湛厨艺同样在继续，期待在今后的日子里，他能带给我们更多的惊喜和美味佳肴。08年末, 让我们拭目以待谁将成为新一年的年度明星厨师!