Peter Chang (chef)
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Peter Chang is an award winning chef specializing in Szechwan cuisine who has cooked for restaurants in the American southeast. Chang was born in Hubei Province and trained in China, and cooked a meal for the Chinese president, Hu Jintao.[1] He moved to the United States to work as the chef at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.[1] Chang has disappeared and left restaurants, inspiring a group of fans to follow his movement in Internet discussion boards, such as DonRockwell.com and Chowhound.[2][3]
[edit] Disappearances and movement
In 2005, Todd Kliman reviewed Chang’s cooking at China Star in Fairfax, Virginia.[4] By the time that review was published, Chang had moved to TemptAsian in Alexandria. At TemptAsian, Chang’s cooking became popular in discussion boards for food enthusiasts.[5] In May 2006, Chang moved to China Gourmet/Szechuan Boy in Fairfax, Virginia, where Kliman again gave his cooking a strong positive review.[6] Within two months, Chang left. In September 2006, Chang’s followers found him working at Tasty China in Marietta, Georgia.[7][8] By early 2007, Chang had again disappeared. In 2008, Chang began working at Hong Kong House in Knoxville, Tennessee. A year later, Chang moved to Taste of China in Charlottesville, Virginia .[3]
Chang left Taste of China on March 20, 2010, after a difference of opinion with the owner John Rong.[9] He did cook for at least one night, March 25, at Tasty China in Atlanta, but by March 28 it was already reported that he was leaving Atlanta.[10] That report quotes from an interview with Chang in which he expressed his desire for "a fancier restaurant with nice ambiance, finer service, and broad wine selection."
On December 19, 2010, his new restaurant, "Peter Chang's", opened on Powers Ferry Road, in the northwestern sector of Atlanta just off I-285.[11]
On March 1, 2011 Chang opened Peter Chang's China Grill in Charlottesville, Virginia. The restaurant was open that night for invitees only. [12] [13] The restaurant had its grand opening to the public on March 2, 2011.
Chang attributes his frequent change in restaurants to dissatisfaction with working conditions and a “desire to give various regions of America an opportunity to taste authentic Szechuan cooking.”[3]
Peter Chang opened an additional restaurant in Short Pump, VA on W. Broad St. in early 2012 called "Peter Chang Cafe."[14]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Kliman, Todd (24 February 2010), "Todd Kliman Chases the Perfect Chef", Oxford American, http://www.oxfordamerican.org/articles/2010/feb/24/todd-kliman-chases-perfect-chef/, retrieved 27 February 2010
- ^ Seider, Todd (20 February 2010), "Taste of China Tastes Tasty", Virginia Law Weekly 62 (18), http://www.lawweekly.org/?module=displaystory&story_id=2788&edition_id=143&format=html, retrieved 27 February 2010
- ^ a b c Trillin, Calvin (1 March 2010), "Where's Chang?", The New Yorker: 26–29
- ^ Kliman, Todd (6 February 2006), "Tempt Asian Cafe", Washington City Paper, http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/food/restaurant-finder/restaurants/2776/tempt-asian-cafe, retrieved 27 February 2010
- ^ TemptAsian Cafe, Route 236 in West Alexandria; Chinese in the Grand Mart Shopping Plaza, donrockwell.com, 26 June 2005, http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=466, retrieved 27 February 2010
- ^ Kliman, Todd (1 May 2006), "Dining Out", The Washingtonian
- ^ Atlanta, Marietta, Tasty China. Full Report, Chowhound, 16 October 2006, http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/334616, retrieved 27 February 2010
- ^ Kessler, John (24 February 2010), Front Burner: Peter Chang in ‘New Yorker', Access Atlanta, http://blogs.ajc.com/food-and-more/2010/02/24/front-burner-peter-chang-in-new-yorker-panos-no-show-zazas-bottle-bar/?cxntfid=blogs_food_and_mor, retrieved 27 February 2010
- ^ McNair, Dave, "The Chang Effect", The Hook 23 March 2010
- ^ Macon, Tom, "Peter Chang Update", Atlanta Cuisine 28 March 2010
- ^ Peter Chang the enigmatic chef, http://blogs.ajc.com/food-and-more/2010/12/15/peter-chang-the-enigmatic-chef/
- ^ Waite, Kathy (23 February 2011), "This Just In", C'ville
- ^ McNair, Dave (2 March 2011). "Chang finally returns". The Hook. http://www.readthehook.com/89122/chang-finally-returns. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
- ^ Fox, Brandon (7 February 2012). "My Meal with Peter Chang". Richmond Magazine. http://www.richmondmagazine.com/dine/blogs.php?blogID=4d8f3da76daa000fad77b329b7039965. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
