Cecilia Chiang's Chez Panisse Connection

When Chez Panisse celebrated its 40th anniversary, Cecilia Chiang hosted a celebratory dinner. Star-studded of course, with guests including Wayne Wang (Joy Luck Club), Ruth Reichl (formerly Gourmet magazine editor), Patty Unterman (food writer), Yuan Yuan Tan (San Francisco Ballet's principal dancer), and Chef Maria Helm Sinskey (Robert Sinskey Vineyard) among others. Of course Alice Waters was present in spirit.

Once upon a time, Cecilia schooled Alice Waters in Mandarin cuisine. Their relationship began with a trip to China together with Marion Cunningham in 1983. More trips together followed, Alice attended Cecilia's classes, and Alice enjoyed meals at Cecilia's restaurant The Mandarin. Cecilia's book The Seventh Daughter pictures the two celebrating the 10th anniversary of Chez Panisse. They've been walking down this path together for many years.

Waters was awarded Best Chef in America by the James Beard Foundation in 1992 (first woman), the James Beard Humanitarian Award in 1997, and the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. In 2013, Cecilia Chiang will receive the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award, the most prestigious handed out by the Beard Foundation.

Doyenne of Chinese Cuisine

Michael Bauer writes about how Cecilia Chiang changed Chinese food in America when she started her restaurant, the Mandarin. As a reader pointed out, these days we take for granted certain dishes at Chinese restaurants, but it is good to be reminded that someone had to be the first to bring them to the states, and that person was Cecilia Chiang.

"Chiang is credited with introducing many specialties to Northern California and the United States, including hot-and-sour soup, pot stickers, Peking duck and sizzling rice soup, among others."