Mother’s Day will forever be different. The two loves of my life - one birthing me and one birthing the greatest love I’ve ever known. It was difficult for us to foresee the challenges parenthood would bring, but having the best life partner means you are never outnumbered by the craziness of this world. I hope to be less of a drag on our team as we march forward. Happy Mother’s Day to all the ones that raised us and the ones who will raise the future us. Thank you for all that you do ❤️❤️❤️.
Michelin is still the pinnacle of restaurant guides and our Sysco rep is super friendly and helpful. But I just feel like there’s a bit of transparency issue here. I’ve also spoken to owners who have received their plaque without opening a Sysco account, but all of them were handed the plaque by a Sysco rep trying to get them to open an account. So how do they decide who receives it and who doesn’t?
I’ll take my restaurant @wenwenbk as an example
We serve our BDSM chicken for $62
It’s a whole chicken deboned and fried
Our special heritage chickens cost us around $15 per bird
In order to meet our 25% food cost target with a 5% margin of error
We should be charging $75 per chicken
But people are already saying our bird is pricey
Thus we take an L on this item
I saw @brandoj make a mapo like this years ago on @munchies and have been wanting to try it. Didn’t opt for gypsum but tried it out with GDL for fun and it WORKS. So simple but absolutely delicious. Like a mapo tofu pudding.
I love poached chicken and prefer it over roast chicken (wish I could say I like it more than fried chicken). Problem is you absolutely need to use high quality chicken since you can’t hide behind any caramelization or heavy seasonings. Something about the slippery skin and the light bounce of gelatin with the unadulterated chicken flavor that sets this preparation apart. When I first had wen chang G in hainan it really blew my mind. Big s/o to @achg.kitchen for educating folks on the power of when chang G!
Got to know Rachel from @vorfreudedairybeef_ through a previous video I did on comparing steak from different aged cows. Feels like my world of beef has been smashed open. I’ve been fascinated by retired dairy cows since seeing @magnusfaviken on @mindofachef . It did not disappoint. Plus we get to help prop up the independent farms in the US. This bowl of 清燉乳牛肉麵 was truly something else. The fat really does taste like cheese.
When chef Eric Sze (@esze.e ) of New York’s 886 (@eighteightsix ) and Wenwen (@wenwenbk ) visits his hometown of Taipei, he finds himself asking questions like “Where would I bring my staff from New York to try Taiwanese breakfast for the first time? Or someone who has never been to Taipei and has no idea about the incredible craft beer scene here?”
And that’s how Sze developed his “joy ride” through everything that makes the city an international destination. His guide to Taipei highlights old-school spots, like the Taiwanese stir-fry restaurant he always goes back to, a temple to beef noodle soup that elevates the working man’s meal, a spot that he swears is the pinnacle of Taiwanese breakfast (ideal for travelers up early from jet lag), and so much more.
Swipe through to see Eric Sze’s Taipei, curated to show the range, depth, and versatility of the city’s food and drink culture. And look out for his upcoming cookbook, “Taiwanese?,” this fall.
✍: Elyse Inamine (@elyseinamine )
📸: Alex Lau
I’m of the controversial opinion that roast beef > steak > braised beef. In my opinion you get WAY more beefiness and actually get to taste the beef a whole lot more without too much craziness. Plus it’s sort of the combination of the best texture from both a steak and a braised beef…. tender bouncy but you still get to delightfully shred fibers. Look forward to roasting more big meats in 2026 😌
Homesick really is a sickness. The older I get the more I miss home. Thank god I get to head back multiple times a year. I hope 2026 brings more of the same. It’s truly a blessing to be able to have a foot in both Taiwan and NY. Thank you to @chinaairlines.usa for always being the best airline to bring me to and from home.
Layovers can be tricky but they don’t have to be. The Taipei airport is technically in the city of Taoyuan, home to TONS of delicious food. These are just some inspiration for you to consider. But I’ll also die on the hill of doughy/elastic scallion pancakes. Thanks to @jesse.c.hsu for being a homie and driving.
