This 18 October, 2021 TastyTrip Gastronomic Forum once again brings together industry insiders, including executive chef Gary Yin from King’s Joy in Beijing, a three-starred Michelin restaurant and the first-ever recipient of Michelin’s ‘Green Star’ in China, and many other renowned restauranteurs, to talk about the future of the restaurant industry.

Jocelyn Chen, Founder of TastyTrip

Huadong Deng, Chef-Owner of Nan Xin Yuan

Yong Ding, R&D Head at Xin Rong Ji

Talib Hudda, Chef at Refer, Beijing

Jason Liu, Chef-Owner of Linglong, Beijing

Miles Pundsack-Poe，Chef at Ensue, Shenzhen

Tom Ryu, Chef-Owner at Jeju Izakaya

Jingye Xu，Chef at 102 House

Gary Yin，Executive Head Chef at King’s Joy, Beijing

This year, TastyTrip Gastronomic Forum will be presenting three major sessions, including ‘Chinese Cuisine: Innovation and Inheritance’, ‘Food as Language: Restaurant Industry East Meets West’, and ‘Humanity and Sustainability in the Restaurant Industry’. For this year’s keynote speaker, TastyTrip invites Gary Yin from Beijing’s three-starred Michelin restaurant King’s Joy, also the first-ever recipient of Michelin’s ‘Green Star’ in China, to talk about ‘A Sustainable Vegetarian Future’.

As the pandemic persisted, many countries continue to keep their gates closed. However, for better understanding what is happening in the international restaurant scene, and for chefs who still want to participate in the forum despite physical distance, this year, through our newly launched session, we are delighted to have invited foreign three-starred Michelinchef to join us for a Zoom Talk to discuss the direction of the fine dining industry in the post-pandemic era.

Executive Head Chef at Three Michelin-stars Restaurant King’s Joy

Lecture: A Sustainable Vegetarian Future-The Rise of Quality Vegetarian Restaurant

Gary Yin is the Executive Head Chef at King’s Joy, a Michelin 3-star restaurant in Beijing. Born from a family of three generations in the F&B industry, Gary studied business in the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto before international hospitality at Glion in Switzerland. In 2014, he obtained the WSET Level 2 Sommelier Certificate in Europe. Furthermore, he received the French Culinary Diploma at Le Cordon Bleu in 2015. Gary has extensive experience in hospitality, as well as in the creation and marketing of luxury brands.

In 2021, under Gary’s leadership, King’s Joy attained 3-Stars as well China’s first Green Star for sustainable gastronomy in the Beijing Michelin Guide and subsequently become the youngest Michelin 3-star chef in the world at present.

Founder of TastyTrip

Panel Discussion: Tradition and Innovation in Chinese Cuisine/ The Gastronomic Philosophy of Rising Star Chefs/ What will Fine Dining Industry Look Like in Post-Covid

Food writer, judge of food show ‘Chef Nic’. Columnist of Taiwan Economic Daily News and several lifestyle magazines in China. All articles are published on tastytrip.com. Prior to the role, she was Vice President of a semiconductor market research firm. She established the whole structure of multinational conferences and marketing activities for the firm. In this role, she worked with major IT shows in pan European region. She received her master’s degree in Public Management from the SDA Bocconi Business School in Milan, Italy.

Chef-Owner of Nan Xin Yuan

Panel Discussion: Tradition and Innovation in Chinese Cuisine

Deng Huadong began his culinary career in 1977 by working with the Chengdu Catering Company and later sought tutorage under the renowned head chef Chen Tingxin, whose former mentor was Kong Daosheng, the first generation disciple of Master Lan Guangjian of a highly rated, ground-breaking Sichuan restaurant – Sichuan Palace. With his orthodox training background, Deng has over 40 years’ experience practising as a professional chef and has worked in many acclaimed Sichuan restaurants at home and abroad, striving to revive traditional Sichuan cuisine and promote the rich culinary culture of Sichuan. He founded Nanxing Yuan in 2019. Through refined craftsmanship and guaranteed qualification, the restaurant aims to recreate traditional Chengdu Nan Tang cuisine beautifully blended with classic dishes as well as seasonal delicacies, presenting a brilliant, flavourful and stunning culinary experience that is much loved by diners.

R&D Head at Xin Rong Ji

Panel Discussion: Tradition and Innovation in Chinese Cuisine

Ding Yong is an experience chef and industry insider who studied culinary arts and has been working in the sector since he graduated in 2001. Ding has been working in Xin Rong Ji Beijing since 2014. He is very knowledgeable about Taizhou and Cantonese cooking, which is also the main focus of the restaurant that offers signature classics and seafood from the East China Sea, accompanied by local specialty snacks from the region. From regional R&D director to the present director of production, Ding has been working in Xin Rong Ji Beijing for more than six years. Xin Rong Ji’s venue at Xinyuan South Road has just been awarded three stars by the 2021 Michelin Guide Beijing, and Ding Yong deserves a lot of credit. In the six years of working in Xin Rong Ji, Ding strictly controlled the dish standards and cooking methods, followed up the product quality of each restaurant of Xin Rong Ji, and ensured the consistency of product quality. Ding has always demanded himself with high standards, insisted on learning in practice, and obtained the Level-2 Technician of the Chinese Cooking Division in 2021.

Chef at Refer, Beijing

Panel Discussion: The Use of Chinese Ingredients in Western Cuisine

Born and raised in a food-loving Canadian family, chef Talib Hudda had his dream to become a professional cook. He got his first job in a restaurant at 14, claimed his first cooking champion at 16, and went to a culinary school at 18. Talib spent his former years under renowned chefs such as Scott Jaeger of the Peartree Restaurant & Ryan Stone, David Hawksworth and Kristian Eligh. He had experience working at world-renowned restaurants and undergoing rigorous training under Michelin-starred chefs such as Ronny Emborg at Marchal (now at Michelin two-starred Atera), and Ronni Mortensen at Marv & Ben in Copenhagen (now at Michelin three-starred Geranium). He also had internships at Café Boulud and Wd-50 in New York, and Studio in Copenhagen under Torsten Vildgaard and Eric Vildgaard (chef/owner of 2 star Jordnær in Copenhagen). When Talib was preparing for the opening of Refer, he went on further to intern at a Michelin two-starred restaurant Alchemist 2.0 in Copenhagen. In 2020, Talib started a new chapter in his career with restaurant Refer, creating a brand-new concept of extreme food experience destination in Taiguli North District, Sanlitun, Beijing.

Chef-Owner of Linglong, Beijing

Panel Discussion: The Gastronomic Philosophy of Rising Star Chefs

Jason Liu, chef and founder of Restaurant Ling long. He began his professional education and career at 14, having worked in esteemed French restaurants Paris 1930 of The Landis Taipei Hotel, Italian restaurant Bellini in Taipei, Taipei Hyatt and Bistro 3 in Beijing, he has accumulated a deep understanding and skills for Western cuisine, but at the same time, was deeply influenced by the precision and purity of Japanese gastronomy, the intense fragrance of Thai food, yet never stray away from the beloved Chinese cuisine that are familiar, comforting yet forever mesmerizing. Chef Jason’s food, much like his personality and mind-set, is about being open, unrestricted, yet always respectful to traditions and grateful for the beauty of this world. Restaurant Ling long shows Jason’s attitude —— to extract the very best of Chinese and Western cuisine and to be humble. The menu of Ling Long is a nostalgic journey back to Chef Jason’s childhood and along his journey across China. Each dish showcases French presentation, but every flavor will be unmistakably familiar. Ling long has won the 2021 Michelin Guide Michelin plate award and 2021 Black Pearl Diamond Restaurant (the youngest chef of Black Pearl Restaurant).

Chef at Ensue, Shenzhen

Panel Discussion: The Use of Chinese Ingredients in Western Cuisine

Miles has been an important character in Chef Christopher Kostow’s story at The Restaurant at Meadowood, a three-Michelin Star restaurant in the Napa Valley. Miles was born in Canada and raised with a passion for nature’s natural beauty. This passion, fueled by early childhood world travel, helped shape his cuisine today. After honing his craft, Miles left Canada for the European Michelin experience; initially spending a year traveling and cooking in some of Spain’s top kitchens, including the iconic Etxebarri. Miles moved to California to work with Chef Kostow, ultimately working his way to executive sous chef before departing for continued travel and culinary education. Miles assisted with the opening of Chef Kostow’s upscale-casual restaurant, The Charter Oak. Miles is excited, with Chef Kostow’s mentorship, to continue his journey to Asia, and to lead the kitchen at Ensue.

Chef&Owner at Jeju Izakaya

Panel Discussion: The Gastronomic Philosophy of Rising Star Chefs

Tom Ryu, 2021- Owner chef of JEJU IZAKAYA, Creative Director of Belloco group. Ever since Tom was young, he grew up surrounded by F&B scene because his parents owned a restaurant chain and they were in F&B business. Therefore Tom can’t even exactly remember when he was first interested by it- it was all very natural for him to be exposed in this F&B scene. When Tom turned 20, he opened his first restaurant by taking over a hamburger store. 2016 was an important year for Tom, because he co-founded Design Consulting Company with a friend who was also his mentor. This is when he learned the importance of ‘Close to market’ and ‘consumer needs’. In 2017, Tom came to visit Hangzhou for business trip and met his current partner of Jeju. Tom wanted to add cultural aspects, and believed that F&B could lead the culture. In a nutshell, Tom’s partner and tom had same vision. They wanted to make this come true. JEJU IZAKAYA – Exclusive reservation only 8-seat chef table- contemporary Korean restaurant. Special course menu changing every season. Enjoy the cultural storytelling of Korean cuisine with creative menus of fresh seasonal ingredients.

Chef at 2021 Asia Essence – 102 House

Panel Discussion: Tradition and Innovation in Chinese Cuisine / The Gastronomic Philosophy of Rising Star Chefs

Chef Xu Jingye is a Foshan aboriginal and received rigorous training under Mr. Chen Daben, who is widely acclaimed as the master of Cantonese cuisine. Xu has specialized in Cantonese cuisine since he started his career, spending five years polishing essential techniques. He then met Yao Min, who shared the same vision and passion of opening a private kitchen focusing on Cantonese cuisine. That was when 102 House was first conceived. After a year of working on modern Cantonese cuisine, they decided to return to the fundamentals of traditional Cantonese cuisine. Inspired by the elaborate kaiseki cuisine when he travelled extensively in Japan, Xu instilled its emphasis of seasonality into his way of translating Cantonese cuisine in the language of fresh produce and seasoning, as well as a flavour which is clear but not light, refreshing but not common, tender but not crude. 102 House has created an all-season menu that breaks away from conventional thinking, and one that harnesses the original flavour of the ingredients through inheriting and reviving the timeless Cantonese cuisine. 102 House secured Top 10 Restaurants under the World’s 100 Best Chinese Restaurants 2019 with chef Xu being awarded Chef of the Year. Last year, chef Xu was invited by the Institut Franco-Chinois de Lyon to represent Cantonese cuisine at the Les Baguettes Magiques Food Festival in Lyon. This year also sees the restaurant awarded Essence of Asia by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.