Meet chef ling

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I never really dreamed of becoming a chef, it just sort of  happened. I was actually flipping houses when one day my best friend said that if he had his own place to cook at he would thrive.

So I thought why not own a restaurant; I had grown up with a family that could cook, I loved food and was a pretty good “home cook”, and owning a restaurant sounded like fun as well as a great investment opportunity. So I went ahead and opened my first restaurant in Toronto’s east end, at Queen and Broadview and hired my best friend as the head chef. 

I thought owning a restaurant would be like any other business, but the environment began to change my soul. I already knew that food could nourish, but now I realized that I wanted, no needed to present food to my customers that could delight and even comfort them. It was as if food was becoming this language that I needed to learn. 

Unfortunately not everyone has the same passion for taste and quality as I assumed they would. So after awhile, it became painfully apparent that I could no longer sit on the side lines and let food be served to my customers that I wasn’t truly proud of. So although it was a tough decision, I decided to become the main cook. 

Soon after assuming this new role, I was lucky enough to get picked as a participant for Master Chef Canada! I had an amazing first round, but then was sadly disqualified because I owned a restaurant. Things suddenly went from disappointing to devastating when the very same day my restaurant went up in flames due to a pot being accidentally left on the burner. 

I did as many repairs as I could, but the fire had left its mark on that location in more ways than one. And it soon became clear that I needed to move on. So I closed the restaurant.

Despite this set back I was hungrier than ever to learn more. So I enrolled myself into a culinary school. But I guess I’m a bit unconventional because although I did learn some valuable techniques, I realized that I could actually learn a lot faster outside the classroom. So I left school early, approached chefs that I admired, and I asked to learn from them. 

Finally feeling qualified and more prepared to truly step into the role of a chef. I bravely opened my second restaurant in Kensington Market, one of the most culturally diverse yet expensive areas in Toronto. 

Everything was going great until COVID hit and threatened to bring my dreams to a crashing halt. But serving food brought me such joy that I was determined to find a way to still serve the community. 

So I adapted and created a meal delivery service for the elderly, those that couldn’t leave their homes, and first responders. This experience connected me to food on a much deeper level because I witnessed just how much good food can help others out. A feeling similar to providing food to someone trapped on a deserted island. 

Thankfully on this limited income I just managed to survive COVID. Crazily enough though, another hurdle was on the horizon and I was shockingly facing racial attacks. 

It’s hard to always stand strong and so once again I hit the road, but this time literally hitting the ground with my freshly constructed food trailer. 

This was a big success, and seeing the huge lineups felt like magic. But it also felt like I was selling myself short because my real dream was to take my food to the next level and do fine dining. Bittersweetly fate intervened and someone actually stole my custom made food trailer. So once again I was faced with a decision. And because I believe in my cooking, I decided to 

once more invest, but this time in a fixer-upper spot with less of a tourist imprint. So Cabbagetown became the new home of my third restaurant. 

Now I was able to actually stretch my legs by showcasing signature sauces, establishing a roster of regulars, and hosting private dinner parties that displayed more of my creative vision with 5 course plated dishes. 

I think my culinary journey is truly about growth and continually pushing myself, because just as I was settling into a routine my family was growing and I soon realized that the demanding hours of having a physical restaurant wasn’t ideal. So this is where you’ve met me, it’s time to cook for you in the way that I know best and that means just for you. I’m now offering fine dining at home, where I come to your home and create a culinary experience for the senses that I hope will bring you immense happiness.