Chef of the Month

28 year old Guang Deng came to England 3 years ago and is a chef at The Pond Quay Restaurant. In the centre of Urmston, the restaurant serves authentic Chinese cuisine where cooking is an art form, in fact Guang specialises in fruit and vegetable crafting. We hope to have Guang demonstrating his skills at Taste Sensation ’08 on 21st September.

Q: What inspired you to become a chef?
I wanted to be a chef so I could cook and serve the best meals I could for our most hardworking people so that they could have time to enjoy the food and relax.

Q: What did you find the hardest skill to learn?
The hardest thing for me to learn was how to handcraft the vegetables and fruits. Without serious imagination, I would not be able to produce the handcrafted vegetable and fruit sculptures.

Q: What ingredient couldn’t you live without?
Fresh ingredients. Without these, personally I think it doesn’t matter how good I am, I would not be able to produce something nice and tasty! My passion is seafood, understanding how to cook fish well is a skill in its own right.

Q: Who cooks at home?
I am the one who does the cooking and all the experiment tasting at home – taking family members as my very perfect ‘guinea pigs’ to try out new recipes on!

Q: Is there any food you won’t eat and why?
Up to now, there is nothing I would not eat or try. As a chef, I like to try everything or anything in order to learn and improve.

Q: What is the worst dish you have ever cooked?
The worst dish I ever cooked would have to be the ‘stir fried ice cream’. This involved a very different skill and specialist equipment which is far too expensive for the individual to own.

Q: What piece of kitchen equipment did you really want then never use once you’d bought?
Every piece of equipment that I have are used now and again and they are very precious to me. Most of them – especially the carving knife – are rather expensive to buy and have been with me for most of my chefing life. I don’t usually buy any equipment that is not likely to be used or has no long term benefit.

Q: Is there any food you won’t eat and why?
Up to now, there is nothing I would not eat or try. As a chef, I like to try everything or anything in order to learn and improve.

Q: Is there any food you won’t cook and why?
If it is something I haven’t seen before or understand how to use it, I won’t cook it. This is because if food got mixed with the wrong companion ingredient, it can cause side effects. This is particularly important to Chinese chefs as all ingredients act as some kind of ‘remedy’ or detox to the body. If we are not careful, there could be serious consequences especially where herbs are involved.
I love to eat out, experience the latest trends, and see what other Chinese restaurants are doing. At the moment I am experimenting with western dishes to see if there can be a fusion with authentic Chinese food!

Q: What was your favourite School Dinner?
Fresh fruits. When I was young, we usually had a heavy breakfast at home before going to school although mainly steamed or boiled but rarely fried or deep fried. So, fresh fruits would have to be my favourite food in school.

Q: Who would you most like to cook a meal for?
I would like to cook a meal for someone who does not understand Chinese cooking. I would like them to try it and understand the principles behind the meal. In Chinese culture, every meal we cook has a meaning and is not just about filling the stomach.

Q: If you hadn’t been a chef what would you have been?
If I weren’t a chef, I think I would like to be a park ranger or a gardener. I think their job requires a strong mind and creativity. It would allow me to show my skills and put my feelings into my work as I do when crafting vegetables and cooking a good meal.

To book a table at the Pond Quay, telephone 0161 748 0890

Pond Quay
Spicy Fish Pot