Elizabeth Chong facts for kids
| Born | Yut Yi Chong 27 May 1931 Guangzhou, China |
|---|---|
| Cooking style | Traditional chinese |
|
Current restaurant(s)
Wing Lees (Melbourne)
|
|
|
Television show(s)
|
|
|
Award(s) won
Prix de la Mazille for Cookbook of the Year (1994)
|
|
Elizabeth Chong AM (born May 27, 1931) is a famous Australian chef, author, and TV star. Her original name in Cantonese is Yut Yi Chong. She was born in China. Elizabeth is known for sharing delicious traditional Chinese food with Australia. She even had her own TV show called Elizabeth Chong's Tiny Delights. Many people see her as a pioneer. This means she was one of the first and most important people to introduce Chinese cooking to a wider audience in Australia.
Contents
Elizabeth Chong's Story
Early Life and Family
Elizabeth Chong was born in Guangzhou, China. Her family has a long history in Australia. Her grandfather moved there in the 1850s. Elizabeth's mother was Chinese. Her father, William Yen Wing Young, was an Australian citizen of Chinese background.
Elizabeth came to Australia when she was three years old. She moved with her mother, father, grandmother, and three other children. They settled in Melbourne, near the Queen Victoria Markets. She went to school at Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne.
Family Innovations
Elizabeth's father was very creative in the food business. He is thought to have created the modern recipe for the dim sim. This is a popular dumpling, similar to a Siu Mai. He made it in 1945 at his Melbourne food company, "Wing Lee." Elizabeth also says her father started Australia's first bean sprout factory.
Discovering Her Path
Elizabeth did not plan to work in the family restaurant business. She wanted to be a concert pianist or a journalist. After teaching primary school for a year, she decided to teach cooking instead. She loved sharing the art of cooking with others.
Cooking School and Books
Elizabeth's cooking school began in the late 1950s. She started by teaching mothers from her children's school in Melbourne. Her first recipes were published by the Belle Vue State School Mothers' Club. Her cooking school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011.
In 1994, her book The Heritage of Chinese Cooking won a big award. It was named the International Cookbook of the Year. Another one of her popular cookbooks is The First Happiness, first published in 1982.
Television Appearances
Elizabeth Chong became well-known for her TV shows. She was a regular on Good Morning Australia. In 2003, her own series, Elizabeth Chong's Tiny Delights, aired on television. A book with the same name was also released.
In 2017, Elizabeth appeared on Studio 10. This show reunited many of the cast members from Good Morning Australia. It was a fun reunion for fans of the old show.
Cultural Ambassador
Beyond cooking, Elizabeth is also an ambassador for Chinese culture. She gives guided tours of the Chinatown area in Melbourne. She helps people learn about Chinese traditions and food.
