Wok with Yan facts for kids
Wok with Yan was a fun cooking show about Chinese food. It starred a chef named Stephen Yan. The show first started in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the late 1970s.
It was first made by a TV station called CHAN-DT, which was part of the CTV family. Then, in 1980, the show moved to the CBC and stayed there until 1982. After that, Wok with Yan was shown in many different places (this is called syndication) until 1995.
Sometimes, people get Wok with Yan mixed up with another show called Yan Can Cook. That show was from America and hosted by a different chef, Martin Yan. It also aired around the same time in the 1980s.
What Made the Show Special?
Stephen Yan's cooking show was very popular because it was so entertaining. He had a great sense of humor and a lot of energy.
Funny Aprons and Jokes
One of the most famous things about the show was Stephen Yan's aprons. He wore a different apron in every episode, and each one had a funny pun (a play on words) using the word "wok." Here are some examples:
- Wok & Roll
- Wokking My Baby Back Home
- Danger, Yan at Wok
- Wok Around the Clock
- Wok the Heck
- You Are Wok You Eat
- Wok Goes up Must Come Down
- Wok's New, Pussycat?
- Wokkey Night in Canada
- Stuck Between a Wok and a Hard Place
- Raiders of The Lost Wok
- Eat Your Wok Out
- Moon Wok
- Wok Your Butts Off
- Jailhouse Wok
- Superior Wokmanship
- Wok-A-Doodle-Doo
- Wok Before You Run
- Wok Me Amadeus
- Wok up Little Susie
- Wok Don't Run
- Don't Wok The Boat
- 101 Ways to Wok the Dog
Stephen Yan also told many jokes and one-liners. He spoke with his special Cantonese accent, which viewers loved. He would sometimes even play around with his food or cooking tools. All of this made him a favorite among Canadian viewers.
Travel and Audience Fun
Before Stephen Yan started cooking his stir-fry dishes, the show often had a short video clip. These videos showed him traveling to different vacation spots around the world, like Thailand.
At the end of each episode, he would invite someone from the studio audience to join him. They would eat the meal he had just cooked together. A special ticket draw was held in the studio to pick who would sit with him. Before they ate, Stephen Yan would read a fortune cookie. He would first read it in Cantonese, then translate it into English for everyone.
