Sweetness, memory, and cultural dialogue come together in this visual chapter celebrating the artistry of modern pastry. In the hands of Steven Tran, familiar flavours are reimagined through a lens shaped by French technique and a deeply personal heritage rooted between Chinese and Vietnamese cultures. This is a study of celebration through dessert: layered, symbolic, and deeply personal. A quiet exploration of how culture can be tasted, remembered, and redefined — one bite at a time.
Read MoreA new chapter in Vancouver's rich culinary dialogue is unfolding with the official opening of Haisan, an intimate 30-seat fine dining concept by Macau-born, Vancouver-raised Chef Steven Che. What began in 2021 as modest pop-up gatherings in friends' apartments has matured into a deeply personal 16-course tasting menu on Commercial Drive. At Haisan, a name formed by combining the Cantonese characters for ocean (海, hoi) and mountain (山, saan), Che offers a reflective, cohesive Chinese Pacific Northwest perspective that bridges heritage, memory, and local terroir.
Read MoreWine, in many ways, is fascinating because it has the ability to preserve the taste of time. When Eastern flavours meet Western vintages, culture and sentiment naturally begin to intertwine at the table, creating a dialogue that adds depth to every shared occasion.
We are sincerely grateful to celebrity wine expert Bernice Liu for sharing her thoughtful perspective with Fête Chinoise on pairing Chinese cuisine with wine during festive occasions. Through her refined sensibility, she invites us to rediscover culture through the lens of each dish and its accompanying wine pairing.
Read MoreIn this chapter, Mimi Chinese returns to the language of memory, reinvention, and quiet abundance. Under Chef Braden Chong’s vision, familiar Cantonese forms are reinterpreted through a contemporary lens—where tradition is not replicated, but carefully reassembled through place, season, and instinct.
Rooted in the spirit of celebration that defines the Mid-Autumn Festival—where reunion, harvest, and reflection converge under the fullness of the moon—each dish becomes both gesture and offering. From the tactile pleasure of shared plates to the precision of technique hidden beneath restraint, the menu moves between nostalgia and invention, between the comfort of the familiar and the intrigue of the unexpected.
Read MoreOn July 26, 2026, Lead Chef Keith Pears and Team Canada took home the Silver Medal at the Bocuse d’Or Americas in New Orleans, the regional qualifier for what is widely recognized as the Olympics of the culinary world. Beyond securing Canada's ticket to the global grand final in Lyon, France, the achievement was a performance defined by technical precision, Canadian ingredients, and the personal heritage of the chefs behind it.
Read MoreThis past Wednesday, NAAAP Toronto presented a panel exploring how Chinese cuisine in Canada has evolved from humble café staples into one of the country’s most dynamic culinary movements. Held at the beautiful Porsche Centre North Toronto and proudly supported by the dealership, the evening brought together chefs and culinary voices including Trevor Lui (Fête Chinoise Edition 8), Eva Chin (Edition 9), Braden Chong (Edition 11), and David Schwartz.
Read More“Food was always at the centre of my family,” says Braden Chong, executive chef at MIMI Chinese and Sunnys Chinese, two acclaimed restaurants in Toronto. “I loved eating. I was curious about how it was cooked and why I liked it so much.”
Born in 1994, Chong grew up in a Chinese-Canadian household as the youngest of three brothers. His grandparents immigrated from the Guangzhou region to Canada in the 1950s, bringing with them the flavours and traditions of southern China.
Read MoreAnh and Chi celebrates 10th anniversary with a fundraiser dinner supporting Chef Keith Pears and Team Canada at the Bocuse d’Or. This special evening on March 8, 2026, brings together two inspiring mother-and-son duos: Chefs Ly and Vincent Nguyen of Anh and Chi, and Keith Pears with his mother Lynda Larouche, for a 10-course family-style menu honouring Vietnamese culinary heritage, mentorship, and the next generation of chefs.
Read MoreThe number one young female sushi master to watch, in Japan - and one of a perilously few in an industry that remains obstinately male-dominated - the 36-year-old (who is also a trained sommelier!) was in Canada for the first time. A two-day whirl at the oh-so-wonderful Sushi Yugen on York Street.
Read MoreIn Chinese culinary tradition, the Longevity Peach Bun (or Shoutao), holds a special place. Often found at birthday banquets for the elderly, this delightful treat is more than just a delicious dessert—it is a symbol of health, prosperity, and a long life. With its unique appearance and cultural significance, the symbolic bun continues to be a staple at celebrations as traditions are passed down generations of families in Asia and in diasporas around the world.
Read MoreBringing popular cultural foods and beverages to market in a place as culturally diverse as Canada is an enriching journey for entrepreneurs and consumers. We continue to hone in on bubble tea with another innovator and industry leader that has brought a drink that a majority of our readers are bound to have tried. Drawing on his experience of introducing Chatime to Canada 13 years ago and overseeing its growth ever since, Kenton knows firsthand that the bubble tea market is highly competitive, with new brands constantly emerging. Staying authentic, high-quality, and offering customizable options are key.
Read MoreIn light of what happened with the Dragons’ Den incident of cultural appropriation of boba, we wanted to shine the spotlight on one of the original bubble tea franchises from Taiwan that opened in Toronto and Canada in the mid-1980s, and one that many readers here might remember as the place they gathered with high school friends, had their first date, hosted a business meeting or simply the place that finally served a drink with Asian fruit flavours that were familiar.
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