The distorting mirror
I have to be honest: the Chinese cuisine that most people know in the West is a distorting mirror of our reality. It is an adapted version, excessively sweet, weighed down by unnecessary flours and binders, and systematically accompanied by mountains of white rice. This is not real Chinese cuisine; it is a commercial concession made to taste for immediate sweetness. This 'westerner' version has ended up polluting our own perception of our heritage, making us forget the finesse and rigor of our origins.
At 34, I decided to break that mirror. I refuse to cook to pander to addictions; I cook to feed human beings. Removing sugar and excess starch is not a punishment, it is an act of liberation. It allows the true soul of Chinese cuisine to express itself again. A cuisine that has never needed glycemic crutches to be exceptional. Purification is the path to authenticity.
The return to essence
When I remove unnecessary sugar and rice, I am not creating a vacuum; I return to an essence that my ancestors knew perfectly. They knew that strength comes from the quality of the raw product and the mastery of fire. Conscious purification is a work of stripping which reveals the fundamental structure of taste. We rediscover the power of ginger, the depth of fermented soy, the liveliness of vinegar. We realize that complexity does not need complication. The essential is sufficient in itself.
This return to essence is a source of immense joy. We feel in tune with a lineage of chefs who sought the perfect balance between Yin and Yang. By simplifying the plate, we clarify the metabolism. We escape from the confusion of artificial flavors to enter into the truth of the terroir. It is an approach of respect towards the product and towards those who consume it. Purification is a form of culinary politeness. We no longer lie in the palace.
Le triangle d'or
In my refined kitchen, everything is based on a golden triangle: high-quality protein, non-starchy vegetable and intense flavor. These three elements are enough to create a memorable and perfectly balanced meal. They have always been enough. Rice was historically just a survival side dish, not the center of the plate. By putting it back in its place – or removing it completely – we give voice to the real actors of taste. The protein brings strength, the vegetable brings life, the flavor brings the spirit.
This minimalist structure is extremely effective. It allows rapid digestion and optimal assimilation of nutrients. We feel nourished at the cellular level, and not just filled at the gastric level. It's the difference between food that weighs and food that elevates. At 34 years old, I favor this elevation. I want my customers to leave my restaurant with a clear mind and a light body. That’s my definition of culinary success.
The tool of precision
The wok, this century-old tool, is the perfect instrument for this purification. It never needed sugar to function; it needs intensity, contrast and precision. The swirling heat of the wok captures the essence of food in seconds, preserving its vitality and crunch. It's a cuisine of the moment, where every gesture counts. By respecting the logic of the wok, we respect the logic of health. There is no time for nutrients to degrade or flavors to fade.
Cooking like this is a form of active meditation. We are fully present in what we are doing, attentive to the slightest change in color or smell. This attention is reflected on the plate. The result is cuisine that is vibrant, honest and deeply healthy. It is my return to myself, my recognition of a heritage that I almost lost under the sugar layers of modernity. Clarity is in the simplicity. The wok is my guide to the truth.
Recognition of the soul
Purifying Chinese cuisine means giving it back its original soul and power, for the greatest benefit of our health and our pleasure.
I invite you to refine your own vision of Asian cuisine. Dare to remove the rice, refuse sweet sauces, concentrate on the essentials. Rediscover the strength of a well-made wok and the flavor of a respected raw product. Your body will thank you with renewed vitality and unprecedented clarity of mind. The truth is in simplicity. ¡Zhu ni hao wei kou e viva a real essence!
