Hi! I’m Jen.
Welcome to CookwithChung! This is where I document all the recipes I have made and served to my hubby and 3 girls. I live in a very multicultural city where I have access to many different ingredients and restaurants where I can try new dishes from every country on the globe. I count my blessings and know I am very blessed to have access to different ingredients and close proximity to different restaurants.
A little bit about me
I’m a mom of three, a wife and a foodie at heart. I’m also a full-time working mom. I am formally trained as a Chartered Public Accountant working for a large asset management firm. When I am not cooking or working, you can usually find me at the nearest playground, working up a sweat on my spin bike, or getting a scoop of the craziest flavored ice cream.
I grew up helping my mom in the kitchen and have always enjoyed cooking up a healthy meal under a tight budget! Growing up we lived a very frugal life and both my parents worked long hours. I am the eldest of three and was always needed to help around the house. This ranged from getting the rice rinsed and cooked before mom got home from work or helping with the grocery runs at Chinatown. You would see me almost every weekend in Chinatown lugging grocery bags home with my mom and dad.
I created this blog so that I can document and keep a diary of recipes for my girls to use when and if they chose to cook when they grow up and hopefully move out of the house. Hopefully, they will share the same passions as me as they grow older and realize food is not only nourishment for your body but eating around the table is the best time to bond with family and friends.
Why I started CookwithChung
However, the biggest driving force and the one life event that gave me the courage to start this food blog was the passing of my dad. He immigrated from his native country at a young age and started his life here with my mom with very little money and belongings. He was a chef and a restaurant owner. Before opening his own restaurant he worked in the kitchens of Korean, Chinese and Hakka restaurants. Many of the recipes he would make at home for us. This is where my love for food started.
My parent’s way of showing their love is by working hard, sacrificing their own comfort and making sure there was always food on the table.
I dedicate this site to him.
Food at home was always whole, healthy and nutritious. My family rarely ordered takeout and never dined out at a restaurant. Fast food was non-existent during my youth.
A very fond memory of mine was when my dad took me to McDonald drive through and bought me my first happy meal. I will always remember taking my first bite into a chicken nugget and it was literally BLISS in my mouth!
Now that I am a busy mom of three little rumbustious girls and a husband who was spoiled by an amazing Chinese/Vietnamese mother who can cook the hell out of her kitchen. I have been learning to make Vietnamese recipes. I’m still learning to this day.
What you will find here
Chinese Recipes
Up until I moved out of my mom and dad’s house I ate Chinese food every day for every meal. American or westernized food rarely made an appearance during meal time. Many of the recipes will have authentic and truly comfort dishes that can be easily made in your own kitchen.
Vietnamese Recipes
My process for developing recipes
Many of the recipes you will find are recipes I have made countless times for my family and friends. So if the recipe is on here it means it has passed the taste test and I have mastered it to the best of my abilities. The Vietnamese recipes are recipes I have learned from my mother-in-law but I have made small tweaks to make the recipes faster or easier. With new small appliances like the instant pot broths for noodles can be make in a fraction of the time.
Always remember that life is short and you are what you eat. It is important to eat whole and nutritious foods!
Xoxo
Jen
