t’s a sunny October morning in New York’s Chinatown when Chef Melissa King rounds the corner of Canal Street, a busy road at the heart of the neighborhood lined with Asian fruit stands, boba shops and Chinese bakeries serving egg tarts, pineapple buns and meat-filled sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves. “I love Chinatown,” King, who uses she/they pronouns, says as they take in the hustle and bustle of Asian aunties pushing metal carts down the sidewalk and grocery store owners unpacking cardboard boxes of lychee and durian.
The crowds may be a lot for eight in the morning, but for King, who arrived in a red wool jacket, baggy black pants and a backward baseball cap, Chinatown has a familiar feeling. When they rode in a narrow, rickety elevator later that morning, they affectionately called it, “very Chinatown.” When she was asked if she wanted to order bagels or dim sum for breakfast, she responded, “Dim sum, of course! What kind of question is that?” When it was time for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, they made a beeline to a boba shop to order a tall cup of jasmine milk tea with egg custard and tapioca pearls—25 percent sugar. “We all deserve a boba,” she says before puncturing the thin plastic seal of her drink with a straw.
King was raised in Hacienda Heights, a dense Chinese community in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles, where they spent every Sunday morning going out to dim sum with her grandmother. They learned how to cook at five years old, washing vegetables and steaming rice as she helped her mother in the kitchen. “Both my parents are engineers. They worked long hours, so someone had to put food on the table,” King says. She got her first knife, a Chinese meat cleaver, for her 10th birthday, and by the time she was 12, King was putting dinner on the table for her whole family each night. “I saw the power of food and how it brought people together,” King says. “I was able to use food as a way to give a bit of me and my love, put it on a plate, serve it to someone and see how much it made them happy. That was the reward for me at the end of it all.”
Though King knew she wanted to be a chef by the age of six, it wasn’t until after college, where she majored in cognitive science while moonlighting in professional kitchens on the side, did she make that leap. “I was juggling
both worlds,” King says. “Coming from traditional Asian parents who
enforced education, I had to jump through a couple of hoops before I
could have the courage to dive 100 percent into cooking.” After college,
they enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America, where they trained in
French fine dining and other European cuisines. Still, something felt
missing. “A lot of my career was built around French fine dining, Italian
food and Eurocentric cuisine,” King says.
King still felt that missing piece years later when they received a call from a producer for “Top Chef.” They had applied a couple years before while working as a sous chef at The Ritz-Carlton Dining Room, a Michelin-star restaurant in San Francisco, but didn’t receive a call back. Two years later, while working as a private chef for tech moguls in San Francisco, she finally heard back from a producer, who told her they kept her application on file and asked if she would apply again. Her first response was to say no. “I didn't want to do it,” says King, who applied to “Top Chef” at the pressure of her friends and family. “I grew up painfully shy, so doing something like ‘Top Chef’ scared me and got
me worked up thinking about being on national television and having your whole career broadcasted.” But the more she thought about it, King, whose private chef job at the time gave her the most flexible schedule she’d had in years, the more she realized that now was a better time than ever. “I thought, ‘If I get kicked off on the first episode, I get kicked off and we go back to normal life,’” King says.
Jacket: Tom Ford. Shirt: Gap. Pants: Gucci. Shoes: Saint Laurent
Grand Tea Imports is a multi-generational family-owned Chinese tea shop in Manhattan's Chinatown supplying premium loose-leaf tea and other authentic Chinese goods to visitors and immigrant households across the country.
"I want people to feel my journey of where I've been and who I am as a Chinese American who has trained in French fine dining, but lives in California."
- Melissa King
King made it to the top four of season 12 before they were eliminated. While they didn’t win, “Top Chef” kick-started King’s chefluencer career, which included partnerships with brands like Levi’s and Gap and appearances at food and music festivals across the country. Still, when the call came to return for “Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.” five years later, King wasn’t sure she was game to come back. “To be truthful, I didn't want to do the second time either,” they say. “I was exhausted from competing. It can be a traumatic experience. It’s very emotional and physically draining.” What convinced King was the response from Asian American and LGBTQ+ viewers who saw themselves in her cooking. “I recognized the impact on the Asian American and LGBTQ communities and how important representation was,” King says. “A lot of that fueled my decision to go back for a second time. I remember watching Martin Yan when I was five on TV and seeing how much that influenced my career.”
“I saw the power of food and how it brought people together.”
- Melissa King
King’s first “Top Chef” season also made her rethink her identity as a queer Asian American chef who trained in French fine dining, but was raised with Chinese flavors, ingredients and cooking techniques—a dichotomy she experimented with her on her first season that proved to be her secret weapon on “All-Stars.” “It took me many years to tap into the Chinese side of myself. I grew up immersing myself in Chinese culture and the traditions and foods, but I never thought to bridge the worlds together until after my first ‘Top Chef’ season,” King says. “The show helped open up a part of my identity and feel proud to be an Asian American in this country and showcase those types of cuisines on a plate. By ‘All-Stars,’ you see me dive in. I'm unapologetic about it. You take this Hong Kong milk tea tiramisu and you either like it or you don’t.”
For King, restaurants represent a complicated time in their career. “The industry can be extremely glamorized on television and what you see with the glimpse of celebrity chefs, but at the end of the day, it is a very humbling career,” King says. “There is a lot of toxicity, at least the times I grew up in. I grew up with chefs who would belittle you, cuss at you and make you feel like you're not worthy of anything. It’s grueling, self-sacrificing and physically demanding in so many ways. In my earlier years, I sacrificed so many weekends, holidays to be at the restaurant. I missed out on weddings, baby showers, funerals, you name it. I missed it all because I prioritized the restaurant. Looking back, there is some regret.”
King went on to win “Top Chef: All Stars L.A.,” taking home the $250,000 grand prize and the record for the most single-season challenge wins of any contestant in “Top Chef” history. They were also voted fan-favorite, winning an extra $10,000, which they donated to charity. King used the grand prize from “Top Chef” to go on a vacation to Seoul with their family. The rest, they invested into the launch of their company, King Sauce, a small-batch sauce and spice line featuring mala chili oil, fish sauce caramel and more items that sold out almost immediately. For King—who has dreams of producing and hosting her own cooking show (she would call it “King Cooker”) and expanding her career to fashion, music and other industries outside of food—”Top Chef” also opened her eyes to what a career as a chef could look like in 2022. “I never thought I would be a chef that could create a career path where I don't have a restaurant,” King says. “My whole life, I thought I wanted to own a Michelin-star restaurant and that would be my end all be all.”
The toxicity they experienced is one of the many reasons they haven’t watched “The Bear.” "I can't watch it. I refuse,” King says. “I'm sure it's a fantastic show, but if you ask anyone in the restaurant industry, I think they'd be a little triggered by pressing play on that." She is amused, however, about how the phrase “yes, chef” has evolved into a term of endearment. “To me, it was the world I lived in for so long, where you don't question your chef and whatever they tell you to do, you just say, ‘Yes, chef.’ It’s so funny to see it become such a pop culture reference.” As for if King would return for a third season of “Top Chef,” fans shouldn’t hold their breath. “It's the hardest thing I've done twice in my life now. A part of me feels I've retired from the game,” she says. “I'm never going to say never. But it’s not very likely.”
Though their dreams have shifted, King isn’t done in the kitchen. In September, they collaborated with Square Pie Guys in San Francisco to create a Detroit-style pepperoni and mushroom pizza with a Szechuan chili honey drizzled on top. “I always try to think deeper of how I can tie in those Asian flavors,” King says. But King’s cooking is more than incorporating ingredients and techniques. It’s how she tells her own story, a recipe she’ll always be working on. “I want people to feel my journey of where I've been and who I am as a Chinese American who has trained in French fine dining, but lives in California. I want you to feel those layers when you taste my food,” King says. “But most importantly, I want someone to feel happy, nurtured and loved."
My top six must-visit places in the U.S. and what to order there:
Newport Seafood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Los Angeles
Lobster noodles, black pepper filet mignon, honey walnut prawns.
Found Oyster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Los Angeles
Wedge salad, Sicilian crudo, yuzu scallop tostada, key lime pie.
Kato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Los Angeles
Dungeness crab with smoked cream, caviar and milk bun.
Arnold's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nashville
A lively traditional meat and three experience. Fried chicken, fried catfish, braised turnip greens, mac and cheese and all the pies.
Mary Mac's Tea Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Atlanta
Fried chicken, mac and cheese, braised turnip greens, sweet potato soufflé.
San Tung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Francisco
Sweet, sticky, and spicy chicken wings! It’s the one thing everyone goes crazy for.
THE KING'S EATS
The restaurant that reminds me of home:
There's a lobster noodle place in the San Gabriel Valley. It's called Henry's Cuisine. It's a total Mom and Pop spot, but they make the best lobster noodles with clear mung bean noodles that are kind of saucy. It has a lot of soy, ginger, garlic, scallions and a lot of black pepper. That specific dish and place reminds me of home because my mom loves to take me there. That's kind of the thing we do whenever I go home. Get lobster noodles. Anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley I always feel connected to because that's where I grew up. That's where my grandma moved when she immigrated here. She ended up living there for 40 years. It's such a densely populated Chinese community in Los Angeles that I feel very proud to be a part of. I love that it's getting its moment right now.
My favorite “Top Chef” contestants’ restaurants:
Sylvia Barban has LaRina in Brooklyn. She’s Italian and does handmade pastas. Sheldon Simeon has a great place called Lineage in Hawaii. It's modern Hawaiian cuisine. But the energy is fun. They have cocktails in a soy sauce bottle and you pour it into your cup. It’s a really playful place.
The food city I think is underrated:
I love Nashville. There's a lot of great food coming out of there. Henrietta Red is one of my best friends’ places. It’s a beautiful oyster bar. Nashville has a lot of rich culture and food. I love Arnold's in Nashville. It's a total no-frills meat and three plae. It's cafeteria style, so you just get your collard greens, you get your fried chicken and all the fixings. That place is probably one of my top favorite places to eat in the country. Austin is underrated as well. Franklin Barbecue, you can't go wrong.
The most memorable food experience in my life:
There's a place in Lisbon that’s on my top, best places in the world to eat. It’s called Ramiro. It’s an all-seafood spot. That’s all they sell. They had the best garlic prawns I've ever had in my life and they were probably the best thing I've ever eaten. They cut the head open and then you can basically eat the brains and or dip it with your bread. They have razor clams. Just so many different types of fresh seafood from Portugal, and it's so simply prepared. It’s a big restaurant and it's really busy. They give a ticket to sit down and all of a sudden, all this seafood appears and you have crab roe and crusty bread you can dip it in. At the end of the meal, they ended off with a steak sandwich. They throw another bomb on you. It was a little crusty French bread loaf type thing.
I would definitely go somewhere in Hong Kong. My family's from Hong Kong. There's this one place in Hong Kong. I don't know the name because my mom took me there, but it was the best Shanghainese restaurant. They did this crab sticky rice. It was covered in all this umami, like soy and ginger and all that good stuff. That was probably one of the best things I've also eaten in my career.
The place I would have my last meal at if I was dying tomorrow:
It was Relae in Copenhagen. In general, Copenhagen is extremely expensive. It was my birthday. I had a fantastic vegetable-forward meal. There was meat on there, but it was more focused on vegetables. There was also a non-alcoholic beverage tasting that was so unique. I've never seen that anywhere, at least in the States, where it was all vegetable beverages like tonics that were made with carrot juice or celery juice and fermented. Just so many unique flavors and herbs that were infused into these non-alcoholic beverage pairings. That was a very inspiring dinner for me from a culinary perspective. But it was very expensive.
The place that was worth the splurge:
My favorite late-night snack:
I love a grilled cheese. I always have crusty bread at my house, whether I'm making my own sourdough or if it's store-bought from a local bakery here. And I always carry Cowgirl Wagon Wheel cheese in my fridge. I hate to say it, but also instant ramen. I grew up on that stuff. Late at night, it’s the only thing you have. I like to doctor it up with a poached egg and kimchi and add other things to it, whatever is in my fridge.
The food combination I love that other people think is weird:
As a kid, I used to put A.1. sauce on rice, just white rice with an egg. It's the best thing. I still love it. I haven't had it in a long time. But I'm sure people cringe a little when they see that.
The chefs I would love to compete against in "Top Chef":
Julia Sullivan from Henrietta Red who's one of my best friends. We were best friends from culinary school, but there was always this sort of culinary rivalry. I would love to compete against her. She's fantastic. She's doing really well in her career currently. Michael Voltaggio, because I've never competed against Michael, even though he's in the family. Brooke Williamson. I would want to compete against all the people I haven't competed with who are in the ‘Top Chef’ world. All the past winners: Brooke, Kristen [Kish], Michael. That would be a fun season.
I don't drink too much, so I'm not fully tapped into the world but I do enjoy Scribe Winery up here in San Francisco. It's like a local winery that's coming out with interesting varietals. They had a mission varietal, which is some sort of grape that grows in this region that used to be very popular, but nobody uses it anymore for some reason. It kind of tastes like a Pinot Noir—a high acid red wine. Clime is also women-owned. They’re putting out great red wines as well. I like Witching Stick. They do some great syrahs. It's a local Northern California winery. I also like Flowers and Gundlach Bundschu. Niche small wineries. That's where you find the most unique types of wines being produced that are a little more nuanced.
My go-to meal if I only have 10 minutes to cook:
I always make salmon. I throw a piece of salmon onto the pan and get it crispy on one side. While that's cooking, I'm making a salad. It's usually that or just a veggie rice bowl. I just throw all the vegetables on a sheet tray and throw them in the oven. I have my rice cooker going, and then I chop everything up and throw a sauce on. I keep it pretty simple.
My favorite wineries:
The most unusual ingredient in my kitchen:
I always have a black silky chicken in my freezer. Chinese people cook with it a lot. We make bone broth out of it. I'll make a ginger chicken bone broth with it. It’s literally a black chicken. The skin is black. But if you Google them, they're the cutest chickens. They’re like little cotton balls walking around where their feathers are white. But I always have that hiding in the back of my freezer and people get freaked out when they see it.
The weirdest thing I've eaten:
I’ve had a lot of crazy stuff. I’ve had snake soup. I’ve had turtle soup. I’ve had shark fin. But a lot of these was things that were a part of Chinese cuisine and things that were culturally tied to me. So growing up, it was normal to eat a lot of those things. But balut certainly was an interesting one.
The spiciest thing I've eaten:
It was in Thailand. Thailand, they don't mess around. You ask for mild and it's still firecracker hot. It was a raw shrimp situation. Almost a crudo. It had a bunch of chilies and it literally blew my mouth open. My ears started burning. I couldn't speak. It was intense.
The place I'd take someone to impress them:
Rintaro in San Francisco. It’s a traditional Japanese Izakaya that uses local Californian ingredients as its foundation. The atmosphere has the perfect balance of quality Japanese comfort foods like handmade udon, sashimi and yakitori in a friendly, easy-going vibe.
My favorite place for cheap eats:
Any pho restaurant. A big bowl of pho noodle soup is always satisfying, heartwarming, and relatively affordable.
My favorite place to celebrate:
Anywhere with a seafood tower! I’m a sucker for them.
Photographer: Weston Wells
Stylist: Brian Coats
Makeup & Hair: Dana Boyer
Styling Assistant: Morgan Kondash
Studio: Mighty Lucky Studio
Locations: Grand Tea Imports; Peachy’s
THE CULTURE ISSUE
Shirt: Saint Laurent. Pants: Ami. Shoes: Del Toro. Sunglasses: Oliver Peoples
Blazer: Saint Laurent. Set: Casablanca. Rings: Ramona Albert. Socks: Pantherella. Shoes: Nike. Sunglasses: Oliver Peoples
Shirt: Saint Laurent. Pants: Gucci, Shoes: Nike
Peachy's is a cocktail bar and lounge below Chinese Tuxedo in Manhattan's Chinatown offering unique craft cocktails and inventive Asian bites throughout its retro, Chinatown-inspired space, which was once a Chinese opera house.
I
But for fans of “Top Chef,” Bravo’s reality TV cooking competition, which King competed on seasons 12 and 17 (the latter of which she won), her deep love of Chinese cuisine shouldn’t come as a surprise. Throughout their time on “Top Chef,” she’s made Char Siu-glazed octopus, grilled squab with fermented black bean sauce, truffle congee, and a Hong Kong milk tea tiramisu so good, it brought one diner to tears. King’s savviness at incorporating Chinese flavors and a part of her background into any dish she’s making is, to many viewers, what makes her one of the greatest winners in “Top Chef” history. But their cooking wasn’t always like this. “Growing up as a Chinese American, a lot of me felt torn,” King says a week before her Chinatown trip on a Zoom call from her home in San Francisco. “Like I need to be more American as far as my lifestyle but I also need to be more American in my cooking style.”
Wedge Salad at Found Oyster
Honey Walnut Prawns at Newport Seafood
Sticky Chicken Wings at San Tung
Milk Bun and Caviar at Kato
King went on to win “Top Chef: All Stars L.A.,” taking home the $250,000 grand prize and the record for the most single-season challenge wins of any contestant in “Top Chef” history. They were also voted fan-favorite, winning an extra $10,000, which they donated to charity. King used the grand prize from “Top Chef” to go on a vacation to Seoul with their family. The rest, they invested into the launch of their company, King Sauce, a small-batch sauce and spice line featuring mala chili oil, fish sauce caramel and more items that sold out almost immediately. For King—who has dreams of producing and hosting her own cooking show (she would call it “King Cooker”) and expanding her career to fashion, music and other industries outside of food—”Top Chef” also opened her eyes to what a career as a chef could look like in 2022. “I never thought I would be a chef that could create a career path where I don't have a restaurant,” King says. “My whole life, I thought I wanted to own a Michelin-star restaurant and that would be my end all be all.”