18 Parent-Approved Cooking Tips From AAPI Chefs

Thanks to my dad, I learned that something magical happens when day-old kimbap pieces are coated in beaten egg and pan-fried to golden perfection: the revived, flavor-packed orbs edge out the fresh stuff, every time. I’m not even sure when I picked up this trick, but it’s become one of my go-to hacks for transforming leftovers.

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we asked 18 AAPI chefs across the country to share the best cooking tips and techniques they picked up from their own parents. Here’s what they dished out. 

Maximize every ingredient…

“My mom was always very resourceful and never wasteful. Carcasses from rotisserie chickens were turned into congee and the crispy rice at the bottom of a pot was eaten like popcorn or steeped into a delicious rice tea.” – Calvin Eng, 2022 F&W Best New Chef and chef/owner of Bonnie’s in Brooklyn, New York

…and don’t waste a single drop of flavor

“When [my mom] makes kimchi, she uses cabbage leaves to wipe the spice bowls clean to make sure she doesn’t waste a single drop of spice. Now, when I make juices at work, we rinse the spice containers Mama Kim-style as part of the process to make sure we get every drop of flavor.” – Jae Jung, chef/owner of KJUN in New York City

Simple tricks cut down on prep time 

“[Use] a spoon to peel ginger — simple, effective, and something my parents swore by. Even in a fine dining setting, it’s still the best method.” – Buddha Lo, chef/co-owner of Huso in New York City  

Speaking of prep, a pressure cooker does it all 

“My mom owned four different pressure cookers in different sizes, and she would use them every day for dal, stews, rice, and even desserts. I learned how to save time and cook multiple dishes at once this way, without compromising flavor or texture.” – Heena Patel, chef/co-owner of Besharam in San Francisco 

Turn today’s scraps into tomorrow’s soup

“[My parents] always saved scallion and onion roots for soup stock, saying the flavor runs deeper there. I’ve carried that with me, and still use those scraps for family meal soups — especially as a hangover cure for the staff.” – Eric Choi, chef/co-owner of C as in Charlie in New York City

Balance sugar with salt and tang  

“Our families taught us never to layer sweets on sweets. Instead, we balance sugar with tea leaves or coffee (for bitterness), a touch of salt, nut pastes, and tangy fruits — this helps reduce [the] overall sweetness by 10–20%, creating more nuance and complexity.” – Seleste Tan & Mogan Anthony, co-founders of Lady Wong Patisserie in New York City and Greenwich, CT 

Season as you go…

“One simple yet essential technique I learned from my parents, especially my mother, was how to ‘season early and taste often.’ She would never rely solely on a recipe but constantly adjusted, layering flavors gradually and using her senses to guide her. This taught me to approach seasoning as an evolving process rather than a fixed step — something I still apply to every dish I make.” – Yoonsoo Park, head chef at NARO in New York City

…but not too much 

“I was really into pizza for a while and would make it when I was over at [my dad’s] house on the weekends. He told me I was seasoning the canned tomatoes with too much salt. I was always taught a very New York way of cooking where things are seasoned well with acid and salt, but I had an epiphany [that day that] when you season too much, you might miss out on some of the vegetable’s natural characteristics.” – Devin Fu, chef de cuisine at the forthcoming Dynamo Room in New York City

And always with intention

“[My dad] taught me how to make soups, and he had this trick: mix your wet and dry seasonings together in a bowl, then add them to the soup only after the stock has had time to reduce and concentrate. It brings a deeper, more balanced flavor. To this day, I use that technique every time I make soup — it’s like seasoning with intention.”  – Donny Sirisavath, 2020 F&W Best New Chef and owner of Dallas-based Asian-American food company Donko Foods

For foolproof rice, ditch the measuring cups 

“My mother never used measuring cups — she’d just rinse the rice, flatten it out, and then add water until it reached the first line on her index finger. No matter the quantity, no matter the pot, it always came out fluffy and perfect. When I first started cooking professionally, I remember using precise ratios and kitchen scales — until one day I thought, ‘why am I overcomplicating this?’ The finger method is an absolutely foolproof way of [cooking rice].” – Neel Kajale, chef de cuisine at Adda in New York City 

Build a flavorful base with aromatics  

“One of the earliest techniques I learned from my parents was ginisa — a foundational sauté of garlic and onions (sometimes with tomatoes) used to build flavor in countless dishes. To this day, whether I’m making a Spanish sofrito or the base for a Southeast Asian curry, I still start by layering aromatics the same way.” – Laila Bazahm, chef/owner of El Raval in Austin, TX   

Make a better egg wash 

“You commonly use an egg wash to seal up lumpia while rolling them, but my mom instead created a ‘glue’ from cooked cornstarch by creating a slurry and popping it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. This created an extremely tight seal, so now I use it to seal all my lumpia, especially when creating vegan options.” – Carlo Lamagna, 2021 F&W Best New Chef and chef/owner of Magna Kusina in Portland, OR and Magna Kainan in Denver 

Boost soups using fermented condiments 

“One lasting lesson from my parents is how to layer flavor in broths using Korea’s fermented condiments — doenjang, guk-ganjang, and aekjeot. Each one has its own depth, salinity, and aroma, and I was taught to combine them thoughtfully to bring out harmony rather than dominance.” – Changki Kang, chef/owner of ODRE in New York City   

Use lemons to clean fishy hands  

“Growing up, we’d rub lemon peels on our hands to get rid of the fishy smell after eating whole fish with our hands — a common dish in our household. Now, with my team constantly breaking down fish for the menu, it’s a small tradition I’ve passed on to them, too. Simple, but it works better than hand soap!” – Tara Monsod, executive chef at ANIMAE and Le Coq in San Diego  

Draw inspiration from the ingredients around you 

“My grandparents are from the countryside, and they have their own farm for herbs, grains, sesame — many things. [I saw] how to treat these ingredients properly and cook them, to bring to the table. My signature dessert ‘Lysée’ made with toasted brown rice was inspired by these childhood memories.” – Eunji Lee, pastry chef/founder of Lysée in New York City

Don’t be afraid to improvise 

“My parents had to be resourceful — sometimes we didn’t have all the ingredients for a traditional dish, but they improvised, and that became part of my style. [They] taught me to be creative in the kitchen, to work with what I have, and to not be afraid of making a dish my own while still honoring its roots.” – Eric Valdez, chef/partner of Naks in New York City   

And remember to breathe 

“I learned from my mom to keep [my] breath consistent and deep. Cooking is a physical workout, so you have to breathe properly to keep your head straight so the cooking is clear and purposeful.” – James Lee, chef/owner of 181 Cabrini in New York City