- In the latest episode of “Cooking with Chris,” Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta joins Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan Director of Food & Beverage Mandela Zhu to prepare one of China’s most beloved comfort foods.
- Discover why wontons have long symbolized home, connection and togetherness in Chinese culture, bringing generations together through the simple act of cooking and sharing a meal.
- Go behind the scenes to learn how family traditions, culinary heritage and a multi-generational love of hospitality come together around the kitchen table.
The most beloved recipes carry with them memories, traditions and the comforting feeling of home. In the latest episode of “Cooking with Chris,” Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta travels to Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan, where one of China’s most cherished dishes becomes the starting point for a conversation that reaches far beyond the kitchen. Alongside Director of Food & Beverage Mandela Zhu, Chris prepares wontons, sharing in a cooking ritual that’s steeped in traditions that celebrate togetherness one fold at a time.
For generations, families across China have gathered around the table to prepare wontons together. The process is simple but meaningful, and in this video, Chris and Mandela talk about the important role food plays in uniting people. Mandela shares that his own mother never fully revealed her recipe to him as she wanted an excuse for them to keep cooking together and, for him, wontons are the perfect representation of love. He describes the delicate wrapper as a symbol of protection, wrapping the filling with the same care that families show when wrapping one another with support.
Today, he continues this storied tradition with his own daughter, who has already developed a passion for culinary arts. Hospitality has become a family tradition, too. Mandela’s father joined the original Shanghai Hilton in 1995, and as a young boy, Mandela regularly accompanied him to the hotel, where those early visits inspired his own career with Hilton. Now, his daughter dreams of becoming a chef and hopes to one day join Hilton herself, creating a remarkable three-generation legacy.
Now, it’s your turn. Bring this meaningful taste of Shanghai into your own kitchen by following the full recipe below and discover how one simple dish can bring family and friends together, wherever home may be.
FAQs
Who is featured in this episode of “Cooking with Chris”?
In the latest episode of “Cooking with Chris,” Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta joins Mandela Zhu, director of food & beverage at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan, to prepare wontons while sharing stories about family traditions, culinary heritage and a multi-generational love of hospitality.
Where does this episode of “Cooking with Chris” take place?
This episode takes place at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan in Shanghai, China, where Chris Nassetta and Mandela Zhu prepare one of China’s most cherished dishes and explore how food, family and hospitality bring generations together.
What culinary dish is highlighted in this episode of “Cooking with Chris”?
The episode highlights wontons, one of China’s most beloved comfort foods. Chris Nassetta and Mandela Zhu prepare wontons together while discussing why they have long symbolized home, connection and togetherness in Chinese culture, bringing generations together through the simple act of cooking and sharing a meal.
The post Cooking with Chris: Three Generations, One Bowl of Wontons appeared first on Stories From Hilton.