Congratulations to DeAille Tam, executive chef and co-founder of Obscura in Shanghai, who has been named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2021, sponsored by Cinco Jotas!
Born in Hong Kong, Tam moved to Canada at a young age. When she began studying for an engineering career, she discovered a passion for cooking. Defying societal expectations of what job a Chinese woman should aspire to hold, she followed her instincts and enrolled in the culinary program at George Brown College in Toronto, eventually earning a post-graduate degree in Italian cuisine. Her culinary career took her to Alvin Leung’s Bo Innovation in Hong Kong and then Bo Shanghai, where Tam became the first female chef in Mainland China to be awarded a Michelin star. In November 2020, Tam opened her first restaurant with partner Simon Wong after they spent a year researching Chinese cuisine: Obscura in Shanghai. Now, her progressive approach to gastronomy, deep understanding of China’s culinary traditions and leadership in the industry have been recognised with the Asia’s Best Female Chef Award 2021, sponsored by Cinco Jotas.
“When I started out, I did receive some pushback from males within the industry who treated me in a way that I felt was a bit unfair. But what I learnt is: never let a man tell you can or can’t do, just do it. And it’s not true just for females, but for every person: never give up on something because other people tell you to.”
This award is voted for by over 300 industry experts from across the region who also create the annual list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, which will be revealed on 25th March via the 50 Best Facebook and YouTube channels.
50 Best Restaurants TV is the official YouTube channel for The 50 Best Restaurants brand, which publishes annual lists of the opinions of thousands of international restaurant industry experts. These lists are announced at the award ceremonies of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants.
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