Martin Yan's Xmas Present to Deep End Dining - A Personalized Voicemail Greeting. Happy 2006, All!



Yan Can Voicemail on Vimeo

Before there was the quote celebrity chef unquote, before the Iron Chef was the latest hot Japanese import, before Emeril bammed! his way to the top, and long before there was a FOOD NETWORK, there was the grandmaster of the wok and instructional television chef, Martin Yan. I remember like it was yesterday. I was far from my parents, living on my own in San Francisco and pining for some phenomenally fragrant Chinese home cooking. Problem was I didn't have any recipes from my mother. She rarely kept any recipes because they were all in her head. (This is a woman who miraculously and routinely produced five to six, sometimes seven, course dinners with very few repeat dishes for our family of six.) So now my only culinary hope was in the image of a high octane and hi-larious Chinese tv chef whose rapid fire, broken English reminded me of a male version of my mom. This tv chef was, of course, Martin Yan. In fact, the first cookbook I ever owned was The Yan Can Cook Book. Mr. Yan got me through some tight dinner jams when cooking for romantic dates and finicky roommates alike. He also schooled me on the fastest way to peel garlic by smashing the bejesus out of it with the flat side of a cleaver. And if anybody holds the land speed record for deboning a chicken, he is Mr. Yan. For that I salute him. Martin Yan is one of the original celebrity chefs, a best selling cookbook author and one of the few people who actually deserves his seat at the Iron Chef America judges' table. Martin Yan, you da man!!

Comments

elmomonster said…
Yan *IS* the MAN! Couldn't agree with you more about him. While other teens were watching MTV and cartoons on Saturday morning, I was transfixed by this man and his show on PBS.

My parents, knowing how I loved his show, took me to a cooking demo he did at South Coast Plaza. This was when I found out how short and diminutive he is!

Saw the man once again when his SensAsian opened in Irvine. I had hoped the restaurant stayed longer than it did. But it looks like he's doing well regardless. I'm glad.
Juliet said…
That's pretty cool! My husband is a fan of Mr. Yan's as well.
By the way, nothing relieves stress like banging the heck out of garlic with the meat cleaver.
Anonymous said…
happy new year!

i love martin yan. when i was little, i was always totally fascinated, watching him. totally love that smile of his!
Eddie Lin said…
Elmo,

Sounds like you're a bigger fan of Martin Yan than I am! I never got a chance to go to SensAsian. How was it? Maybe you should do a post about it. That would be interesting.


Dalian,

Of course Linstirr is a fan of Martin Yan. He has great taste after all. ; )


Sarah,

Happy New Year right back atcha!! Hope you enjoyed the holidays. May 2006 make your life even more deliciouso!
Anonymous said…
Oh dear, I thought I had forgotten all about Yan! The memories came rushing back though. And what about the Frugal Gourmet? And Justin Wilson, the cajun guy? I'm tearin' up here!
Anonymous said…
You never cooked for me!!! When are you gonna write about some pizza pie??? Happy New Year..TO YOU!!!
Unknown said…
ah, three years ago this month at the getty center. i think i hear myself cackling in the background
Anonymous said…
hi, Frank here, following a tag from Livejournal (where I am chefxh).

I chose my culinary school (CCA in SF) because Chef Rhoda Yee teaches there. She's an amazing lady of a certain age (she remembers when the Japanese were coming when she was a girl in China, and pushing her foot-bound grandmother into the hayloft before running for the hills). She's tiny and vivacious and she taught Martin Yan to cook!

Chef Julie Tan at CCA also worked with the Yan man; because of her he autographed one of his books to me, though we have not met.

Ah, you make me miss SF... *smile*
Eddie Lin said…
Jennie,

Yes, memory lane. How about the Galloping Gourmet? We won't get into the Frugal Gourmet. (Jeff Smith's how to cook days are over because of pedophilia allegations and lawsuits.) I'm not familiar with the cajun guy, but I'm sure you can "ga-ron-tee" he was awesome.


Cipollaia,

Yes I have cooked for you!! That one time at cooking camp. I roasted weenies, remember? I'll review pizza pie if lamb's brain is the topping.

Happy New Year to you to, honey bunny.


Zahed,

Watchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?


Frank,

My friend went to CCA of SF. He studied pastry. His final exam was a chocolate Golden Gate Bridge. I think he got an A.

Thanks for the little known history of Martin Yan. He has definitely touched many of us though not in the Frugal Gourmet way (see above reply to Jennie). Your teacher Rhoda Yee sounds like she should have her own show. She also sounds like my mom. My mom was also alive during the Japanese invasion and she had a grandmother, my great grandmother, who feet were bound. Mmmm, super tiny mutilated feet, sexy!