Best Teen Chef 2008 Local Finalists - New York City
Timothy Lu
Great Neck Village High School
The Art Institute of New York City’s Best Teen Chef 2008
Tim began to cook when he was about 12. He watched his parents cook, and is a devotee of the Food Network. “If you like to eat, then you have to know how to cook,” was his philosophy.
Watching his mom and dad was the first way he learned. He asked a lot of questions, and observed. They cooked Chinese food, the family’s basic cuisine.
Currently, he works part time at three restaurants, all owned by the same company. At the outpost in Manhattan, the head chef mentored Tim, teaching him sanitation, knife skills and basic cooking techniques.
He likes to shop for food, cook it and eat it, especially seeing what combinations work well together. He aspires to learn how to prepare pan-Asian cuisine, his personal favorite.
After Tim earns his Culinary Arts degree, he would like to work at an upscale restaurant or hotel, working his way up to head chef, and eventually owning multiple restaurants.
During the last week before the local competition, he cooked during every available lunch period, and had the students and teachers test the finished product. Their comments were helpful, especially on the sauce. “I like playing around and experimenting with food.”