J U L I E C H E N
Chef | Mother | Entrepreneur | Dream Chaser
Born in :: Shanghai ::: Los Angeles transplant ::: currently resides in Pasadena, Ca
W ō ō n
meaning "bowl" in Cantonese
Team ::: Julie, her son, Keegan, daughter, Andrea and son in law, Phillipp
::: Los Angeles, Ca :::
Est ::: 2014
August | 2014
Born in Shanghai, Julie Chen and her family fled the communist country to start a new and better life in Hong Kong. The Chen family lived in Hong Kong until 1967 and then migrated yet again to fulfill the American dream in Woodland Hills California.
At the age of seventeen Julie began her studies at Cal State Northridge in Jewelry Design. While living at home, she had to escape the repetitive and sweet Shanghai meals her mother would cook everyday. In desperation to explore new alternatives and twists on the traditional cuisine she knew and loved, Julie found her deep passion for food. She was always cooking and experimenting with new dishes in every cuisine, learning from cookbooks and TV Shows.
Fast forward several decades later, today she is working as a Chinese language interpreter for worker's compensation while also developing her deep-rooted passion project Wōōn.
Wōōn is a pop up, family restaurant business. Mama Julie, son Keegan, daughter Andrea, and son in law Phillipp, make for an amazing team. The irony is she was always the “mom chef” all the kids’ friends wanted to have dinner at. Naturally Julie always welcomed the opportunity to feed the hungry rascals, making the Chen household a revolving “restaurant” type attraction amongst the kids.
I was lucky enough to spend a day with Julie at her Pasadena home and kitchen. I tagged along with her to the Asian market, Ranch 99, as she shopped for the essentials to prepare her famous Shanghai style Stir Fried Beef Noodles and Smashed Radish Salad. Needless to say words cannot describe the flavors / motherly love simmering from every bite of this meal.
Her excitement for food and energy in the kitchen was purely contagious. Keep your eyes peeled for Wōōn. You don’t want to miss this.
Born in Shanghai, Julie Chen and her family fled the communist country to start a new and better life in Hong Kong. The Chen family lived in Hong Kong until 1967 and then migrated yet again to fulfill the American dream in Woodland Hills California.
At the age of seventeen Julie began her studies at Cal State Northridge in Jewelry Design. While living at home, she had to escape the repetitive and sweet Shanghai meals her mother would cook everyday. In desperation to explore new alternatives and twists on the traditional cuisine she knew and loved, Julie found her deep passion for food. She was always cooking and experimenting with new dishes in every cuisine, learning from cookbooks and TV Shows.
Fast forward several decades later, today she is working as a Chinese language interpreter for worker's compensation while also developing her deep-rooted passion project Wōōn.
Wōōn is a pop up, family restaurant business. Mama Julie, son Keegan, daughter Andrea, and son in law Phillipp, make for an amazing team. The irony is she was always the “mom chef” all the kids’ friends wanted to have dinner at. Naturally Julie always welcomed the opportunity to feed the hungry rascals, making the Chen household a revolving “restaurant” type attraction amongst the kids.
I was lucky enough to spend a day with Julie at her Pasadena home and kitchen. I tagged along with her to the Asian market, Ranch 99, as she shopped for the essentials to prepare her famous Shanghai style Stir Fried Beef Noodles and Smashed Radish Salad. Needless to say words cannot describe the flavors / motherly love simmering from every bite of this meal.
Her excitement for food and energy in the kitchen was purely contagious. Keep your eyes peeled for Wōōn. You don’t want to miss this.
Q & A
When did you decide to start Wōōn?
Right now I am working as a Chinese language interpreter for worker’s compensation. Deep down in my heart I was never happy, but throughout my career it’s always come back to food. When the kids were growing up I would make them caprese sandwiches and other food normal 5th graders wouldn’t eat. My kids know all about good food. Keegan, my son, is always thinking of ideas and thought why not open up something to share my cooking. He is actually licensed it yesterday! We planning on doing pop ups, local farmer's markets, and events. Our first one being, Parachute Market LA at my older brother's, JF CHEN, showroom Sept 20-21!
What kind of dishes should we expect of Wōōn?
I’ll be serving up noodles, my famous noodles. Everybody loves them! Eventually, pork belly bun (sandwich) kind of like a Chinese hamburger with pickled veggies. Dumplings. “Lion’s head,” a Chinese meatball in a stew…these are all my signature dishes.
I’ve been keeping a black book of recipes. Comprising all my recipes in Chinese. The kitchen is still my kitchen. I’ll be behind the scenes and my kids at the front.
Have you worked in the food industry before?
I’ve worked for my parents and helped with their jewelry business. I’ve done trading, real estate, and public relations. It wasn’t until 1998 when my ex sister in law and me opened a catering business in Pasadena called, My Lunch Box To Go. We catered for private schools all over Los Angeles like Campbell Hall. We created a monthly menu for kid’s food. Everyday was something different, usually 800 meals a day. We were working in the kitchen with 3 others and we hired delivery drivers. It was a great business, but decided to sell it.
I also worked as administration at Le Cordon Bleau in Pasadena for 2 years. I got free classes and was able to learn knife skills. I still have a knife set from Germany that they gifted me.
Some of my inspiration comes from my aunt
Joyce Chen. She was also a chef and one of the
first Asian women to have a TV show on PBS. In
1949 she had immigrated to Boston. In the late
70's she opened a Chinese restaurant in
Cambridge. This is her one and only cookbook.
What's your favorite thing about cooking?
I’m always experimenting. I don’t care what type of food it is. I’m trying to get better at baking. There’s so much precision in it. I love the creativity behind cooking. I try to be in tuned with what’s going on. I watch cooking shows and try to learn methods, especially with Chinese food. I’ve been watching Korean food shows and trying to modify the dishes. I enjoy having friends and family over for dinner, the more the merrier!
What don’t you like about cooking?
I don’t like doing dishes. I try to clean while I work, so I don’t get overwhelmed. Keep a clear mind. No clutter. Even a glass of wine won’t help because I’ll have to wash that too!
Can you explain Chinese feng shui in the kitchen?
There’s feng shui in every room in the house. In the kitchen there shouldn’t be a stove or sink in the center because it pertains to the heart. If there is an upstairs and a room directly above that, it relates to the owner’s heart.
A stove across from a fridge or sink is a no no. It counter reacts. A stove gives off heat and energy and water would flood it. Next to it is fine.
I’m always experimenting. I don’t care what type of food it is. I’m trying to get better at baking. There’s so much precision in it. I love the creativity behind cooking. I try to be in tuned with what’s going on. I watch cooking shows and try to learn methods, especially with Chinese food. I’ve been watching Korean food shows and trying to modify the dishes. I enjoy having friends and family over for dinner, the more the merrier!
What don’t you like about cooking?
I don’t like doing dishes. I try to clean while I work, so I don’t get overwhelmed. Keep a clear mind. No clutter. Even a glass of wine won’t help because I’ll have to wash that too!
Can you explain Chinese feng shui in the kitchen?
There’s feng shui in every room in the house. In the kitchen there shouldn’t be a stove or sink in the center because it pertains to the heart. If there is an upstairs and a room directly above that, it relates to the owner’s heart.
A stove across from a fridge or sink is a no no. It counter reacts. A stove gives off heat and energy and water would flood it. Next to it is fine.
What would your dream kitchen look like?
It would be double the size of mine now. It would have an island in the middle, two sinks, and two dishwashers. I want a baking area so I can roll out dough onto a marble countertop as well as a wooden one.
It would be a wooden island in the center. I will write there, sit there, and sleep there if I have to. I told the kids, "just give me a nice workable kitchen and I'll be happy!"
Words of advice?
Always look forward. Look for happiness and follow your heart. Growing up we had a maid so I never learned to cook until I was seventeen. I couldn’t even cook rice before then! I loved cooking, but I never did it since I didn’t have the support from my mom. I tell my kids, "Do what makes you happy!"
What is your overall goal?
My overall goal is to have a restaurant. Everything would be home cooked. It would be a small and intimate space, very natural, with communal wooden tables. I don’t like traditional Chinese restaurants. The food would be traditional, but not the atmosphere. Everyone would know each other and say let’s go to Wōōn!
It would be double the size of mine now. It would have an island in the middle, two sinks, and two dishwashers. I want a baking area so I can roll out dough onto a marble countertop as well as a wooden one.
It would be a wooden island in the center. I will write there, sit there, and sleep there if I have to. I told the kids, "just give me a nice workable kitchen and I'll be happy!"
Words of advice?
Always look forward. Look for happiness and follow your heart. Growing up we had a maid so I never learned to cook until I was seventeen. I couldn’t even cook rice before then! I loved cooking, but I never did it since I didn’t have the support from my mom. I tell my kids, "Do what makes you happy!"
What is your overall goal?
My overall goal is to have a restaurant. Everything would be home cooked. It would be a small and intimate space, very natural, with communal wooden tables. I don’t like traditional Chinese restaurants. The food would be traditional, but not the atmosphere. Everyone would know each other and say let’s go to Wōōn!
Number one tool in the kitchen ::: My wok ::: great heat conductor ::: Fire energy +Wok Energy = food cooks faster and hotter :::
Biggest Reward ::: My kids :::