The man who taught us Chinese cookery:?It's 40 years since Ken Hom first got his wok out on British TV. Now Saturday Kitchen is celebrating his life with a delicious 尊敬の印

By Roz 吊りくさび For 週末 Magazine

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When Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery first 空気／公表するd on BBC2 支援する in 1984, the series turned the Chinese-American presenter, author, chef and restaurateur into a 世帯 指名する.?

Now fans are in for a 扱う／治療する when Saturday Kitchen celebrates Ken's 40-year career.

On the show Taiwanese chef Ching-He Huang, who co-現在のd BBC's 調査するing 中国: A Culinary Adventure with Ken in 2012, two-Michelin-starred Andrew Wong and Hakkasan's 結社 Chee Hwee will serve a feast for Ken, now 74.

'I'm very honoured Saturday Kitchen is doing this,' says Ken, who 分裂（する）s his time between フラン and Thailand.?

'I first went on it in 2002, and every time I never know what to 推定する／予想する. I've filmed for the show from my tiny flat in Paris, and did a Chinese New Year programme on Zoom live from Bangkok during Covid.'

Ken Hom is pictured cooking in the kitchen for his television series 'Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery' in 1984

Ken Hom is pictured cooking in the kitchen for his television series 'Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery' in 1984?

Saturday Kitchen are due to celebrate Ken's 40 year career. Above: Ken Hom is pictured in 2022

Saturday Kitchen are 予定 to celebrate Ken's 40 year career. Above: Ken Hom is pictured in 2022?

Born in Arizona and raised in Chicago, Ken learnt about food working in his uncle Paul's restaurant from the age of 11.?

He was teaching cookery in California and Hong Kong when a 会合 at a party with Indian cookery legend Madhur Jaffrey changed his life.?

'The BBC had been searching for a presenter for a Chinese cookery series for two years,' says Ken.?

'Madhur 示唆するd me and I was 招待するd to audition. I agreed to do it although it didn't 支払う／賃金 a lot compared to what I was getting in the 明言する／公表するs. But I thought, 'It will be an experience, and I get to live in the UK for two months and film in Hong Kong.'

The show 空気／公表するd in October that year and a 調書をとる／予約する was also 解放（する）d. 'I remember going to a 調書をとる／予約する 調印 with 600 people 列ing outside.?

'I asked the BBC rep, 'Who are they waiting for?' He replied, 'They're waiting for you.' I said, 'You're joking!'

In the 40 years since, he's made more series 含むing Hot Wok and has cooked for many famous 指名するs, 含むing Tina Turner at his home in the south of フラン. 'When she said in her raspy, sexy 発言する／表明する, 'That's delicious, darling,' I almost fell over,' he laughs.

Ken also 作品 for charities 活動／戦闘 Against Hunger and Prostate 癌 UK, which he 回復するd from in 2010.

But he w on't be doing a lot for his 75th birthday in May. 'It's another year,' he says. 'If I get to 100 I'll celebrate. But for the Chinese, 75's just the start.'

  • Saturday Kitchen, Saturday, 10am, BBC1. Buy Ken's autobiography My 動かす Fried Life at amazon.co.uk
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