Chinese Master Chef Huanxi Yan now at Long Feng

Chinese Master Chef Huanxi Yan has joined premier five-star urban resort, Cinnamon Lakeside’s culinary team promising exciting new changes to the hotel’s popular Long Feng restaurant.

Counting over 20 years in the industry serving elite customers from around the world, Chef Huanxi Yan is all set to offer guests a unique experience through authentic Chinese cuisine. 

Having started his career at a Cantonese restaurant in GuangZhou China as an apprentice in the Dim Sum kitchen, his appetite to learn and perseverance to put his learning in to use by merging it with what he learnt from his mother soon gave him the boost to succeed and become a respected chef.

After six years in China, working in the provinces of Guangzhou, Hunan and ChengDu, he got his first big break in the international circuit in 2003. After a stint at Indonesia he headed back home to take on responsibilities in Diou and Guangzhou. From 2010 however, his culinary flair took him to Dubai, Jordan, Egypt, Mauritius and Maldives working for global hospitality chains.

With an illustrious career, Huanxi Yan says he owes it all to his mother who was his first inspiration, teacher and encourager. “Food was always my passion. For me it is an indispensable part of my life. It is not about just cooking, but for me, food is art.” This is why he chose this profession from others and managed to carve out a name for himself. “When you are passionate about what you do, it shows in what you produce. This is my simple tip for success.”

He recalls a 1,300 pax wedding while he was working at Jordan Intercontinental Hotel. “It was an Asian luxurious wedding unlike anything you would have really seen or heard about. It was a mammoth task and I believe it was sheer hard work by my team and myself that made it all flow so smoothly without a glitch,” Yan asserted. “This is one of the most memorable experiences in my career.” 

At Cinnamon Lakeside’s Long Feng restaurant, Yan’s aim is to offer a real taste of China to our local clientele and international guests. “What is usually served as ‘Chinese food’ in Sri Lanka isn’t the real deal. Chinese food is diverse and differs from one region to the other as each has its own distinctive style of cooking. Ingredients used also vary as they are based on the natural and agricultural products pertaining to the region.”  He draws an example from his own life. “If you were to ask what my favourite type of cuisine is, I am at a loss as I simply cannot decide between Cantonese cuisine, Sizchuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine – they are each so different!”

Together with his team at Lakeside, whom he recognised as well experienced with thirsts to learn, he will recreate the dishes that are popular back at home, using recipes that he has inherited from his mother and accumulated from his travels. “The task is easy for me as Long Feng is a firm favourite among guests. It is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country and my aim is to retain this position through better food and exceptional service,” Yan said. “They had a very good menu in place. I’m going to better it.”

With a promise of exciting new changes, Cinnamon Lakeside’s Long Feng restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Open for lunch and dinner with a special all-you-can-eat Dim Sum buffet on daily during lunch for just Rs. 2,300 nett, there is definitely something for every Chinese food lover there. For reservations, call 011 2491949.

For more details on the restaurant and other F&B offerings, log on to www.cinnamonlakeside.com.