Chef Alan Wong of Hawaii took some time to talk with Chef Robert Danhi while they were both in Singapore. The talk revolved around Chef Wong's holistic approach to running his successful Asian restaurants.

An article based on Chef Danhi's concept of Culinary Identity™ . The geography, history, ethnic diversity, culinary etiquette, and prevailing flavors are the building blocks of its cuisine and these elements converge into authentic recipes. Each recipe can be deconstructed into three elements - the dominant ingredients, cooking techniques, and the unique presentation of the final dish.

Malaysian Satay is unique to other versions found across Southeast Asia and these brilliant yellow lemon grass crusted skewers are grilled and served with a peanut sauce. The coconut absent peanut sauce begins with a rempah, spice paste, of dried chilies, garlic, lemon grass, galangal, dried shrimp and peanut oil. Read how you can skip the specialized satay grill to prepare satay on your western style grill.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner, noodles are taking the center stage more often. Fast-casual noodle chains are some of today's leading concepts and their success is a testament that the American diner is ready for a new breed of pasta. Trailing close behind rice's importance in Southeast Asian cuisine, noodles can stand-alone or be tossed together with slivers of meat and vegetables.

This article highlights Wing Hing Foods, a manufacturer of quality fresh authentic Asian food products. A family focused organization manufacturing fresh noodles and wraps for more than 50 years. They began in 1953 and have grown to be one of the leading suppliers to multi-unit restaurant chains and retailers across the US.

"Wok Hay" or "breath of the wok" is what the Chinese call the familiar flavor achieved in a wok over a roaring fire. This high heat based flavor has migrated and can be found in stir-fries across much of Asia. Many cooks will argue that only a traditional carbon-steel wok will illicit wok-hay - no Teflon coated imitations here please. Begin with a hot wok, cook your food quickly and serve it immediately. Once you have tasted cooking over that extreme heat it is hard to go back!

Dynamic taste, reminiscent of artichokes, makes this stalky vegetable intriguing and fun. Cardoons are members of the thistle family that Americans are rediscovering and realizing that this ancient vegetable has an incomparable bittersweet flavor.

Master the six elements of composition to create dynamic spreads for every occasion. To create dramatic buffets, plan a menu full of vibrant colors and textures so the food is the star and the table decorations complement it, rather than distract from it. Non-traditional surfaces and items from nature bring visual impact to the buffet.

Fondue bring communal dining to lives and allow guests to customize their meal to their taste. Though many of us can unearth the fondue set from the 70's house ware stores are featuring a new generation of fondue equipment that make a handsome culinary masterpiece for a feast. For more practical-minded gourmands, a heavy gauged pot in the kitchen and candle or alcohol burner is all you really need.

Lemon grass has long been used in Asian cooking is now becoming a staple in kitchens in the US and other western kitchens. In this article you will learn about its origin, the fundamental preparations techniques, how it is used in recipes and some other interesting uses for this fibrous aromatic plant.

Whoever dipped their finger into fermented soybeans and tasted it must have been very brave. Asian miso paste is becoming essential to more and more modern dishes, including soups, salad dressings and marinades. Packed with Umami rich flavor attributes, miso can be used in non-Asian dishes as well. Learn how to choose, store and use various styles of miso paste.

Bright gems of flavorful fruit are fun to bite and their complex taste makes them great for cooking. Part of the culinary world since the dawn of man this enigmatic fruit has come full circle and is now one of the Celebrity Ingredients of modern time. Tossed on salads, used as a garnish on desserts or folded into couscous, pomegranates are sure to please the palate.

Calling ginger a root is a common mistake, it is actually a rhizome - an underground stem. Galangal, turmeric, krachai, and wasabi are also rhizomes that find their way into our kitchens - sometimes in their fresh form and other time as dried powders. Learn how to select, prepare and use rhizomes in various dishes from Asia.

From zesty jalapeno poppers to the complex taste of Poblano appetizers Mexican style stuffed peppers bring the menu alive. Lines form at the Chile Rellenos booths at New Mexico's Hatch Chile Festival each year where Mexico's original stuffed chilies are a hit.

Whether a festive celebration or around the dinner table there is a certain curiosity that develops when an array of ingredients are hidden inside thin translucent wrappers. These rice paper wrapped rolls are a hybrid of Vietnamese salad rolls and a Thai dipping sauce that come together for a contemporary take on the classics.

When I pull tender leaves of basil from their stems, I can't resist closing my eyes; the fragrance is pure summer. Basil pesto is used as a sauce, dip, a marinade, the base for dressing or simply brushed on slabs of rustic bread before a quick grilling. Blanching the basil first keeps its bright color and creates a better emulsion. Learn the basics on how to quickly create flavorful and versatile pestos.

Have you ever wondered why so many recipes begin with cooking an onion? It's because there is no ingredient quite like onions for adding subtle sweetness and bolstering other flavors at the same time. In fact, the type of onions used, the way it is cut and the way it is cooked all effect the flavor and texture of the finished dish in dramatically different ways!

Preparing the perfect poached egg is a snap if you follow the five basic steps! Read how to ensure your poached eggs are a teardrop shape, tender and cooked to the desired doneness. There are many other uses for poached eggs beyond Eggs Benedict; they needn't be reserved for brunch. A great topping for a salad, floating in a soup or even on top of pizza.

A stir-fry has all the features of an ideal weeknight meal - it's quick, nutritious and delicious. But stir-frying at home is not the same as stir-frying over the super-high temperature that a professional chef uses. My method reorganizes the classic technique so you are able to stay in control throughout the process and achieve perfect results every time.

Managing Editor of Flavor & the Menu interviews Chef Danhi and explores the issues, techniques and thinking involved in adapting the latest culinary concepts to mass-market menus.  We discuss "Celebrity Ingredients" like pomegranates, delve into Asian, European and Mediterranean flavors and how they can be translated onto menus across the globe.

Spring is upon us. The leaves on trees are just beginning to sprout, but the ground cover is still sparse, this is the time when I enjoy scouting the forest floor to find Mother Nature's edible gifts. The elusive morel is worth the hunt, slowly scouring the forest floor you may discover some of these treats that you can bring back to your kitchen. Not in the morel region of the world - read about how to use store-bought mushrooms!

The experience of salads can satisfy your deepest sensual desires. Yes, these salads will simulate all of your senses. With your first look, vibrant colors are a telltale sign of freshness, aromas waft through the air as you sauté garlic for a Caponata, and your first bite into a fennel and red onion salad is punctuated with a crunch. Marinated, tossed or cooked summer salads are guaranteed to please. This article is packed with chef's tips.

Soups satisfy the soul. Winter cries out for hearty chowders, velvety puree soups and rich broths. This article covers some of the fundamentals of soup preparation with special attention paid to those that will remove the chill from your body on a chilly day.

I will remember the Summer of 1999 as the year of the Sungold tomatoes. As I worked my way down the rows of Huguenot Street Farm in New Paltz, NY, I ate as many tomatoes as reached my basket. They glowed as the sun lit up their golden flesh. Summers bring a cast of tomato varieties and usually simplicity reigns supreme. The article addresses tomatoes history, the journey of ketchup from Asia to the new world and even describes how to prepare oven dried tomatoes to preserve that taste of summer.

Monosodium Glutamate, commonly referred to as MSG, is a hot topic across the globe. Although I do not recommend or disapprove of it use, gaining an understanding of what nature's Glutamic Acid is, how it contributes to the development of flavor and where it can be found naturally in significant amounts can help you create more flavorful food.

We were escorted past lush garden fountains, large crocks of kimchi, and fermented bean paste hanging to dry in the open air before entering Nolboo Restaurant in Seoul, Korea. We walked down the corridor past several dining rooms decorated with museum caliber antiques and something strikes me as odd, even though the dining room is only ten percent full there are only tables where the diners are sitting. Puzzled, we sit down on our pillows and waited for the next step. The table arrives, carried swiftly by two young Korean men with the strength and agility akin of trapeze performers. What a sight to behold-the table is covered from end to end with an array of small round white dishes - 24 per person.

I find this rich stew is always a great place to start as an introduction to Malaysian food - its rich sauce with the mahogany potatoes and resilient mushrooms create a stew that most Americans can relate to. Traditionally served during the Chinese New Year, the rich aroma of garlic and fermented soy beans fills the air in homes across Malaysia.

You needn't invest in a traditional tandoor oven to adopt the flavors of this classic Indian dish.  Chef Danhi takes you through the original version, breaks down the essential elements and then illustrates some new dishes based on the original.

--Recipes: Traditional Tandoori Chicken; Grilled Tandoori Chicken Breast Naan Sandwich with Cilantro Slaw, Mango Salsa and Pappadam Chips; Grilled Tandoori Marinated Shrimp with Basmati Rice, Grilled Onions and Spiced Tomato Relish.

The product development process flourishes when market research, culinary arts, food science and process technology join under the umbrella of Culinology. Ocean Cuisine, formerly Fishery Products International, is featured in this article as Chef Danhi's explores how they developed their Upper Crust product line. An array of encrusted fish fillets that food service professional utilize as center of the plate offerings.

The Prince Edward Island Seafood festival is the annual home to the Culinary Institute of Canada's International Shellfish Chefs Challenge. I was invited to PEI to judge this international competition and here are the results.