Award-winning chef dishes up star quality

Chef Zeng Donghai is no stranger to receiving accolades from such as Michelin, Black Pearl and Forbes Travel Guide. For 14 years, he participated in building Jin Sha restaurant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and helped it grow into a mainstay in the fine dining scene.

But stepping into the spotlight as executive chef of the Song Chinese restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel, Hangzhou Center, and receiving his own Michelin star was a novel experience for the 38-year-old. At last month's Michelin award ceremony in Hangzhou, Zeng found himself in the limelight for the first time.

Zeng joined the Song restaurant team last year to prepare for its opening. In less than a year, the restaurant earned Michelin recognition.

"To receive a Michelin star so soon was a surprise. The starting point of this new restaurant is incredibly high," he says. "But the honor belongs to the whole team."

Achieving a Michelin star serves as both validation and motivation for Zeng and his team. While the accolade brings a surge of new guests eager to try the restaurant, it also accelerates its development pace.

"We hoped to take things slowly, one step at a time," Zeng reflects. "But now, after winning this award, we can't pause but must move forward."

The star is a testament to his years of hard work. Born in Xinyang, Henan province, Zeng spent his summer vacations in Hangzhou as a child, where he helped his parents run a breakfast stall. Later, when he decided to become a chef, he settled in Hangzhou, where he has lived for over 20 years.

In 2010, during Jin Sha's preparation phase, he joined the team and met Head Chef Wang Yong. Over the next 14 years, he grew alongside Wang, rising from kitchen supervisor to second-in-command chef, becoming Wang's trusted right-hand man.

Leading a team of 40, he helped maintain the restaurant's reputation through innovative dishes, consistent quality, and impeccable service. "Fine dining in Hangzhou is fiercely competitive," Zeng says. "The restaurant's success comes from innovating its signature dishes and delivering them at the perfect temperature."

Last year, the preparations for the new restaurant officially began, presenting him with the opportunity to manage a brand-new restaurant.

After consulting with Wang, Zeng chose to dedicate the new restaurant to Ningbo (Zhejiang province) cuisine. With extensive experience in broader Jiangsu province and Zhejiang styles, he narrowed his focus and deepened his expertise by exploring Ningbo's distinctive flavors and ingredient-driven approach.

Ningbo cuisine is renowned for highlighting the natural tastes of high-quality seafood and local produce, giving the dishes a subtle balance between simplicity and sophistication, according to Zeng.