Chef, restauranter, cookbook author, shop owner—it’s safe to say Brandon Jew has a lot on his proverbial plate. As the founder of the Michelin starred and James Beard awarded restaurant Mister Jiu’s, Jew is widely recognized and beloved for his innovative and thoughtful approach to Chinese cuisine. He is on a mission to cultivate community and evolve the perception of Chinese-American food—creating dishes that are ingredient-forward, culturally significant, and celebrated in California and beyond.

Your restaurant has received acclaim for several signature dishes. Which dish are you most proud of, and what is the story or inspiration behind its creation?

Our Liberty Farms Whole Duck is still something I feel is a conquest to perfect. A dish that marries tradition with a local product that has its own uniqueness. It’s a dish that I think represents what we do at Mister Jiu’s that still challenges me and my team to produce consistently every service. Inspiration wise, it came from working at Zuni Cafe and thinking also about the tradition of roast duck within Chinatown. 

How do you adapt to different culinary trends? Is there anything recent you’ve successfully incorporated into your menu?

I don’t like to follow trends but instead engage local seasonal ingredients as the starting point for deciding the direction of a recipe. The balance of the opposing forces is intriguing to me and I think displays the skill of a good chef. 

How does Mister Jiu’s incorporate sustainable practices into its operations, from sourcing ingredients to minimizing waste, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining these practices?

Throughout my training, it has been ingrained in me to adapt to the seasonal changes and be closely connected to the farmers’ market. I have religiously gone to the farmers’ market two to three times a week to source ingredients and to be able to taste the changes of ingredients within the season. This connection to the farms gives me the best ability, I believe, to adjust my menu and translate our ideas. 

Our change to the tasting menu last year was in large part to minimizing waste. I was watching all the energy being put into getting the products, prepping it all, and then seeing a lot of it being packed up because people had over ordered. I’ve felt much better about my ability to be much better at the accuracy of our ordering and the efficiency in our prepping. Creatively, I’ve also been enjoying thinking about the progression of the meal and to be even more particular with a smaller set of ingredients we are serving from season to season. 

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?

“Burn to Shine” is what Mike Tusk [the chef and owner of Quince] used to say to us. He related it to metal work—our knives having to be put in the fire to become shiny, sharp, valuable possessions. I also saw it like the story of the phoenix—having to go through difficulties and struggles is an opportunity to persevere and to perform.