Michelle is one of the newest additions to The Hutong Crew, but is a veteran to Beijing’s culinary scene. Formerly the General Manager at Black Sesame Kitchen, Michelle brings her love of Chinese cuisine to our courtyard (with her fondness for dumplings evidenced in the picture above). Below are some fun facts from our new Culinary & Courtyard Director, but they don’t do her justice – there is much more to this woman than meets the eye.

· Originally from New Zealand; fourth generation Kiwi Chinese with ancestry from Guangzhou.

· She has been known to travel across the globe and around the alleys of Beijing, all for a great meal.

· Loves cooking up a storm for family and friends while blasting classic tunes. While cooking, it’s old school funk and R&B. While dining, it’s Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

· Some people like to explore tourist spots on holiday; Michelle prefers wandering the aisles of local supermarkets and food stands.

· In Michelle’s world, there is never a bad day to have hot pot. She has waited in line for over 2 hours on numerous occasions to get into a number of different hot pot restaurants.

Michelle’s advice in the kitchen is threefold:

· Have a good cleaver on hand to make light work of the all the chopping.

· Before you’re ready to cook, make sure everything is pre-chopped and ready to go. Have all your sauces and seasoning laid out.

· Experiment, have fun, keep calm and zuo fan 做饭!

To meet in Michelle in person and pick up more tips, swing by our courtyard and sit in on one of her cooking classes!