Shirley Chung
Ms. Chi Cafe - Culver City, CA
A native of Beijing, and a proud Chinese-American, the dumpling queen of Los Angeles, Shirley Chung brings a playfulness and refinement of flavors to her culinary creations. Chung immigrated to America at age 17 for college and worked in Silicon Valley before following her passion for food. She attended the California Culinary Academy San Francisco, started her culinary career in the Napa Valley with chef Thomas Keller.
Chung then went to Las Vegas as a team member to open Bouchon. She decided to stay in Vegas to further her career. She became the chef “opener” and opened 7 concepts for Guy Savoy, Mario Batali, and Jose Andres. She competed on Bravo’s Top Chef season 11, and opened her first restaurant, Twenty Eight Modern Chinese as chef partner in 2014. In 2016, she returned to Top Chef stage again and finished runner up. In 2018, she published her first cookbook, “Chinese Heritage Cooking From My American Kitchen.” A couple month after, she opened Ms Chi, in a partnership with her husband Jimmy Lee.
Chung showcases her Chinese heritage, signature dumplings, and progressive Chinese-American cuisine at Ms Chi Cafe in Culver City, CA and on Goldbelly.com. After, Chung served as the inaugural chef of Abernethy’s in 2019, a new community restaurant concept and chef-driven project at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles, she was invited to be on the board of Music Center Culinary Council. Chung is passionate about supporting AAPI community, she is part of mayor Karen Bass AAPI LA Task Force and Teach AAPI for children.
Shirley Chung’s additional TV appearances include serving as a chef mentor for HBO MAX show The Big Brunch, regular appearances on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Game and Guy’s Ranch Kitchen. Chung competed on season 3 and 4 Tournament of the Champions. She has served as a judge and mentor on Top Chef Amateurs; a judge on Top Chef Family Style; a judge on FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen; and guest chef appearances on the TODAY Show, the Good Dish, Hallmark’s Home & Family Show, Tastemade’s Make This Tonight, Food Network’s The Globe, Food Network’s Big Food Bucket List, The Steve Harvey Show, and more.
