OVERVIEW

Chef Tsai is a James Beard & Emmy Award-Winning chef, philanthropist, T.V. personality, and entrepreneur. He is the creator of award-winning restaurants, author of five cookbooks, and current host/executive producer of PBS-TV’s Simply Ming. In 2022, Chef Tsai became Iron Chef Tsai as he joined the cast of 5 world-class chefs in the Netflix series Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. Chef Tsai is the foremost interpreter of East-West cooking. He has always been a believer that “you are what you eat” and that food is medicine.

In 2020, Chef Tsai founded MingsBings: a nationally recognized, award-winning, consumer-packaged goods startup. MingsBings brings healthy, plant-based, gluten-free convenience to the frozen food aisle. MingsBings are now sold in over 2,000 retail stores, including Target and Wegmans, and are also available at venues including Yale University, TD Garden, and Fenway Park. From inception, some proceeds have benefited two charities close to Chef’s heart: Dana Faber and Family Reach.

Beyond his contributions through MingsBings, Chef Tsai lives by a “Do Good” mentality. He is the Chairman of the National Advisory Board for Family Reach and has helped raise over 10 million dollars for the foundation since 2012. Chef Tsai is a leading voice for stop AAPI hate initiatives, including partnering with Harney and Sons to create his “Be Kind” tea blend, contributing all proceeds to stop AAPI hate initiatives. He is also a chef ambassador for World Central Kitchen; he has raised over a million dollars for the organization and has cooked alongside José Andrés when needed.

Ming has been a proud Harvard Nutritional Roundtable member for over 20 years. He has appeared in publications from Esquire to The Boston Globe, was featured on People magazine’s list of 50 most beautiful people, and is a regular contributor on Good Morning America. He recently went viral through his engaging social media educational cooking videos, passing 200 million views as a top content creator.

Chef

Chef Ming attended Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and apprenticed at area restaurants in Paris. After graduating from Yale, he moved to Paris, trained under renowned Pastry Chef Pierre Herme, and went on to Osaka with Sushi Master Kobayashi.

In 1998, Ming opened Blue Ginger in Wellesley, MA. In its first year, Blue Ginger earned Best New Restaurant by Boston Magazine, Best New Restaurant 1998 by the James Beard Foundation, and Chef Ming was named Chef of the Year by Espire Magazine.

In 2002, the James Beard Foundation crowned Ming “2002 Best Chef Northeast.” In 2012, Boston Magazine ranked Blue Ginger as one of the 50 Best Restaurants. In June 2017, after 19 years of excellence, Ming closed Blue Ginger to pursue other opportunities.

In early 2013, Ming opened his second restaurant Blue Dragon, an Asian gastro pub located in Boston’s Fort Point Channel area. Blue Dragon was named one of Esquire Magazine’s “Best New Restaurants 2013” and Zagat’s “24 New Restaurants You Need to Know About Around the U.S.”.

Currently, Chef Ming is Chef/Partner at Baba in Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, MT.

Entrepreneur

In 2020, Chef Tsai founded MingsBings, a nationally recognized award-winner consumer-packaged goods startup bringing healthy, plant-based, gluten-free convenient food to the frozen food aisle. MingsBings is the solution to a problem Chef experienced in his own life.

In 2017, Ming’s wife Polly was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. As they explored medical treatment options at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Polly decided to transition to a vegan diet with the hope of lowering inflammation by using food as medicine.

Ming knew he could create delicious vegan options for Polly while at home but was disappointed by what was at the grocery store for her during his travels. Born out of frustration and necessity, Chef Tsai created MingsBings.

Using his signature East meets West technique, Chef Tsai blended the ancient Chinese “bing” format with familiar flavors for the American consumer. MingsBings launched first as a direct-to-consumer brand and has quickly gained traction in retail and food service, now on shelves at nearly 3,000 grocery stores nationwide including Sprouts, Wegmans, select Targets and Whole Foods and launching soon in Publix. The brand is offered in concessions at Fenway Park, TD Garden, Tropicana Field, Hard Rock Stadium and at major colleges, universities and prep schools.

Chef Tsai ships some of his signature dishes, including MingsBings and Lobster and Pork Fried Rice, nationwide via Goldbelly. He has also partnered with such notable brands as Instant Brands and B&W Watercress.

Philanthropist

Chef Tsai lives by a “Do Good” mentality. A portion of all proceeds from MingsBings benefit two charities close to his heart: Dana Farber and Family Reach. He is the Chairman of the National Advisory Board for Family Reach and has helped raise over 10 million dollars for the foundation since 2012.

Chef Tsai is a leading voice for stop AAPI hate initiatives, including partnering with Harney and Sons to create his “Be Kind” tea blend, contributing all proceeds to stop AAPI hate initiatives.

Chef Mings is a chef ambassador for World Central Kitchen; he has raised over a million dollars for the organization and has cooked alongside José Andrés when needed. In 2022, he partnered with Chef Ken Oringer to raise $1M for World Central Kitchen efforts in Ukraine. Ukraine. He also reached over 1 million people with Chef Dominique Crenn during the “Bread for Unity” charity fundraiser to benefit World Central Kitchen efforts in Ukraine.

Award-Winning TV Personality

Chef Ming hosts and executive produces the PBS cooking show, Simply Ming. As the longest-running PBS cooking show, Simply Ming received two Emmy nominations. Simply Ming just completed 18 seasons. In 2009, Simply Ming received two Emmy nominations for “Outstanding Culinary Program” and “Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host” and has received 6 Bronze Telly Awards.

Chef Ming began cooking for television audiences on the Food Network as the 1998 Emmy Award-Winning host of East Meets West with Ming Tsai. This was the first Emmy for Food Network. Ming’s Quest, a popular cooking adventure series, also aired on Food Network. 

Chef Ming is no stranger to Kitchen Stadium, defeating Iron Chef Bobby Flay in Battle Duck in Iron Chef America (2005). He is returning as one of five Iron Chefs in the Netflix reboot Iron Chef – Quest for an Iron Legend (premiering June 2022).

Life-Long Educator

Chef Ming’s love of food spans from cooking to teaching. He seeks opportunities to educate and inspire through his TV Shows, social media presence, speaking engagements, cooking classes, and mentorship.

 In 2021, Chef Ming delivered the long-awaited commencement address to Northeastern’s graduating class of 2020 after the University postponed their graduation due to Covid. In 2022, he will be honored by the American Culinary Federation as he is inducted into the AAC Culinary Hall of Fame as the 2022 Celebrated Chef.

 Chef Ming teaches live cooking demonstrations with Goldbelly, has led a cook-along for the U.S. Department of State’s Asian American Foreign Affairs Association and the Asia Society, and mentors young chefs through UPMentors. He is also the author of five cookbooks: Blue Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai, Simply Ming, Ming’s Master Recipes, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, and Simply Ming In Your Kitchen.

 Using social media as a tool, Chef Ming loves to engage his fans through cooking content on Instagram and TikTok. Across all platforms, he has topped 200 million views, including how popular fried rice TikTok tutorial with over 6M views. 

BACKGROUND

Ming Tsai’s love of cooking began at an early age. Raised in Dayton, Ohio, he spent hours alongside his parents at Mandarin Kitchen, the family-owned restaurant. In this, Ming learned about restaurant operations and, most importantly, the art of making customers happy through food.

Ming headed east for high school, attending Phillips Academy Andover. He then continued to Yale University, earning his degree in Mechanical Engineering. Ming spent his summers attending Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and apprenticing at restaurants in Paris. He was a squash player at Yale, playing number two for the team, and he was named an All-Ivy League player in 1986.

After graduating from Yale, Ming moved to Paris and trained under renowned Pastry Chef Pierre Herme and then to Osaka with Sushi Master Kobayashi. While attending culinary school in France, Tsai played squash professionally on the European circuit. Upon his return to the United States, Ming enrolled in graduate school at Cornell University, earning a Master’s Degree in Hotel Administration and Hospitality Marketing.

FUN FACTS

  • Ming Tsai was a professional squash player during his time in France
  • He was one of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in the World
  • He loves golf, yoga, Peloton, and practices daily meditations

CONNECT WITH CHEF MING

Website: ming.com

MingsBings: mingsbings.com

Facebook: facebook.com/ChefMingTsai

Instagram: @mingtsai

TikTok: @chefmingtsai

Twitter: @mingtsai

Pinterest: @chefmingtsai

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

  • AAC Culinary Hall of Fame: 2022 Celebrated Chef – American Culinary Federation

  • Best New Restaurants 2013 — Blue Dragon 2013 Esquire Magazine

  • 50 Best Restaurants — Blue Ginger 2012 Boston Magazine

  • 24 New Restaurants You Need to Know across the US – Blue Dragon 2013 Zagat

  • 50 Best Restaurants — Blue Ginger 2012 Boston Magazine

  • Cine Golden Eagle Award — Simply Ming TV 2011

  • IFMA Silver Plate Award — Blue Ginger 2009

  • Emmy Nominations — Simply Ming TV 2009 Outstanding Culinary Host, Outstanding Culinary Program

  • Ivy Award — Blue Ginger 2007 Restaurants & Institutions

  • Restaurateur of the Year — Ming Tsai 2005 Massachusetts Restaurant Association

  • Best Chef Northeast — Ming Tsai 2002 James Beard Foundation

  • Top 20 in Boston — Blue Ginger 2002 America’s Top Restaurants Zagat Survey

  • 2nd Most Popular Boston Restaurant — 2002 Zagat Survey

  • Top 25 Best Cookbooks — 1999 Blue Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai Food and Wine Magazine

  • Best New Restaurant — Blue Ginger 1998 Boston Magazine

  • Nominated Best New Restaurant — Blue Ginger 1998 James Beard Foundation

  • Chef of the Year — Ming Tsai 1998 Esquire Magazine

  • Emmy — East Meets West with Ming Tsai 1998 Outstanding Service Show Host

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