Personal Chef Dennis Chan

By Anna Eatz Jax

Chef Dennis Chan chef-owner of Blue Bamboo is someone I call a friend as well as a legendary restaurateur.  It was like old time sitting with him during this interview.

Tell us about Dennis.

I was born and raised in Jacksonville.  My family has owned restaurants in Jacksonville for over eighty years.  After college, I wanted to continue that legacy and entered the Culinary Institute of America.  After graduation, I worked at Disney then moved on to managing large Italian Restaurants before returning to Jacksonville to open my restaurant.

How long have you been cooking professionally?

If you count cooking with my grandfather, when I was in high school I was cooking in the family kitchen at the family restaurant.

What inspires you and what is your philosophy when it comes to food?

In our restaurant, we love the classics but enjoy presenting them in a way that shows people the food does not have to be boring. We describe our food as “Hip Asian.” The food based on the same classic flavors that Asian dishes have, but we try to show it in a new way.

Can you explain your style of cooking?

In our cooking, we use a wok cooking method; it’s all about the prep beforehand. It is essential each ingredient is cut correctly, so it all cook at the same time.

Do you have a signature dish or a favorite dish you like to cook?

What became our signature dish we ran as a special year ago is our Red Curry Shrimp and Grits, panko-coated shrimp with our Stir Fried Red Curry.

How do you come up with dishes for the restaurant how do you get inspired?

It’s all stuff I like to eat, then we do our version of the recipe. Some days in the kitchen we will have a craving for something and after we make it we find it’s good enough to put on the menu, that’s how our dishes get born.

What do you most love about the job and running the restaurant?

Cooking, I love what I do. People often ask how many hours do you work a week? I honestly do not know; I never feel like I am working, and never count the hours. Plus there is a family legacy to continue, and I am so happy to be doing just that.

What would you be doing if you were not cooking?

I have thought of it, the one thing that fascinates me is psychology. That a little strange when I think what the connection is, but then I food has always made me happy, I see people happy with the food, it’s in the brain somehow. I  would like to know more about how that works.

Tell us something about Dennis that would surprise people if they knew it.

For a while, I took classes at Bitter Sweet Studio Fitness  Studio where one can exercise on aerial silk hangings.  My goal was to become adept at silks and be the best fat kid on silks. Sadly work got in the way, so I gave it up.

Death Row Meal?

I love Sweet and Sour Chicken. When my parents had restaurants, my mother would call and say I am not cooking tonight what would you like me to bring home for dinner; I would always say sweet and sour chicken.

Pork Pot Stickers

 

Chili Noodles

 

Basil Curry Lime Pasta