Martin Yan


Martin Yan Man-daat is a Hong Kong-American chef and food writer. He has hosted his award-winning PBS-TV cooking show Yan Can Cook since 1982.
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Early years and education

With ancestral roots in Hoiping, Yan was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (1912–1949)|China] to a restaurateur father and a grocer mother. Yan began to cook at the age of 12. When he was 13, he moved to Hong Kong, where he attended the Munsang College in Kowloon City. During this time in Munsang College, he worked at his uncle's Chinese restaurant and learned the traditional method of Chinese barbecue. He received a diploma from the Overseas Institute of Cookery of Hong Kong and later left for Canada for continued study. Ten years after his arrival in North America, Yan received a Master of Science degree in food science from University of California, Davis, in 1975.
He is not related to Chinese-Canadian chef Stephen Yan of Wok With Yan, though for a year in the 1970s, Martin Yan worked for Stephen Yan who trained him as one of Stephen Yan's 'Flying Squad' of six chefs who flew across Canada to do demonstrations in Chinese cooking for events like the Calgary Stampede, the Klondike Days in Edmonton and houseware demonstrations at Hudson's Bay Company stores.

Career

Yan began teaching Chinese cooking for a college extension program. While in Calgary helping a friend open a restaurant he appeared on a talk show on CFAC-TV to do a cooking segment resulting in his being asked back repeatedly. This led to 250 daily editions of his original series Yan Can being produced and syndicated from CFAC for four years until moving to KQED in San Francisco in 1982 becoming Yan Can Cook.
He has hosted over 3,500 episodes of the PBS cooking show Yan Can Cook since 1982. His shows have been broadcast in over 50 countries. He currently hosts Martin Yan – Quick & Easy. He also hosts Martin Yan's Chinatowns, where he tours Chinatowns around the globe, as well as Martin Yan's Hidden China.
Yan has opened a chain of Yan Can Restaurants and founded the Yan Can International Cooking School in San Francisco. He has written over two dozen cookbooks. The American Culinary Federation has designated him a Master Chef.
Yan is one of the lead actors of the Singapore/Hong Kong film Rice Rhapsody.
In 2007, he supported and endorsed the establishment of the .
He has appeared as a guest judge on several episodes of Iron Chef America and appeared on the cartoon talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast. He also appeared as a guest judge on the Season 10 finale of Top Chef as well as a Season 11 episode of Hell's Kitchen.
In 2023, Yan said that he planned on reopening his M.Y. China restaurant in San Francisco. He said that he considered reopening the restaurant in the former home of Cathay House restaurant.

Television appearances

Yan Can — HostYan Can Cook – HostChristine Cushing Live – GuestSpace Ghost Coast to Coast – GuestMartin Yan's Hong Kong – HostMartin Yan – Quick & Easy – HostMartin Yan's Chinatowns – HostYan Can Cook: Spice Kingdom- HostMartin Yan's China – hostIron Chef America – JudgeFood Court Hong Kong Cable TV – Tutor / HostIron Chef Vietnam – Guest JudgeTop Chef – Guest JudgeHell's Kitchen – Guest JudgeMartin Yan: Taste of Vietnam – HostBack to Basics – HostMartin Yan: Taste of Malaysia – HostRick Stein's Road to Mexico - Episode 1 - GuestMartin Yan's Asian Favorites - Host

Cookbooks

Chinese Recipes The Joy of Wokking The Yan Can Cook Book Everybody's WokkingThe Well-Seasoned WokMartin Yan's Feast: The Best of Yan Can CookChinese Cooking for DummiesMartin Yan's Asian FavoritesMartin Yan's Quick and EasyMartin Yan's ChinatownsMartin Yan's Chinatown Cooking: 200 Traditional Recipes From 11 Chinatowns Around the WorldMartin Yan's Culinary Journey Through ChinaMartin Yan's AsiaMartin Yan’s ChinaMartin Yan's Entertainment At-HomeMartin Yan the Chinese ChefMartin Yan's Invitation to Chinese CookingMartin Yan's Feast

Restaurants

RestaurantLocationActive DatesNotesRef
SensAsianIrvine, CaliforniaMarch 2003– Unknown
M.Y. AsiaHorseshoe Las VegasMarch 2023–August 2023
M.Y. ChinaWestfield San Francisco Centre mall2012–2020
M.Y. ChinaGraton Resort and CasinoRohnert Park, California2013–2015
Yan CanSanta Clara, California

Awards