Shanghai ChefsAbout the Culinary World of Shanghai

Before I moved to Shanghai several years ago, I was not really too sure what to expect of the restaurant or hospitality scene in Shanghai. What was Shanghainese food? Would the dining scene be similar to Hong Kong, or Singapore, or Tokyo?

Having now been here for a few years I do know a bit more about Shanghainese cuisine and culture. I think it is safe to say that Shanghai is no Hong Kong – nor should it be.

But does Shanghai really have a western restaurant scene? Is there something that makes Shanghai unique other than the countless soft openings that never really turn into an opening and/or running restaurant? Can we truly call it a restaurant scene if it consists of a handful of well-known entrepreneurs and a few renowned chefs who etch their names into a restaurant building then leave?

Shanghai, without a doubt, has a bustling Chinese restaurant community/scene and many great ethnic restaurants. I am sure all of us expats know of at least one hole in the wall we go to if we are in need of some good and tasty local Chinese food. There are many Shanghainese/Chinese restaurants emerging that continue to slowly push the envelope and compete with each other for some market share. Granted, not all those restaurants are successful nor are all their ideas that great – but at least the healthy competition creates a constant need for transformation. That is, after all, one of the fundamentals in our industry.

After having tried many of the favorite local restaurants, I thought it would be time to have a look at what Western restaurants outside hotels have to offer – or lack there of.

Of course there are the obvious suspects who these days are in almost every “trendy city” – your Robuchon, Ramsay, and Jean-George – big-name restaurants that somehow manage to convince the paying crowds that the man himself actually stands behind the stove in the different kitchens. These restaurants sustain themselves on the backbone of a prominent chef’s name. Sometimes they succeed, and at other times, they fail.

A big name, whether it is a hotel or a restaurant, needs to do more than just momentarily satisfy the local or expat market.

Enter the category of Italian Food. For some reason there seems to be a belief that everybody and anybody who owns an Italian place is going to be successful. I certainly don’t wish anyone to fail, but I do think that a lot of people underestimate the Shanghai market. You can’t just come here, invest in a great location, hire some local talent and wait for money. Those times are long gone. As people are getting more and more educated about food, they are also getting increasingly critical of what is being served on the plate. You can be sure that they will certainly think twice before going back to eat yet another lukewarm dinner.

One might argue that Shanghai is big enough to sustain a restaurant that depends on ‘walk-ins’ and not regular customers – but is this really the kind of business any restaurant owner wants? Great concepts with great food will always find a succession of loyal patrons, regardless which city it is in. Shanghai still has a lot of room for these kinds of restaurants. The city does have many successful Western and Chinese restaurants and I am sure there are many more to come.

However, I just wish that people would realize opening a restaurant (and sustaining it) is not something one does as a hobby or entertainment.

Alfred B. (a wisely chosen pseudonym) is an executive sous chef that has been residing in Shanghai for the past several years. He is our up-to-date person on current events taking place in the restaurant scene. For legal purposes, we cannot reveal his true identity but you can be sure there will be no candy-coated articles from him.

After a tough week of trying to get our site running (due to some relation with a U.S. server and Chinese censorship), we are relieved to finally be back online!

A night at Stiller’s Restaurant for Chef’s Talk on Tuesday night was great fun, with a remarkable turn-out of hotel chefs, restaurant chefs, pastry chefs, and even the odd one or two F&B guys. Ask anyone and they would tell you that they were there more out of interest to observe what Stefan and Yoshi Stiller have done with their new place at The Cool Docks.

Of course, the food and free-flow of alcohol are also always an attraction at any chef gathering. Hardly anyone left feeling disappointed…except maybe the pastry chefs who had an early start the next morning.

Chefs in their early stages in this Shanghai scene and established chefs monthly attend this social and alcohol-induced night to talk about their daily challenges, woes and other grievances. Sure, there’s positive talk too, though chefs generally aren’t too good in that department. But something that stands out in Shanghai is the support expat chefs give to each other. Whether it’s advice on finding the best food supplier, kitchen equipment, sourcing quality ingredients or different solutions (we are always interested in this) on handling staff issues, the support given from one chef to the other is unlike anywhere you would see in a Western country.

We can all admit that a cook succeeds to be a brilliant, prominent chef not through humility or modesty. A chef becomes a great chef because he has a healthy ego to back him/herself up. If a rare dependable supplier is found, that person is going to be kept in your own pocket. You don’t become a well-known restaurant by sharing your food sources and secret recipes.

In Shanghai though, you would find offers of contacting the right people the minute you meet another chef. In need of El-Bulli products? Here’s the number to call. Trying to find an ice-cream machine? Well, that other restaurant closed up just last week (though this might not be entirely encouraging). Desperately need loyal staff? That one, you’re on your own buddy.  We need to draw a line somewhere!

Where does this rare comradeship come from? Needless to say, a chef will enjoy a drink with any other chef he meets anywhere in the world. Kitchens you’ve slaved away in, the complete asshole you used to work for, the floor staff you’ve pushed over – this is the universal chef language.

Being in Shanghai, one tends to understand over time the extra challenges that come along with the city. Sooner or later, you either pack up and leave; or you gain patience and find tactics to pull your way through, at the same time empathizing towards anyone new that comes along the way.

As the night draws to a close, talk of Tongren Lu usually emerges…thus picking apart the newbies from the wise and experienced.

Shanghai nightlife is one of the most eclectic you’ll find. It’s got it all – a price list to suit every budget and a style to suit every taste. Indeed, if you’re on the cutting edge of city nightlife, finding a cabbie who can keep up with you may be the only challenge. The bar scene doesn’t discriminate by location, having a good spread throughout Puxi and a growing number in Pudong.

Individual bars are dotted about everywhere, but a few main areas deserve mention. The cluster of bars located between Hengshan Road and Changshu Road metro stations, Jingan Park / West Nanjing Road area, and the French Concession are among the most popular. It’s worth getting to grips with some of the roads and metro stations if you are planning on frequenting these hot spots.

No introduction to Shanghai bars can be complete without reference to the most notorious of streets in the city: Hengshan Lu, Julu Lu and Tongren Lu. Similar to the King’s Cross districts of London or Sydney; these are the roads that do not sleep, and that feature in any ill-judged outing. While you may not begin your night there, most all-nighter sessions usually end on one of these streets.

A general rule of thumb is to shy away from any venue that has the electrical consumption of a moderate sized country. It’s common practice on these roads to ‘blind by neon’. Imagine established practice in reverse: the better lit the place is, the more dangerous and regrettable it’s likely to be. Also beware the bar with a gaggle of young girls loitering on the doorstep whose English extends to, “Handsome English man, come in” and “Buy me a drink.” You can expect a sore head and bitter regrets the next day.

Many bars close to and either side of the river offer fantastic night-time views back across the water. Well worth a stop is The Grand Hyatt’s ‘Cloud 9 Bar’ on the 87^th floor of the Jin Mao building in Pudong. There is a ¥110 minimum order and a loose dress code, but the views of the Pearl Tower, the Bund and Puxi won’t leave you feeling short -changed.

Similarly, back in Puxi, Captain’s Bar (in Captain’s Youth Hostel) on Fuzhou Lu has all the charms of drinking up a storm in a sailor’s environment. Just across the street is The House of Blues and Jazz; one of Shanghai’s excellent jazz bars. The location is new, but the bar itself has been folklore with music lovers in Shanghai for years.

And finally, if cost is upper most in your mind, then there is one word you need to remember: Windows. This chain has been a mainstay of the city’s bar scene since expats first called Shanghai home. With prices you can’t besmirch (¥10 or ¥20 for all drinks) and hangovers you can’t forget, it’s likely to remain entrenched in the list of notable bars for a long time yet.

For up to the date information on nighttime events, including the big music names in town, the English language monthly magazines have excellent listings.

Dear Chefs,

Chef’s Talk this month will be held in Stiller’s Restaurant at The Cool Docks. As our restaurant is now finally getting into the swing of things, we are happy to be able to host the event this month.

Receiving such a significant turn-out at last month’s gathering, we hope this month will be the same. Please do let us know if there are any new chefs in town who would like to join us or be on our database.

If you have any special events or news that you would like posted on the chef’s website, feel free to send an e-mail as we would like the site to have as much input from the chefs here in Shanghai. Or if you would like to contribute any articles on how you cope with the daily insane mentality of Shanghai – living and working as a chef that would be great as well. (You can contact the editor, Grace Entry, at grace@shanghai-chefs.com)

I look forward to seeing all of you at Stillers on the 25th of November.

Stefan Stiller

Let’s not candy-coat it here. If you can keep both your eyes closed to the spitting, open belching and farting, little kiddies walking around with a hole in their pants (so that it’s convenient to take a dump on the sidewalk), then you’ll survive most of the culture shock.

Money is the catalyst for any Shanghai motion. You can almost be certain that if there is a way to scam you out of ¥1, it’s going to happen. More often than not, this generally occurs during a scenic route in a cab ride. When haggling for a good price, the rule of thumb is to offer one-third of the quoted cost and work your way from there.

Most locals are generally quite friendly and helpful once you get the issue of money out of the equation. Although English is not widely as spoken compared to other Asian cities like Hong Kong, the younger generation in Shanghai is starting to pick up more English lessons. Contrast to five years ago, the language barrier now is considerably much easier.

To the Shanghainese, ‘face value’ is crucially important. They would do just about anything to not lose ‘face’ or be ashamed. In terms of being polite, regardless of how much you learn, you should always let your host pay for the meal when being invited out.

Name cards are particularly significant as it is considered that without one, you are not taken seriously by the company.

Depending on how decadent you want your lifestyle to be, the cost of living here is relatively cheap – this covers transportation (taxis start at ¥11 during the day), hiring cleaning services or better known as ‘ayis’, and of course the ubiquitous Tsing Tao beer. Supermarkets with western groceries can be found in most of the residential areas. Though they may a bit more expensive, be comforted in the fact that you won’t be craving for your favourite Weissbier or Salt & Vinegar crisps.

As for the pushing and shoving in the subway as well as in supermarkets? Well, there’s no real rationality behind that one. Just be sure to keep your toes covered!

Patience is a Virtue

Don’t get too alarmed – Shanghai in all seriousness does have her own charm. The city is dotted with fascinating areas that remind you of what it would have been like to live here during the Golden Age. More western places are constantly developing, and in a city where there is so much strive for change, it is without a doubt and opportunistic place to be.

Relocating to a new city regardless of where it may be is always a challenge. Shanghai may be trying at first, but the number of expats living here is testament that the city does have a lot to offer. With a handful of salt and a 10 litre stockpot of patience, you’ll find that Shanghai has her own ways of winning you over.

There is plenty of books and websites that will give you information on Shanghai. However, we want to try and keep this as short, interesting and relative to the industry that we are in. Most of the scoop gathered here is sourced from Shanghai expats who have been through and survived the ordeal of finding a place to call “home”.

With a population that precedes over 20 million (bordering 21 million), the natural vibe of the city is to be in a motion of constant push and shove. You might want to cling on your manners as long as possible, but if you’re going to survive Shanghai, it’s okay to adapt your kitchen language into your daily grind.

The Division Between Luxury and Culture

Shanghai is distinctly divided into two main sections by the Huangpu River – Pudong and Puxi. The majority of the city’s energy and life revolves around the Puxi area. It is highly debated amongst some expats that Pudong is not exactly part of Shanghai, as it is somewhat detached from the real Shanghai scene. (This debate can be continued in the forum section…)

Puxi is undoubtedly the central area where Shanghai historically built herself. It is engraved with memories of Shanghai’s Golden Age, but at the same time also holds promises for a successful future. What more can you expect from the Opium Den of the nineteenth century?

Whilst Puxi may be the focal area for shopping, key attractions and city lifestyle, Pudong is the financial centre of Shanghai. It boasts of its own record-towering skyscrapers such as the Shanghai World Financial Center, Jin Mao Tower and of course, the conspicuous and garish Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Pudong is actually a preferred location for most expat families as there are numerous compounds which are already equipped with all the trimmings and doesn’t require much venturing out into the real hubbub of Shanghai.

To find out more about Puxi and Pudong, please click on the ‘Residential Areas’ category.

There is a Chinese saying that goes something along the lines of, ‘If there is a problem, you keep one eye open and the other eye shut’. That is definitely the mantra adopted by most of the locals. You’ll find most of them playing ostrich – digging their head into the sand whenever a problem arises, hoping that things will be okay once they come up for fresh air.

Screaming, throwing pots and pans, and threats might work in an European or Western kitchen, but not in Shanghai. The last thing any chef wants is a bunch of headless chooks running aimlessly around the kitchen. More likely than not, an aggressive action will produce no reaction whatsoever. Ask any expat chef, and they will tell you that it takes a hell of a lot more tact and skill to run a kitchen with a local crew.

Salary and working conditions are going to constantly be a reoccurring issue. Unlike the western cheffing industry, chefs in Shanghai are on a very strict 8-hour shift each day.

Something that has to be understood is that most of the locals that take on cheffing as a career see it as nothing more than just another paying job. Not very many are driven by passion or the desire to want to taste western cuisine. Finding a local chef that is motivated by food and does not have a taste bud soaked in monosodium glutamate (msg) is a rare occasion and you should hang on to him/her tight if you do find one!

Occasional surprises such as finding several smaller fish stuffed in a whole fish to “subtly” increase its weight from a local supplier is not uncommon. This may require some appropriate swear words to get your point across - if you can swear in Shanghainese, you might get even further. Being approached by suppliers who will offer you “special deals” to place orders with them is also a norm.

Our ‘Food Suppliers’ category lists some of the most reliable, well-sourced and used suppliers in Shanghai.