Peter Chang (chef)
Encyclopedia
Peter Chang is an award winning chef specializing in Szechwan cuisine who has cooked for restaurants in the American southeast. Chang was born in Hubei Province
and trained in China, and cooked a meal for the Chinese president, Hu Jintao
. He moved to the United States to work as the chef at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. Chang has disappeared and left restaurants, inspiring a group of fans to follow his movement in Internet discussion boards, such as DonRockwell.com and Chowhound
.
.
By the time that review was published, Chang had moved to TemptAsian in Alexandria. At TemptAsian, Chang’s cooking became popular in discussion boards
for food enthusiasts. In May 2006, Chang moved to China Gourmet/Szechuan Boy in Fairfax, Virginia
, where Kliman again gave his cooking a strong positive review. Within two months, Chang left. In September 2006, Chang’s followers found him working at Tasty China in Marietta, Georgia
. By early 2007, Chang had again disappeared. In 2008, Chang began working at Hong Kong House in Knoxville, Tennessee
. A year later, Chang moved to Taste of China in Charlottesville, Virginia
.
Chang left Taste of China on March 20, 2010, after a difference of opinion with the owner John Rong. He did cook for at least one night, March 25, at Tasty China in Atlanta, but by March 28 it was already reported that he was leaving Atlanta. That report quotes from an interview with Chang in which he expressed his desire for "a fancier restaurant with nice ambiance, finer service, and broad wine selection."
On December 19, 2010, his new restaurant, "Peter Chang's", opened on Powers Ferry Road, in the northwestern sector of Atlanta just off I-285.
On March 1, 2011 Chang opened Peter Chang's China Grill in Charlottesville, Virginia. The restaurant was open that night for invitees only. The restaurant had its grand opening to the public on March 2, 2011.
Chang attributes his frequent change in restaurants to dissatisfaction with working conditions and a “desire to give various regions of America an opportunity to taste authentic Szechuan cooking.”
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
and trained in China, and cooked a meal for the Chinese president, Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
. He moved to the United States to work as the chef at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. Chang has disappeared and left restaurants, inspiring a group of fans to follow his movement in Internet discussion boards, such as DonRockwell.com and Chowhound
Chowhound
Chow is a food website owned by CBS Interactive. It is home to the food message board Chowhound.- Chowhound :Chowhound is a popular online food discussion board founded by Jim Leff in 1997, known for its user base of food fanatics...
.
Disappearances and movement
In 2005, Todd Kliman reviewed Chang’s cooking at China Star in Fairfax, VirginiaFairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
.
By the time that review was published, Chang had moved to TemptAsian in Alexandria. At TemptAsian, Chang’s cooking became popular in discussion boards
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
for food enthusiasts. In May 2006, Chang moved to China Gourmet/Szechuan Boy in Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, where Kliman again gave his cooking a strong positive review. Within two months, Chang left. In September 2006, Chang’s followers found him working at Tasty China in Marietta, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
. By early 2007, Chang had again disappeared. In 2008, Chang began working at Hong Kong House in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. A year later, Chang moved to Taste of China in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
.
Chang left Taste of China on March 20, 2010, after a difference of opinion with the owner John Rong. He did cook for at least one night, March 25, at Tasty China in Atlanta, but by March 28 it was already reported that he was leaving Atlanta. That report quotes from an interview with Chang in which he expressed his desire for "a fancier restaurant with nice ambiance, finer service, and broad wine selection."
On December 19, 2010, his new restaurant, "Peter Chang's", opened on Powers Ferry Road, in the northwestern sector of Atlanta just off I-285.
On March 1, 2011 Chang opened Peter Chang's China Grill in Charlottesville, Virginia. The restaurant was open that night for invitees only. The restaurant had its grand opening to the public on March 2, 2011.
Chang attributes his frequent change in restaurants to dissatisfaction with working conditions and a “desire to give various regions of America an opportunity to taste authentic Szechuan cooking.”