Wowing the audience by breaking eggs with just one hand and using his finger to tell the temperature of hot oil, Chinese chef Sang Kee taught 30 students the insider's way to cook top ethnic dishes Saturday night.
Kee, the owner and founder of the Sang Kee Peking Duck House, came to McClelland Hall in the Quadrangle to teach students "Dorm Cooking Recipes."
With hands-on approach, Kee gave students the chance to make roast pork fried rice and hot and sour soup pots alongside him. The cooking was followed by a taste competition, with the audience acting as the judges.
Kee also kept his audience laughing through the event. He would often switch between English and Cantonese -- which some attendees were able to understand. He also poked fun at students with less-than-adequate culinary skills.
When adding eggs to a dish, Kee told students, "I'll show you how to break the egg. ... Using two hands [is] no good." He then proceeded to break the egg with one hand, earning the admiration of the spectators.
When Kee was not giving advice on how to break an egg, he was divulging little secrets he has discovered over the course of his 25-year culinary career.
"Did you know how to tell the temperature of oil without a thermometer?" he asked.
According to Kee, all one needs is a finger and a good sense of pain. "Dip your finger. If it [involuntarily] comes back up, it's hot enough," he said.
The Chinese Students' Association organized the event to promote culture and relationships between cultures, according to Wharton junior and CSA President Sandra Leung.
Leung got her wish for a diverse crowd, as the event attracted a variety of Chinese-food lovers, some of whom, like College junior Robert McCutchen, were there for a free meal.
Others, like College sophomore and CSA Vice President Emily Chang, came for the experience of watching and to learn from the chef of one of her favorite restaurants.
Chang, like many in attendance, expressed her satisfaction with the fast preparation of foods -- ranging from hot and sour soup to roast pork fried rice. All dishes were prepared in the span of about 2 hours.
Sang Kee Peking Duck House -- which is located at 238 N. 9th St. -- was the choice for this event not only because of its affable chef, CSA Vice President and Wharton sophomore Jocelyn Teh said. It was also selected because it boasts "the most authentic Chinese cuisine," according to Leung, and is "one of the best Chinese restaurants" in town.
