View source for Ken Hom

{{Short description|Chinese-American television chef}}
{{infobox chef
| image       =
| caption     = Ken Hom in 2014
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1949|5|3|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Tucson, Arizona]], US
| style       = [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese, East Meets West, Asian: Thai]]
| education   = [[University of California, Berkeley]] <br> [[University of Aix-en-Provence]]
| television  =  ''Ken Hom’s Chinese Cookery'' (1984), ''Hot Chefs'' (1992), ''Ken Hom’s Hot Wok'' (1996), ''Ken Hom’s Travels with a Wok'' (1998), ''Foolproof Chinese Cookery'' (2000), ''Take on the Takeaway'' (2007), ''Noodle Road ([[Korean Broadcasting System|KBS]])'' (2008)
}}

'''Ken Hom''' ({{zh|t=譚榮輝|s=谭荣辉|first=t|p=Tán Rónghuī}}, born May 3, 1949) is a Chinese-American chef, author and television-show presenter for the [[BBC]], specialising in Asian and East/West Cuisine. Already appointed an honorary [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in 2009 for "services to culinary arts", he was further appointed an honorary [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) in 2022.

== Early life ==

Hom was born in [[Tucson, Arizona]], to parents from [[Kaiping]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/chef-ken-hom-cooks-up-a-tv-treat/|title=Chef Ken Hom Cooks Up a TV Treat in Guangdong|first=Danny|last=Lee|date=2012-05-06|accessdate=2013-08-04|work=The Nanfang}}</ref> He was raised in [[Chicago, Illinois]], by his widowed mother, Ying Fong, after his father died when Hom was eight months old.<ref name="The world beckons">{{cite news| last=Burros |first=M | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E7D9123DF934A25755C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2| title= The World Beckons, and One More Chinese Chef Leaves America| date=1998-06-17| work=New York Times| accessdate=2008-07-03}}</ref> Hom first learned cooking at the age of eleven when he worked in his uncle's Chinese restaurant.<ref name="How the wok ethic paid off">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2002/aug/03/features.jobsmoney1|title=How the wok ethic paid off|last=Anstead|first=Mark |date=2002-08-03|work=The Guardian|accessdate=2008-07-03}}</ref> He went to [[California]] to study History of Art at the [[University of California, Berkeley]].

During this time he taught [[Italian cuisine|Italian cooking]] lessons at weekends to supplement his college fees. This led him on to teach [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]] cookery classes. In 1977 he was invited to join [[San Francisco]]'s new [[California Culinary Academy]] as an instructor.

== TV career ==
In 1982, after a 2-year global search, the [[BBC]] auditioned him for a Chinese cookery series.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Steen |first=James |date=July 2019 |title=A Portrait of Ken Hom |pages=39–42 |work=[[Waitrose & Partners]] Food |type=Interview of Ken Hom about his "life-changing audition" for BBC. |url=http://www.kenhom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/jul_portrait_of.pdf |access-date=23 October 2022}}</ref> The resulting TV series, ''Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery'', had a companion book published by BBC Books.

He has since appeared in a number of prime time BBC TV series. His series for [[Korean Broadcasting System|KBS]] called ''Noodle Road'' is a five-hour documentary on the history of the noodle. It sold in 23 countries and won the [[Peabody award]] in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Noodle Road: Connecting Asia's Kitchens |url=https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/noodle-road-connecting-asias-kitchens/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=The Peabody Awards |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2012 he co-presented the BBC series ''[[Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure]]'' with [[Ching He Huang]]. He has made some of his many appearances on the BBC's long-running weekly show ''Saturday Kitchen'' with Huang. Since 2023 he has his own YouTube channel 'Ken Hom'.

== Charity ==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=September 2021}}
Since 2008, Hom has been an ambassador for [[Action Against Hunger]], a humanitarian charity which works in over 40 countries helping families to feed their children and build a sustainable life.  In 2010, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had proton radiation therapy in Japan. The cancer was successfully treated and he is now an ambassador for [[Prostate Cancer UK]] (formerly known as The Prostate Cancer Charity), building awareness for the early detection and treatment of cancers.

==Awards and honours==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=September 2021}}
* Inducted in the Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America as recognition of significant and lasting achievement in the culinary industry, 1990
* Honorary Chairperson of The Institute for the Advancement of the Science & Art of Chinese Cuisine, 1993
* Honorary Member of the [[48 Group Club]], 2002
* Appointed Founding Patron of Oxford Gastronomica: the Centre for Food, Drink and Culture, 2007
* Honorary doctorate from [[Oxford Brookes University]] for outstanding success within the international food world, 2007
* Grand Prize Winner Documentary - ABU Awards, 2009
* Grand Prize Winner - Korea's Producer Award for "Noodle Road", 2009
*Appointed Founding Patron of the Oxford Cultural Collective, 2017
* Awarded Honorary [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] OBE by [[Queen Elizabeth II]] for services to the culinary arts, 2009
* "Noodle Road" nominated for best TV documentary of New York Film Festival, 2010
* Honorary Member of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, 2010
* [[Peabody Award]] for "Noodle Road" TV documentary series for KBS, 2010
* Food Broadcast of the Year Award 2013 for "Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure" with [[Ching He Huang]] Guild of Food Writers Awards
* Awarded Honorary [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] CBE by [[Queen Elizabeth II]] for services to charity, culinary arts and education, 2022

In Ken Hom's name:

* Annual Ken Hom Lecture series at Oxford Brookes University
* Ken Hom Writer in Residence Fellowship at Oxford Brookes University
* The Ken Hom Collection at the Oxford Brookes University		

Book awards:

* "Ken Hom’s East Meets West Cuisine" (Macmillan, 1987) Shortlisted for Andre Simon Memorial Book of Year
* "Easy Family Dishes: A Memoir with Recipes" (BBC Books, 1998) Winner of the Andre Simon Memorial Book of Year
* "The Taste of China" (Pavilion Books, 1990) Shortlisted for Andre Simon Memorial Book of Year
* "Ken Hom’s Quick Wok" (Headline Books, 2001) Cookbook of the Year from Food and  Wine magazine, USA
* "Truffes" with Pierre-Jean Pébeyre  (Hachette, 2001) Shortlisted for Prix Litteraire de la Gastronomie Antonin Careme
* “The Taste of Leicester” (John Wagstaff Books, 1991) Shortlisted for the Big Dave Award
* "Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure" (with [[Ching He Huang]]) (2012) Gourmand International Awards 2013,  Paris Cookbook Fair – ‘Best in the World’ award for the Culinary Travel Category. Short listed for The Guild of Food Writers Awards 2013 for both the Food Broadcast of the Year Award and the Award for Work on Food and Travel
* "Truffles with Pierre-Jean Pébeyre (Serindia 2014) Winner Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2015 for Best Mushrooms (USA)
* The Best25 (25 years of cookbooks) The Gourmand Awards: Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure By Ken Hom & Ching He Huang 2021 in at Paris Cookbook Fair

== Business interests ==
{{refimprove section|date=June 2025}}
Since 1986, Hom has had a base in [[Paris]]. In 1997, he settled permanently in south west France in a restored 13th-century tower in [[Lot (department)|Lot]]. Hom has also spent more time in his adopted home of Thailand since 2003.

Hom is an author of more than 20 cookery books. Alongside his best known work on Chinese cuisine, his works also include topics on [[Cambodian cuisine|Cambodian]], [[Malaysian cuisine|Malaysian]], [[Thai cuisine|Thai]], [[Singaporean cuisine|Singaporean]], and [[Vietnamese cuisine|Vietnamese]] cooking. He has worked as a consultant for hotels and restaurants and cooked personally for presidents, celebrities and royalty.

In 2009, Hom entered into an exclusive agreement with British supermarket chain [[Tesco]] to launch a 32-product range of Ken Hom branded Chinese ready meals.<ref>{{cite web |last= |date=2009-10-17 |title=Tesco swaps Chinese range to Hom lines |url=https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/companies/tesco-swaps-chinese-range-to-hom-lines/204360.article |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=The Grocer }}</ref>

Despite semi-retirement, he continues to travel extensively worldwide and divides his time between France and Bangkok.

== Television ==

* ''Ken Hom’s Chinese Cookery'' (1984)
* ''Hot Chefs'' (1992)
* ''Ken Hom’s Hot Wok'' (1996)
* ''Ken Hom’s Travels with a Hot Wok'' (1998)
* ''Foolproof Chinese Cookery'' (2000)
* ''Take on the Takeaway'' (2007)
* ''Noodle Road ([[Korean Broadcasting System|KBS]])'' (2008)
* ''[[Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure]]'' (with [[Ching He Huang]]) (2012)

== Books ==

* {{cite book
| date = 1981
| title = Chinese Technique
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[Simon & Schuster]]
| isbn = 0-671-25347-6
| url = https://archive.org/details/chinesetechnique0000homk
}}
* {{cite book
| date = 1987
| title = Ken Hom's East Meets West Cuisine
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[Macmillan Publishers]]
| isbn = 978-0-3334-5989-8
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 1988
| title = Easy Family Dishes: A Memoir with Recipes
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-0-5633-8439-7
 }}

* {{cite book
| date=1989
| title = Fragrant Harbor Taste: the new Chinese cooking of Hong Kong
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = Simon & Schuster
| isbn = 0-671-64469-6
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 1990
| title = The Taste of China
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = Pavilion Books
| isbn = 978-1-8514-5247-7
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 1997
| title = Easy Family Recipes from a Chinese-American Childhood
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = Alfred a Knopf
| isbn = 978-0-3945-8758-5
| url = https://archive.org/details/easyfamilyrecipe00homk
}}

* {{cite book
| date = 2001
| title = Ken Hom's Quick Wok
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[Headline Publishing Group]]
| isbn = 978-0-7553-1091-3
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2001
| title = Truffes
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[Hachette (publisher)|Hachette]]
| id = 978-2-0123-6629-9
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2002
| title = Ken Hom's Travels With a Hot Wok
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-0-5635-3494-5
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2003
| title = Foolproof Asian Cookery
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-0-5634-8869-9 
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2004
| title = Ken Hom's Top 100 Stir Fry Recipes
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-0-5635-2164-8
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2004
| title = Wok & Co
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[Hachette (publisher)|Hachette]]
| isbn = 978-1-8443-0177-5
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2005
| title = Simple Asian Cookery
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-0-5634-9368-6 
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2006
| title = Ken Hom's Simple Thai Cookery
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-0-5634-9328-0
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2011
| title = My Kitchen Table - Ken Hom: 100 Quick Stir-Fry Recipes
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-1-84990-147-5
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2011
| title = Complete Chinese Cookbook
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-1-84990-082-9
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2012
| title = My Kitchen Table: 100 Easy Chinese Suppers
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-1-8499-0398-1
 }}

* {{cite book
| date = 2012
| title = Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[BBC Books]]
| isbn = 978-1-8499-0498-8
| url-access = registration
| url = https://archive.org/details/exploringchinacu0000homk
}}

* {{cite book
| date = 2014
| title = Truffles with Pierre-Jean Pébeyre
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[Serindia]]
| isbn = 978-1-9324-7668-2
}}

* {{cite book
| date = 2016
| title = My Stir-Fried Life with James Steen
| last = Hom
| first = Ken
| publisher = [[The Robson Press]]
| isbn = 978-1-8495-4978-3
}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==General references==
* {{Cite news| last =Davies| first =H| title =Hom and away| work=The Times| date =2006-12-03| url =http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/overseas/article654320.ece | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110716162456/http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/overseas/article654320.ece | url-status =dead | archive-date =July 16, 2011 | accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite news| last =Frith Powell | first =H| title =French dressing| work=The Times| date =2004-09-19| url =http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/overseas/article484813.ece | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110716162515/http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/overseas/article484813.ece | url-status =dead | archive-date =July 16, 2011 | accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite web| title =Chef biogs: Ken Hom| work =Food| publisher =BBC| url =https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chef_biogs/g.shtml#ken_hom| accessdate =2007-10-07 }}
* {{Cite news| last =Fletcher| first =S| title =Desert island dish| work=The Guardian| date =2001-10-14| url =http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/food/story/0,,1613487,00.html| accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite news| last =Clark| first =A| title =Wok coup|work=The Guardian| date =2001-04-14| url =http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,473166,00.html| accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite news| last =Crace| first =J| title =My inspiration| work=The Guardian| date =2000-11-26| url =https://www.theguardian.com/guardianeducation/story/0,,373092,00.html| accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite news| last =Millar| first =S| title =TV chef attacks Britain's mass-produced diet and urges conversion to 'nutritious' oriental food culture|work=The Guardian| date =1999-03-16| url =https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,315916,00.html| accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite news| last =McCurrach | first =I| title =Tasting places: Ken Hom on the countries he savours most |work=The Independent on Sunday| date =2007-04-08| url =https://www.independent.co.uk/living/food_and_drink/features/article2433007.ece| archive-url =https://archive.today/20130420120553/http://www.independent.co.uk/living/food_and_drink/features/article2433007.ece| url-status =dead| archive-date =April 20, 2013| accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite web| title =Ken Hom To Be Awarded With Honorary Doctorate | work =Food and Drink| publisher =Easier| date =2007-09-07| url =http://www.easier.com/view/Lifestyle/Food_and_Drink/Events/article-138249.html| accessdate =2007-10-07 }}
* {{Cite news| last =Sheldrick| first =G| title =Honorary survivor| work=Oxford Mail| date =2007-09-09| url =http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.1675480.0.honorary_survivor.php| accessdate=2007-10-07}}
* {{Cite web| title =Past winners of the Andre Simon Memorial Fund Awards | work =Andre Simon Memorial Fund| publisher =Easier| date =2007-09-07| url =http://andresimon.co.uk/past.html| accessdate =2007-10-07 }}
* {{Cite news| last =Nacheva| first =V| title =Woking up funds for charities| publisher=Sofia News| date =2001-05-17| url =http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/woking-up-funds-for-charities/id_1834/catid_67| accessdate=2007-10-07}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.kenhom.com/}}
* [http://www.mykitchentable.co.uk/index.php/author/ken-hom/ Ken Hom on the My Kitchen Table website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110608035059/http://www.brookes.ac.uk/library/speccoll/kenhom.html Ken Hom's Library at Oxford Brookes University] contains all the books that he used throughout his career, with an emphasis on Asian cookery, including Chinese, Korean, Thai and Japanese, as well as memorabilia to do with his television shows and consulting work, including menus, invitations, photographs and artifacts.

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hom, Ken}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:American male chefs]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:Writers from Tucson, Arizona]]
[[Category:Writers from Chicago]]
[[Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni]]
[[Category:Honorary commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Chefs from Berkeley, California]]