Cooking with Chris: Three Generations, One Bowl of Wontons

Follow Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta as he discovers how a simple bowl of wontons at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan tells a story of family, tradition and three generations of hospitality.

• In the latest episode of “Cooking with Chris,” Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta joins Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan Director of Food & Beverage Mandela Zhu to prepare one of China's most beloved comfort foods.

• Discover why wontons have long symbolized home, connection and togetherness in Chinese culture, bringing generations together through the simple act of cooking and sharing a meal.

• Go behind the scenes to learn how family traditions, culinary heritage and a multi-generational love of hospitality come together around the kitchen table.

The most beloved recipes carry with them memories, traditions and the comforting feeling of home. In the latest episode of “Cooking with Chris,” Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta travels to Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan, where one of China's most cherished dishes becomes the starting point for a conversation that reaches far beyond the kitchen. Alongside Director of Food & Beverage Mandela Zhu, Chris prepares wontons, sharing in a cooking ritual that’s steeped in traditions that celebrate togetherness one fold at a time.

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For generations, families across China have gathered around the table to prepare wontons together. The process is simple but meaningful, and in this video, Chris and Mandela talk about the important role food plays in uniting people. Mandela shares that his own mother never fully revealed her recipe to him as she wanted an excuse for them to keep cooking together and, for him, wontons are the perfect representation of love. He describes the delicate wrapper as a symbol of protection, wrapping the filling with the same care that families show when wrapping one another with support.

Today, he continues this storied tradition with his own daughter, who has already developed a passion for culinary arts. Hospitality has become a family tradition, too. Mandela's father joined the original Shanghai Hilton in 1995, and as a young boy, Mandela regularly accompanied him to the hotel, where those early visits inspired his own career with Hilton. Now, his daughter dreams of becoming a chef and hopes to one day join Hilton herself, creating a remarkable three-generation legacy.
 
Now, it’s your turn. Bring this meaningful taste of Shanghai into your own kitchen by following the full recipe below and discover how one simple dish can bring family and friends together, wherever home may be.

Winter Wontons Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.8 oz (about ⅓ cup packed, after squeezing dry) Chinese greens (qing cai)

• 1.8 oz (about ¼ cup minced) Pork back fat

• ¼ tsp Dark soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp Oyster sauce

• 1 Large egg

• Salt to taste

• Soup Base:
  - ¾ cup + 1 Tbsp Pork stock
  - 1 tsp Light soy sauce
  - ½ tsp Sesame oil
  - Salt to taste
  - White pepper to taste
  - 1 tsp Lard

• 1.8 oz (about ⅓ cup packed, after squeezing dry) Shepherd’s purse (ji cai)

• 3.9 oz (about ½ cup minced) Pork leg meat

• 1 Tbsp Light soy sauce

• 2 tsp Hot rendered pork lard

• White pepper to taste

• Extras: 5 Wonton wrappers

• Garnish:
  - 1 Tbsp Dried shrimp
  - ¼ cup Seaweed
  - 1 Tbsp Chopped spring onion
  - 2 Tbsp Slices egg omelette

Directions

1. Blanch green leafy vegetables in boiling water for 20 seconds, then transfer to ice water. Squeeze out all excess water and set aside.

2. Mince pork back fat and pork leg meat with a meat grinder, grind twice for fine texture.

3. Place all filling ingredients in a bowl, stir clockwise until fully combined.

4. Heat lard and pour it over the filling, stirring clockwise until fully incorporated.

5. Chill the prepared filling in the refrigerator for 6 hours before wrapping wontons.

6. Place a portion of filling in the center of a wonton wrapper, fold the wrapper in half. Overlap the two opposite corners to form a gold ingot shape.

7. Bring water to a rolling boil and add wontons. The recommended water-to-wonton ratio is 9:1 to preserve the tender texture of wrappers during cooking.

8. After the water re-boils, pour in a small amount of cold water and wait for it to boil again. Repeat this process three times, then remove the wontons.

9. Place cooked wontons in a bowl, add lard, light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, salt and prepared stock.

10. Finish with garnishes: sliced egg omelette, dried shrimp, chopped spring onion and seaweed.

Summer Wontons with Peanut Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.8 oz (about ⅓ cup packed, after squeezing dry) Chinese greens (qing cai)

• 1.8 oz (about ¼ cup minced) Pork back fat

• ¼ tsp Dark soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp Oyster sauce

• 1 Whole egg

• Salt to taste

• Dressing:
  - 3 Tbsp Sesame Paste
  - 2 tsp Light soy sauce
  - 2 tsp Vinegar
  - 1 tsp Oyster sauce
  - 1 tsp Sugar
  - 6 Tbsp + 2 tsp (about ⅓ cup + 1 tsp) Still water

• 1.8 oz (about ⅓ cup packed, after squeezing dry) Shepherd’s purse (ji cai）

• 3.9 oz (about ½ cup minced) Pork leg meat

• 1 Tbsp Light soy sauce

• 2 tsp Hot rendered pork lard

• White pepper to taste

• Extras: 5 Wonton wrappers

• Garnish:

  - 1 Tbsp Chopped spring onion
  - Chili oil to taste

Directions

1. Blanch green leafy vegetables in boiling water for 20 seconds, then transfer to ice water. Squeeze out all excess water and set aside.

2. Mince pork back fat and pork leg meat with a meat grinder, grind twice for fine texture.

3. Place all filling ingredients in a bowl, stir clockwise until fully combined.

4. Heat lard and pour it over the filling, stirring clockwise until fully incorporated.

5. Chill the prepared filling in the refrigerator for 6 hours before wrapping wontons.

6. Place a portion of filling in the center of a wonton wrapper, fold the wrapper in half. Overlap the two opposite corners to form a gold ingot shape.

7. Bring water to a rolling boil and add wontons. The recommended water-to-wonton ratio is 9:1 to preserve the tender texture of wrappers during cooking.

8. After the water re-boils, pour in a small amount of cold water and wait for it to boil again. Repeat this process three times, then remove the wontons.

9. When making sesame paste, mineral water should be added slowly in a clockwise direction. After mixing evenly, add other ingredients and refrigerate for later use.

10. Pour the sesame paste and chili oil over the wontons and sprinkle with chopped scallions.