Bobby Chinn

Bobby Chinn’s story is eclectic and a story worth telling.

“It took me a while to figure out that I was an ethnic mutt. Half Egyptian, half Chinese, born in New Zealand, educated primarily in England, with a sense that San Francisco was home. I was privileged to be brought up with two grandmothers who were both really great cooks. My Chinese grandmother was from Shanghai and made Chinese food that I had never tasted in any restaurant anywhere. She was cooking a “fusion” type of Chinese food back in the 50’s, substituting for ingredients that were not readily available in the U.S. at that time. Some how she made light sauces, greaseless noodles, and tastes that were entirely unique. My Egyptian grandmother cooked in all manners of North African food - she makes a wicked couscous, Bisteeya, and desserts that are highly addictive. Quite frankly, I do not remember ever having a bad meal until I arrived at boarding school in England.”

Bobby received a BA in Finance and Economics, moved to New York City and began working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at 11 Wall Street. Quickly disillusioned, he left in search of something/anything that he loved. He tried a bit of everything - from attempting to sell seafood to the mob, to stand up comedy - and along the way, he also discovered his love and talent for cooking. To make ends meet, Bobby worked as a runner, busboy, and server in various restaurants. His culinary education began in earnest when, while waiting tables, he began hanging out in the kitchen of Elka, a cutting-edge, Franco-Japanese restaurant in San Francisco. Later, renowned chef Hubert Keller of Fleur De Lys took Bobby in and enabled him to further develop his skills. He would later work with chefs Jeffery Inahara, Traci des Jardin, and Gary Danko. After reading Burgundy Stars, he went off to apprentice in Bordeaux and Paris. Chinn has run several highly acclaimed restaurants in Vietnam before opening Restaurant Bobby Chinn, including Camargue, Saigon Joe’s in Ho Chi Minh City, Miro, and the Red Onion Bistro in the Hanoi Towers (formerly the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison).

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