'Things that I feel most passionate about': Brendan Pang on what Lunar New Year means to him
When he was in his early 20s, Brendan Pang took a chance and applied to compete in MasterChef.
He had just quit the job he didn't enjoy any longer and had no idea about what was coming up ahead, but as he progressed through the competition, he found himself going back to his roots.
Pang, now 32, became known throughout the competition for his seafood, dumplings, and Asian cuisine, drawing from his Chinese-Mauritian heritage.
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Brendan Pang took a big risk going on MasterChef, but found himself going back to his roots. Instagram
"It just came naturally to cook things that I grew up with… all kinds of foods that I grew up with," he told nine.com.au
"I think it landed well, just because they're all things that I feel most passionate about."
He recalls having many of these foods on Lunar New Year, an occasion where his family would get together and "kind of reset for the new year, and then, honestly, really, just eat a lot of really nice food.
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Brendan Pang recalls spending time family and eating his Grandmere's food. Supplied
His family cooks Chinese-Mauritian cuisine. Supplied
"I loved eating noodles that my grandmother would make from scratch for Lunar New Year… because it symbolises longevity.
"She would often make it a bit of a mix of Mauritian beef and onion. So it's kind of the influence there of Chinese long noodles, but then also a Mauritian twist to it."
In recent years, the chef has moved away from his family in Perth, travelling around the world and spending time in Taiwan before settling in Sydney last year. This has left him far from his family, and their traditional Lunar New Year experience.
Brendan Pang and Linh Trinh Nguyen teamed up to host a family-style feast. Instagram/@brendan_pang
Gong Grocer in Sydney's World Square is one of the city's largest Asian supermarkets. Instagram/@gonggrocer
Instead, he would often go out with his partner and friend to dim sum or yum cha, which he admits "isn't traditionally what you would have for a Lunar New Year feast", but it did help him "stay connected to the cultural side of things as well, and making sure that everyone can kind of be involved as well."
This year, that has changed, with the chef joining forces with the family behind Gong Grocer to bring the ultimate Lunar New Year experience, an intimate feast that was indulged in by family, friends, and customers.
Gong Grocer is one of the biggest Asian supermarkets in Sydney, with founder and matriarch Linh Trinh Nguyen also behind the decades-old Sydney institution, Thai Kee IGA.
Both supermarkets have had a role in serving the Asian community by making their favourite foods accessible, especially during festive seasons like Lunar New Year.
Nguyen decided to bring her own expertise to the table, cooking the Chinese-Vietnamese half of the menu for the feast, while Pang cooked the Chinese-Mauritian dishes
Though the event was "mostly about coming together as a family and cooking really delicious food", Pang and the Nguyen family both "value the same things when it comes to Lunar New Year… like starting the year off fresh and looking forward."
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