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{{Short description|Chef, restaurateur, musician and TV host based in Hanoi, Vietnam.}}
{{Short description|Chef, restaurateur, musician and TV host based in Hanoi, Vietnam.}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2023}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{similar names|Bob Chinn (disambiguation){{!}}Bob Chinn}}
{{similar names|Bob Chinn (disambiguation){{!}}Bob Chinn}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Bobby Chinn
| name = Bobby Chinn
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| alt =
| alt =
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_name = Robert Chinn
| birth_name =
| birth_date = <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) -->
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1964|04|03}}
| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| birth_place = New Zealand
| death_date =
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|df=yes|death date†|birth date†}} -->
| death_place =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| other_names =
| occupation = Chef, TV host, restaurateur, author
| occupation = {{hlist|Chef|TV host|restaurateur|author}}
| known_for =
| known_for =
| alma_mater = [[Richmond, The American International University in London|Richmond College]] (B.A., Finance and Economics, 1986)<ref name="RICHMONDALUMNI"/>
| alma_mater = [[Richmond, The American International University in London|Richmond College]] (B.A.)
}}
}}


'''Robert Chinn''' is a New Zealand-born American<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB972600532277406880 |title=Hanoi's Red Onion Bistro Has the Heart of San Francisco |last=Sesser |first=Stan |date=2000-10-27 |website=The Wall Street Journal |publisher= Dow Jones & Company, Inc. |access-date=2021-03-08 |quote=But Mr. Chinn is no stranger to cross-cultural communication. An American citizen with a Chinese father from Shanghai and an Egyptian mother from Cairo, he was born in New Zealand, went to college in London, and learned cooking in San Francisco after a few rounds as an investment analyst, a seafood salesman and a standup comic.}}</ref> international chef, television presenter, restaurateur and cookbook author. He is a culinary celebrity across Asia and the Middle East, thanks to his role as host of [[TLC (TV network)|Discovery TLC]]'s ''World Cafe'',<ref name="tlcasia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.tlcasia.com/tv-shows/world-cafe-2/|title=World Cafe 2}}</ref> and as a judge on MBC's ''Top Chef Middle East''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mbc.net/ar/programs/top-chef.html|title=Top Chef - MBC 1 - MBC.net}}</ref> He opened two award-winning restaurants in [[Vietnam]] – [[Bobby Chinn (restaurant)|Restaurant Bobby Chinn]] in Hanoi (2001) and Bobby Chinn Saigon in Ho Chi Minh (2011), then relocated to London in 2014 and opened the House of Ho Vietnamese restaurant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Venues/Bobby-Chinn-heads-to-the-UK-for-new-Vietnamese-restaurant-in-London|title=Bobby Chinn heads to the UK for new Vietnamese restaurant in London|last=BigHospitality.co.uk}}</ref>
'''Bobby Chinn''' is an American international chef, television presenter, restaurateur and cookbook author.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB972600532277406880 |title=Hanoi's Red Onion Bistro Has the Heart of San Francisco |last=Sesser |first=Stan |date=2000-10-27 |website=The Wall Street Journal |publisher= Dow Jones & Company, Inc. |access-date=2021-03-08 |quote=...Mr. Chinn is...[a]n American citizen...born in New Zealand...}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Kaufman |editor-first=Deborah |edition=3 |date=2003 |title=Fodor's Vietnam |location=New York |publisher=Random House |page=41 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Fodor_s_Vietnam/TepUyvBZf_MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA41&printsec=frontcover |isbn=1-4000-1101-9 |quote=Hanoi's most gregarious chef, American Bobby Chinn...}}</ref> He is a culinary celebrity across Asia and the Middle East, thanks to his role as host of [[TLC (TV network)|Discovery TLC]]'s ''World Cafe'',<ref name="tlcasia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.tlcasia.com/tv-shows/world-cafe-2/|title=World Cafe 2}}</ref> and as a judge on MBC's ''Top Chef Middle East''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mbc.net/ar/programs/top-chef.html|title=Top Chef - MBC 1 - MBC.net}}</ref> He opened two award-winning restaurants in [[Vietnam]] – [[Bobby Chinn (restaurant)|Restaurant Bobby Chinn]] in Hanoi (2001) and Bobby Chinn Saigon in Ho Chi Minh (2011), then relocated to London in 2014 and opened the House of Ho Vietnamese restaurant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Venues/Bobby-Chinn-heads-to-the-UK-for-new-Vietnamese-restaurant-in-London|title=Bobby Chinn heads to the UK for new Vietnamese restaurant in London|last=BigHospitality.co.uk}}</ref>


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Bobby Chinn was born in [[Auckland]], [[New Zealand]] to an [[Egypt]]ian mother and a [[China|Chinese]] father.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/though-part-egyptian-chef-bobby-chinn-avoids-local-cuisine-kitchen|title = Though part-Egyptian, chef Bobby Chinn avoids local cuisine in the kitchen|date = 7 April 2013}}</ref> His culinary story began at the age of 10, as he began to explore Asian and North African recipes in his grandmothers' kitchens.
Bobby Chinn was born in [[New Zealand]] to a Chinese-American father and an Egyptian mother.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/though-part-egyptian-chef-bobby-chinn-avoids-local-cuisine-kitchen|title = Though part-Egyptian, chef Bobby Chinn avoids local cuisine in the kitchen|date = 7 April 2013}}</ref> His grandfather was [[Egyptian Armed Forces|Egyptian military]] commander [[Saad El Shazly]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insight-egypt.com/interviews/bobby-chinn/august-18/558 |title=A True Culinary Artisan |website=insight-egypt.com |publisher=Insight Egypt |access-date=10 April 2019 |archive-date=10 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410224913/http://www.insight-egypt.com/interviews/bobby-chinn/august-18/558 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Chinn was a graduate of [[the Urban School of San Francisco]].<ref name="Blue Notes">{{cite web |title=The Urban School Alumni Association |url=https://www.urbanschool.org/cf_enotify/view.cfm?n=3223 |website=Urban School Blue Notes |access-date=24 February 2017 |ref=reference to Urban school}}</ref> His early education was in Cairo, Egypt at [http://st-georgescollege.com/ St George's College],<ref name="reference to St George's College">{{cite web |title=Bobby Chinn: What I Did Next |url=https://new.podtail.com/en/podcast/what-i-did-next/bobby-chinn/ |website=Podtail |access-date=1 November 2021}}</ref> Heliopolis and then in London, England, where he attended [[Millfield]], [[Somerset]] UK from 1977 to 1980 on a sports scholarship.<ref name="Reference to Millfield">{{cite web |last1=Heiter |first1=Celeste |title=The Pharaoh of Fine Dining in the Far East |url=http://thingsasian.com/story/pharaoh-fine-dining-far-east |website=Things Asian Press |access-date=4 August 2003}}</ref> He attended the [[College of Marin]], the [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]], [[Saint Mary's College of California|Saint Mary's College]] in [[Moraga, California]] and [[Richmond, The American International University in London|Richmond College]] in London, where he graduated with a BA in Finance and Economics (1986).<ref name="RICHMONDALUMNI">Lippoldt, Karen, [https://https "From Wall Street to master chef: Bobby Chinn"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819141428/https://https/ |date=19 August 2013 }}, Richmond College Alumni news, October, 2013</ref> In 2020 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Liberal Arts from Richmond College.<ref name="reference to Richmond">{{cite web |title=HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS |url=https://www.richmond.ac.uk/about-richmond/honorary-degree-recipients/ |website=Richmond |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref>
Chinn was educated at St. George's College in Cairo<ref name="reference to St George's College">{{cite web |title=Bobby Chinn: What I Did Next |url=https://new.podtail.com/en/podcast/what-i-did-next/bobby-chinn/ |website=Podtail |access-date=1 November 2021}}</ref> and [[Millfield]] in England<ref name="Reference to Millfield">{{cite web |last1=Heiter |first1=Celeste |title=The Pharaoh of Fine Dining in the Far East |url=http://thingsasian.com/story/pharaoh-fine-dining-far-east |website=Things Asian Press |access-date=4 August 2003}}</ref> before graduating from [[the Urban School of San Francisco]].<ref name="Blue Notes">{{cite web |title=The Urban School Alumni Association |url=https://www.urbanschool.org/cf_enotify/view.cfm?n=3223 |website=Urban School Blue Notes |access-date=24 February 2017 |ref=reference to Urban school}}</ref> Chinn then graduated from [[Richmond, The American International University in London|Richmond College]] in London in 1986, where he earned a BA in finance and economics.<ref name="RICHMONDALUMNI">Lippoldt, Karen, [https://https "From Wall Street to master chef: Bobby Chinn"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819141428/https://https/ |date=19 August 2013 }}, Richmond College Alumni news, October, 2013</ref> In 2020 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Liberal Arts from Richmond College.<ref name="reference to Richmond">{{cite web |title=HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS |url=https://www.richmond.ac.uk/about-richmond/honorary-degree-recipients/ |website=Richmond |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref>


After graduating, Chinn worked as a research analyst in [[Boca Raton]], [[Florida]], then a hedge fund in [[San Francisco]], before moving to [[New York City]] where he worked on the floor of the [[New York Stock Exchange]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/06/14/bobby-chinn-all-grown.html|title=Bobby Chinn: All grown up|first=The Jakarta|last=Post}}</ref>
After graduating, Chinn worked as a research analyst in [[Boca Raton]], [[Florida]], then a hedge fund in [[San Francisco]], before moving to [[New York City]] where he worked on the floor of the [[New York Stock Exchange]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/06/14/bobby-chinn-all-grown.html|title=Bobby Chinn: All grown up|first=The Jakarta|last=Post}}</ref>


==Career==
In 1990, he worked for Blue Shell, supplying [[Prince Edward Island]] mussels and oysters to the top restaurants in New York City. Chinn enrolled in the [[International Culinary Center|French Culinary Institute]] in [[New York City|New York]], but dropped out in order to study improvisational comedy at [[The Groundlings]], [[Los Angeles]]. He then returned to San Francisco to pursue stand-up comedy, performing at the [[Holy City Zoo]].
⚫
Chinn's culinary career began at the Elka Restaurant in the Miyako Hotel in [[San Francisco]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Culinary Escapades |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/culinary-escapades/cid/460675 |website=Telegraph India |access-date=21 November 2010 |ref=reference to Elka}}</ref> working under notable chefs [[Elka Gilmore]] and [[Traci Des Jardins]]. His big break came from [[Hubert Keller]] of [[Fleur de Lys (restaurant)|Fleur de Lys]], where he worked the pantry for a year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chinn up! |url=https://www.bbcgoodfoodme.com/chef-interviews/chinn-up/ |website=BBC Good Food Middle East |access-date=11 March 2014 |ref=reference to Fleur de Lys}}</ref> He was part of the opening team at the Coconut Grove on Van Ness Avenue, where he became the [[saucier]], but succumbed to a back injury. He [[Stage (cooking)|work-staged]] in France, then returned to San Francisco for back surgery.


⚫
In 1995, Chinn moved to [[Ho Chi Minh City]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Heiter|first1=Celeste|title=The Pharaoh of Fine Dining in the Far East|url=http://thingsasian.com/story/pharaoh-fine-dining-far-east|accessdate=22 April 2017|publisher=thingsasian.com|date=4 August 2003}}</ref> and worked at La Camargue restaurant. Within six months, he had opened his own restaurant, Saigon Joe's, and moved to [[Hanoi]] to open another restaurant, Miro. In 1997, he opened the Red Onion, overlooking the infamous "[[Hỏa Lò Prison|Hanoi Hilton]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/views/y/2000/04/mintier.vietnam.apr27/|title=CNN - y: 'Hanoi Hilton' now holds only painful memories - April 27, 2000}}</ref> The success of the restaurant gave him the opportunity to open his eponymous restaurant in 2001, Restaurant Bobby Chinn.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deborahmckenna.com/client-full-bio.aspx?ID=61&Name=Bobby-Chinn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709005347/http://www.deborahmckenna.com/client-full-bio.aspx?ID=61&Name=Bobby-Chinn |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-09 |title=full biography |publisher=Deborah McKenna |access-date=2011-06-30 }}</ref>
He can speak English and [[Egyptian Arabic]].


⚫
In 2014, Chinn moved to [[London]] and launched a modern Vietnamese concept at the House of Ho, which occupies the former site of [[the 2i's Coffee Bar]], [[Soho]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musicstorytellers.wordpress.com/the-history-of-the-2i%E2%80%99s-coffee-bar/|title=THE HISTORY OF THE 2i's COFFEE BAR|date=5 June 2009}}</ref>
==Chef Bobby Chinn==


⚫
===Television===
⚫
Chinn's culinary career began at the Elka Restaurant in the Miyako Hotel in [[San Francisco]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Culinary Escapades |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/culinary-escapades/cid/460675 |website=Telegraph India |access-date=21 November 2010 |ref=reference to Elka}}</ref> working under notable chefs [[Elka Gilmore]] and [[Traci Des Jardins]]. His big break came from [[Hubert Keller]] of [[Fleur de Lys (restaurant)|Fleur de Lys]], where he worked the pantry for a year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chinn up! |url=https://www.bbcgoodfoodme.com/chef-interviews/chinn-up/ |website=BBC Good Food Middle East |access-date=11 March 2014 |ref=reference to Fleur de Lys}}</ref> He was part of the opening team at the Coconut Grove on Van Ness Avenue, where he became the [[saucier]], but succumbed to a back injury. He [[Stage (cooking)|work-staged]] in France, then returned to San Francisco for back surgery.
Chinn's television career was launched with his first solo TV show, ''World Café Asia'', on TLC.<ref>{{cite news|title=Interview with: Celebrity Egyptian/Chinese Chef Bobby Chinn|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/7/0/69586/Life--Style/0/Interview-with-Celebrity-EgyptianChinese-Chef-Bobb.aspx|accessdate=22 April 2017|publisher=ahramonline|date=20 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="tlcasia.com"/> For the second season, ''World Café Middle East'', Chinn won "Best Entertainment Presenter" at the Asia Television Awards in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bobby Chinn: Cooking's a gas - CNN.com |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/26/ta.chinn/index.html?iref=nextin |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=edition.cnn.com}}</ref>


⚫
Chinn is a permanent judge on MBC's ''[[Top Chef Middle East]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ahmad|first1=Tarek|title=Top Chef Middle East set to dish up Arab talent|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2016/09/19/Top-Chef-Middle-East-set-to-dish-up-Arab-talent.html|accessdate=22 April 2017|publisher=Al Arabiya English|date=19 September 2016}}</ref>
⚫
In 1996, Chinn moved to [[Ho Chi Minh City]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Heiter|first1=Celeste|title=The Pharaoh of Fine Dining in the Far East|url=http://thingsasian.com/story/pharaoh-fine-dining-far-east|accessdate=22 April 2017|publisher=thingsasian.com|date=4 August 2003}}</ref> and worked at La Camargue restaurant. Within six months, he had opened his own restaurant, Saigon Joe's, and moved to [[Hanoi]] to open another restaurant, Miro. In 1997, he opened the Red Onion, overlooking the infamous "[[Hỏa Lò Prison|Hanoi Hilton]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/views/y/2000/04/mintier.vietnam.apr27/|title=CNN - y: 'Hanoi Hilton' now holds only painful memories - April 27, 2000}}</ref> The success of the restaurant gave him the opportunity to open his eponymous restaurant in 2001, Restaurant Bobby Chinn.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deborahmckenna.com/client-full-bio.aspx?ID=61&Name=Bobby-Chinn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709005347/http://www.deborahmckenna.com/client-full-bio.aspx?ID=61&Name=Bobby-Chinn |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-09 |title=full biography |publisher=Deborah McKenna |access-date=2011-06-30 }}</ref>


⚫
===Cookbook===
⚫
In 2014, Chinn moved to [[London]] and launched a modern Vietnamese concept at The House of Ho, which occupies the former site of [[The 2i's Coffee Bar]], [[Soho]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musicstorytellers.wordpress.com/the-history-of-the-2i%E2%80%99s-coffee-bar/|title=THE HISTORY OF THE 2i's COFFEE BAR|date=5 June 2009}}</ref> This has now been sold to a group of private investors.
⚫
Chin's cookbook, ''Wild Wild East: Recipes & Stories from Vietnam'' was released in 2007. It is both a guide to Vietnamese food and a diary of Chinn's adventures in Vietnam. In the foreword, [[Anthony Bourdain]] claims that "what Bobby doesn’t know about Southeast Asian food is not worth knowing".<ref>{{cite book|author=Bobby Chinn|title=Wild, Wild East: Recipes & Stories from Vietnam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OWt4LgAACAAJ|year=2008|publisher=Barron's|isbn=978-0-7641-6149-0}}</ref>


==Ambassador roles==
===Ambassador roles===
* In 2012, he was appointed WWF Ambassador for Sustainable Seafood.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.talkvietnam.com/2013/11/promoting-sustainable-seafood-production/|title=Promoting sustainable seafood production|date=1 November 2013}}</ref> As WWF's Sustainable Seafood Ambassador for the Coral Triangle, he helped WWF raise awareness on the importance of responsible seafood consumption, particularly in the Coral Triangle region, to help alleviate pressures on coastal and marine environments and dwindling fish populations.
* In 2012, he was appointed WWF Ambassador for Sustainable Seafood.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.talkvietnam.com/2013/11/promoting-sustainable-seafood-production/|title=Promoting sustainable seafood production|date=1 November 2013}}</ref> As WWF's Sustainable Seafood Ambassador for the Coral Triangle, he helped WWF raise awareness on the importance of responsible seafood consumption, particularly in the Coral Triangle region, to help alleviate pressures on coastal and marine environments and dwindling fish populations.
* In 2014, he was appointed Tourism Ambassador for Vietnam in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thanhniennews.com/entertainment/bobby-chinn-named-vietnam-tourism-ambassador-in-europe-28762.html|title=Bobby Chinn named Vietnam tourism ambassador in Europe|date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
* In 2014, he was appointed Tourism Ambassador for Vietnam in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thanhniennews.com/entertainment/bobby-chinn-named-vietnam-tourism-ambassador-in-europe-28762.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140805154721/http://www.thanhniennews.com/entertainment/bobby-chinn-named-vietnam-tourism-ambassador-in-europe-28762.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 5, 2014|title=Bobby Chinn named Vietnam tourism ambassador in Europe|date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
* In 2021, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for [https://www.naomimemorialfund.com/ The Naomi Tami Memorial Fund] <ref name="Naomi Tami Bobby Chinn">{{cite web |title=Bobby Chinn Goodwill Ambassador |url=https://www.naomimemorialfund.com/ |website=Naomi Tami Memorial Fund |publisher=Naomi Tami Memorial Scholarship Fund |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref>
* In 2021, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the Naomi Tami Memorial Fund.<ref name="Naomi Tami Bobby Chinn">{{cite web |title=Bobby Chinn Goodwill Ambassador |url=https://www.naomimemorialfund.com/ |website=Naomi Tami Memorial Fund |publisher=Naomi Tami Memorial Scholarship Fund |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref>

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==Television==
Chinn's television career was launched with his first solo TV show, ''World Café Asia'', on TLC<ref>{{cite news|title=Interview with: Celebrity Egyptian/Chinese Chef Bobby Chinn|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/7/0/69586/Life--Style/0/Interview-with-Celebrity-EgyptianChinese-Chef-Bobb.aspx|accessdate=22 April 2017|publisher=ahramonline|date=20 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="tlcasia.com"/> – also known as ''Planet Food'' on the Discovery Channel – presenting a taste of Asia through traditional street stalls, hawker centres, acclaimed restaurants and hot spots. He was awarded 'Best Entertainment Presenter' at the Asia TV Awards for the series in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifood.tv/network/bobby_chinn|title=Bobby Chinn|access-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606213437/http://www.ifood.tv/network/bobby_chinn|archive-date=6 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The second season, ''World Café Middle East'', had equal success, and he was awarded 'Best Entertainment Programme' by the Asia TV Awards 2010. The show was re-cut and sold to Globe Trekker. He hosted ''[[Globe Trekker]] Food Hour: Ireland'' in 2014, and ''[[Globe Trekker]] Food Hour: Sicily'' in 2015. Following the success of his first show, Chinn hosted a second show with Discovery Network, called ''Bobby Chinn Cooks Asia'', a travel cookery series which highlights Asian recipes laced with local history and culture.

⚫
Chinn is currently a judge on MBC's ''[[Top Chef Middle East]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ahmad|first1=Tarek|title=Top Chef Middle East set to dish up Arab talent|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2016/09/19/Top-Chef-Middle-East-set-to-dish-up-Arab-talent.html|accessdate=22 April 2017|publisher=Al Arabiya English|date=19 September 2016}}</ref>

He has worked with some of the leading TV food personalities including [[Keith Floyd]], [[Martha Stewart]], [[Anthony Bourdain]], [[Antony Worrall Thompson]] and [[Andrew Zimmern]].

Chinn had a supporting part as a 'bunk mate' in ’[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0273108/?ref_=nm_knf_i1 The Beautiful Country]’ (2004)<ref name="Reference to Beautiful Country">{{cite web |title=Bobby Chinn: Bunk Mate |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0273108/characters/nm2339391 |website=IMDB |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref> featuring Nick Nolte and Bai Ling, filmed in Vietnam as well as ‘[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101691/ Death Dreams] (1991) starring Christopher Reeve.

Chinn appeared in “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYa0PBUFfXQ Can Chefs Save The World?]” a three part documentary series by [https://utopicfood.com/portfolio/628/ UTOPICFOOD]!<ref>{{cite web |title=Chef Bobby Chinn talks: Chefs and media - CAN CHEFS SAVE THE WORLD? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYa0PBUFfXQ |website=Youtube |access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref> Created by Mason Florence and John Krich, the production investigates the roles and perceptions of some of the greatest chefs in the world, featuring the likes of [[Massimo Bottura]] and [[José Andrés]] through intimate, up close and personal interviews.

In 2020 Chinn filmed 6 episodes of '[https://shahid.mbc.net/en/shows/Keep-it-simple-Season-1/season-818594-818609 Keep It Simple]'<ref name="Reference to Shahid">{{cite web |last1=Atef |first1=Rana |title=Shahid to Premier Chef Bobby Chinn's "Keep it Simple" |url=https://see.news/shahid-to-premier-chef-bobby-chins-keep-it-simple/#:~:text=Celebrated%20international%20chef%20Bobby%20Chinn,and%20simple%20professional%20cooking%20techniques. |website=See News |access-date=12 November 2020}}</ref> which launched across the Middle East on MBC's [https://shahid.mbc.net/en/shahidoriginals Shahid Originals] streaming service

==Media==
Chinn was a guest on A&T Media's Podcast episode '[https://podtail.com/podcast/what-i-did-next/bobby-chinn/ What I did Next]' (2021)<ref name="Podtail Bobby Chinn">{{cite web |title=Bobby Chinn-What I Did Next |url=https://podtail.com/podcast/what-i-did-next/bobby-chinn/ |website=Podtail |access-date=1 November 2021}}</ref>


==Personal life==
Chinn is the grandson of former Egyptian military commander [[Saad El Shazly]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insight-egypt.com/interviews/bobby-chinn/august-18/558 |title=A True Culinary Artisan |website=insight-egypt.com |publisher=Insight Egypt |access-date=10 April 2019 |archive-date=10 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410224913/http://www.insight-egypt.com/interviews/bobby-chinn/august-18/558 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

⚫
==Cookbook==
⚫
* ''Wild Wild East: Recipes & Stories from Vietnam'', 2007 (reprinted as ''Vietnamese Food'' in 2014). Shortlisted for best Asian cookbook in the World Gourmand Food Awards. It is both an authentic guide to Vietnamese food with recipes for modern adaptations of traditional dishes and a roller-coaster journey of Chinn's adventures in Vietnam. In the foreword, [[Anthony Bourdain]] claims that "what Bobby doesn’t know about Southeast Asian food is not worth knowing".<ref>{{cite book|author=Bobby Chinn|title=Wild, Wild East: Recipes & Stories from Vietnam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OWt4LgAACAAJ|year=2008|publisher=Barron's|isbn=978-0-7641-6149-0}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chinn, Bobby}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chinn, Bobby}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:American people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Egyptian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Egyptian descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand television chefs]]
[[Category:American television chefs]]
[[Category:New Zealand cookbook writers]]
[[Category:American cookbook writers]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Latest revision as of 19:03, 10 December 2024

For other people with similar names, see Bob Chinn.
Bobby Chinn
Born
New Zealand
NationalityAmerican
Alma materRichmond College (B.A.)
Occupations
  • Chef
  • TV host
  • restaurateur
  • author

Bobby Chinn is an American international chef, television presenter, restaurateur and cookbook author.[1][2] He is a culinary celebrity across Asia and the Middle East, thanks to his role as host of Discovery TLC's World Cafe,[3] and as a judge on MBC's Top Chef Middle East.[4] He opened two award-winning restaurants in Vietnam – Restaurant Bobby Chinn in Hanoi (2001) and Bobby Chinn Saigon in Ho Chi Minh (2011), then relocated to London in 2014 and opened the House of Ho Vietnamese restaurant.[5]

Early life and education

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Bobby Chinn was born in New Zealand to a Chinese-American father and an Egyptian mother.[6] His grandfather was Egyptian military commander Saad El Shazly.[7]

Chinn was educated at St. George's College in Cairo[8] and Millfield in England[9] before graduating from the Urban School of San Francisco.[10] Chinn then graduated from Richmond College in London in 1986, where he earned a BA in finance and economics.[11] In 2020 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Liberal Arts from Richmond College.[12]

After graduating, Chinn worked as a research analyst in Boca Raton, Florida, then a hedge fund in San Francisco, before moving to New York City where he worked on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.[13]

Career

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Chinn's culinary career began at the Elka Restaurant in the Miyako Hotel in San Francisco,[14] working under notable chefs Elka Gilmore and Traci Des Jardins. His big break came from Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys, where he worked the pantry for a year.[15] He was part of the opening team at the Coconut Grove on Van Ness Avenue, where he became the saucier, but succumbed to a back injury. He work-staged in France, then returned to San Francisco for back surgery.

In 1995, Chinn moved to Ho Chi Minh City[16] and worked at La Camargue restaurant. Within six months, he had opened his own restaurant, Saigon Joe's, and moved to Hanoi to open another restaurant, Miro. In 1997, he opened the Red Onion, overlooking the infamous "Hanoi Hilton".[17] The success of the restaurant gave him the opportunity to open his eponymous restaurant in 2001, Restaurant Bobby Chinn.[18]

In 2014, Chinn moved to London and launched a modern Vietnamese concept at the House of Ho, which occupies the former site of the 2i's Coffee Bar, Soho.[19]

Television

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Chinn's television career was launched with his first solo TV show, World Café Asia, on TLC.[20][3] For the second season, World Café Middle East, Chinn won "Best Entertainment Presenter" at the Asia Television Awards in 2007.[21]

Chinn is a permanent judge on MBC's Top Chef Middle East.[22]

Cookbook

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Chin's cookbook, Wild Wild East: Recipes & Stories from Vietnam was released in 2007. It is both a guide to Vietnamese food and a diary of Chinn's adventures in Vietnam. In the foreword, Anthony Bourdain claims that "what Bobby doesn’t know about Southeast Asian food is not worth knowing".[23]

Ambassador roles

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  • In 2012, he was appointed WWF Ambassador for Sustainable Seafood.[24] As WWF's Sustainable Seafood Ambassador for the Coral Triangle, he helped WWF raise awareness on the importance of responsible seafood consumption, particularly in the Coral Triangle region, to help alleviate pressures on coastal and marine environments and dwindling fish populations.
  • In 2014, he was appointed Tourism Ambassador for Vietnam in Europe.[25]
  • In 2021, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the Naomi Tami Memorial Fund.[26]

References

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  1. ^ Sesser, Stan (October 27, 2000). "Hanoi's Red Onion Bistro Has the Heart of San Francisco". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved March 8, 2021. ...Mr. Chinn is...[a]n American citizen...born in New Zealand...
  2. ^ Kaufman, Deborah, ed. (2003). Fodor's Vietnam (3 ed.). New York: Random House. p. 41. ISBN 1-4000-1101-9. Hanoi's most gregarious chef, American Bobby Chinn...
  3. ^ a b "World Cafe 2".
  4. ^ "Top Chef - MBC 1 - MBC.net".
  5. ^ BigHospitality.co.uk. "Bobby Chinn heads to the UK for new Vietnamese restaurant in London".
  6. ^ "Though part-Egyptian, chef Bobby Chinn avoids local cuisine in the kitchen". April 7, 2013.
  7. ^ "A True Culinary Artisan". insight-egypt.com. Insight Egypt. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  8. ^ "Bobby Chinn: What I Did Next". Podtail. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  9. ^ Heiter, Celeste. "The Pharaoh of Fine Dining in the Far East". Things Asian Press. Retrieved August 4, 2003.
  10. ^ "The Urban School Alumni Association". Urban School Blue Notes. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  11. ^ Lippoldt, Karen, "From Wall Street to master chef: Bobby Chinn" Archived 19 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Richmond College Alumni news, October, 2013
  12. ^ "HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS". Richmond. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  13. ^ Post, The Jakarta. "Bobby Chinn: All grown up".
  14. ^ "Culinary Escapades". Telegraph India. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
  15. ^ "Chinn up!". BBC Good Food Middle East. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  16. ^ Heiter, Celeste (August 4, 2003). "The Pharaoh of Fine Dining in the Far East". thingsasian.com. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  17. ^ "CNN - y: 'Hanoi Hilton' now holds only painful memories - April 27, 2000".
  18. ^ "full biography". Deborah McKenna. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  19. ^ "THE HISTORY OF THE 2i's COFFEE BAR". June 5, 2009.
  20. ^ "Interview with: Celebrity Egyptian/Chinese Chef Bobby Chinn". ahramonline. April 20, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  21. ^ "Bobby Chinn: Cooking's a gas - CNN.com". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  22. ^ Ahmad, Tarek (September 19, 2016). "Top Chef Middle East set to dish up Arab talent". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  23. ^ Bobby Chinn (2008). Wild, Wild East: Recipes & Stories from Vietnam. Barron's. ISBN 978-0-7641-6149-0.
  24. ^ "Promoting sustainable seafood production". November 1, 2013.
  25. ^ "Bobby Chinn named Vietnam tourism ambassador in Europe". July 18, 2014. Archived from the original on August 5, 2014.
  26. ^ "Bobby Chinn Goodwill Ambassador". Naomi Tami Memorial Fund. Naomi Tami Memorial Scholarship Fund. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
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