Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2011
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake

Employment History

• Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake; Canton Table, Shanghai

Birthplace

• Shanghai, China

Languages Spoken

• Chinese, Shanghainese

Charles Zhang is from Sanlin, Shanghai. It is widely known that this place is renowned for breeding excellent chefs. Influenced by his grandfather since childhood, Charles developed a strong interest in the cooking field. He was apprenticed to Li Mingfu, successor of the legendary master of Shanghai cuisine, Li Borong. Starting as an apprentice chef, Charles has solidly refined his basic skills.

Since then, Charles has been diligently refining his skills in Shanghai. In 2004, he joined the pre-opening team of Canton Table, Shanghai. This was the enlightenment stage and turning point of his culinary career. During the five years there, he not only discovered the diverse possibilities of Chinese cuisine but also met Wang Yong, who had a profound influence on him and was both a teacher and a friend for Charles. He greatly admired Wang Yong's excellent performance in product cognition, ingredient control, and the professionalism of a chef. The time they worked together also became the initiating opportunity for Charles to later join Chef Wang Yong's team at Four Seasons in Hangzhou.

In 2011, Charles Zhang joined Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake and remained there for twelve years. Through continuous improvement and experience, he became the Senior Sous Chef of Jin Sha Restaurant. Meanwhile, Charles Zhang is passionate about "make a field trip for culinary inspiration." He believes that continuously broadening one's horizons is of great significance for chef.

Charles Zhang is very insistent on the flavour type of the "Chinese stomach." He deeply knows that Chinese food culture is a treasure passed down and accumulated over thousands of years. Many ancient heritages and cultures are sources of pride for Chinese people. For kitchen artisans, the foundation should take precedence over innovation, and many essences must not be lost. A mature dish requires chefs to make great efforts. Just as his professional creed states, "The master teaches the trade, but apprentice's skill is self-cultivated." Classic dishes are by no means accomplished overnight but must undergo repeated tempering and revision.

When he first arrived at Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou, Charles Zhang was deeply attracted by this Hotel on a private island in Jinji Lake, especially that the private dining rooms in the Chinese restaurant are transparent and pleasant. Although not on a mountain, it gives people a sense of openness and liberality as if owning the entire lake. Since then, when developing dishes, he carefully considers what kind of taste experience can complement such beautiful scenery and the guests' mood at that time. In Jin Jing Ge, Chef Zhang leverages his profound and long-standing expertise in Jiangnan cuisine, showcasing the exquisite skills garnered in past years and presenting the essence of Jiangnan through ultimate delicacies.