Smoky, tasty new Chinese dishes made for sharing

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October 28, 2026 | 8:05am

MANILA, Philippines – Chinese food is often a crowd pleaser as one only needs to order a few items — plus fried rice or sautéed noodles — to easily feed a group. It’s the same at most Chinese restaurants, even chains like Modern Shanghai of The Bistro Group. 

Their new Chinese excecutive chef Ben Lam might not look it but he has been working in different kitchens for decades, starting as a helper in Hong Kong  when he was just 14. 

He recounted how he did menial kitchen tasks like peel onions and wash the chefs’ hand towels but said it served as a solid background that helped him eventually rise from the ranks. Since then, he has had stints in restaurants and hotels in Hong Kong and the Philippines. 

Now that he is back in the country, Lam said he will be rolling out dozens of new dishes in the coming months but that many of the bestsellers will be retained. He knows how particular some customers can get when their favorites are phased out. 

During a recent food sampling at the newly renovated Modern Shanghai branch in Trinoma, the chef prepared a noodle dish studded with seafood that was smoky and quite good considering he cooked it on a one-burner stove on a makeshift table.    

Lam said that Cantonese cuisine is known for wok hei, that smoky aroma imparted to ingredients that are quickly tossed in a searing hot wok. 

“I specialize in Cantonese cuisine, wok frying, cooking seafood, and roasting,” Lam said.

That afternoon, he also prepared Roast Pork Asado that was very different from the cured meat many of us might be familiar with. Lam’s version was a rosy pink and tender to the bite, not the dark red and chewy slices of pork that come with the traditional Chinese appetizer platter. He drizzled his with a sweet hoisin sauce that added another layer to the dish. 

“My role is to ensure top quality every day, innovate with new offerings, and foster a strong kitchen culture,” the chef said, adding that he plans to introduce seasonal menu rotations “since Chinese cuisine follows the seasons.” 

Customers at Modern Shanghai can therefore look forward to dishes containing wintermelon, a popular ingredient during summer in China. 

“During the winter season in China, we have dumplings and gai lan (Chinese broccoli) as these are food items associated with the season,” Lam said.  

Among the chain’s bestsellers are the Crispy Fried Noodles, Wok-Fried Beef with Broccoli, Roasted Crispy Pork and its Signature Xiao Long Bao. Other well-loved dishes include Peking-Style Roast Chicken, Beijing-Style Beef, Premium Pork and Shrimp Siomai, Pan-Fried Shanghai Pork Buns, and Shrimp with Preserved Egg Yolk Paste.

Lam said he has been overseeing the training of kitchen staff on the proper way to cook hakaw and Yang Chow fried rice. He even checks that the cooks know how to correctly handle the wok. 

“All these are meant to ensure that Modern Shanghai serves balanced and consistently good food,” he said. 

With close to 30 Modern Shanghai branches to oversee, Lam has his work cut out for him. Fortunately, his decades of training have prepared him for his current post.

"I want to draw in more guests and encourage regular diners to visit more often,” he said.

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