Shirley Fong-Torres

Shirley Fong-Torres (November 16, 1946 – June 18, 2011)[1] was a chef, tour operator, and popular travel and food writer based in San Francisco, California, US.

Shirley Fong-Torres
Born(1946-11-16)November 16, 1946
DiedJune 18, 2011(2011-06-18) (aged 64)
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
Occupation(s)Chef, Food Writer
RelativesBen Fong-Torres (brother)

Early life

Fong-Torres was born on November 16, 1946. Her father was Ricardo Torres. Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act, Fong-Torres' father (born Fong Kwok Seung), changed his surname to Torres and posed as a Filipino in order to immigrate to the United States. His family later adopted the hyphenated surname, Fong-Torres.

Education

Fong-Torres was a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.

Career

Early in her career, Fong-Torres worked at Levi Strauss and taught middle school. She later founded Wok Wiz Chinatown Tours (1987), which still offers cultural and culinary themed tours to locals and tourists.[2] She developed the very popular specialty tour "I Can't Believe I Ate My Way Through Chinatown." Wok Wiz Chinatown Tours continues today, with Shirley's team of talented tour leaders and her daughter, Tina Dong Pavao carrying on her legacy.

Shirley published four books: "Wok Wiz Chinatown Tour Cookbook" [1988], "San Francisco Chinatown: A Walking Tour" [1991, China Books], “In The Chinese Kitchen With Shirley Fong-Torres” [1993, Pacific View Press], and "The Woman Who Ate Chinatown" [2008].

In 2006, Shirley Fong-Torres appeared on the hit Travel & Living Channel show Cocktail Kings, and inspired mixologist Dimitri Lezinska to create a Margarita style drink named "Diva of Sausalito."

Personal life

Fong-Torres' brother, Ben Fong-Torres is an American rock journalist, author, and broadcaster.

Fong-Torres died of leukemia on June 18, 2011.[3]

References
  1. "Aloha, Shirley Fong-Torres: Guide to S.F. Chinatown, Hawai'i, their cuisine and aloha". The San Francisco Chronicle. June 1, 2011.
  2. Jim Hopkins (April 23, 2003). "SARS scare hurts business in Chinatowns". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  3. Cooper, Jeanne (June 19, 2011). "Aloha, Shirley Fong-Torres: Guide to S.F. Chinatown, Hawai'i, their cuisine and aloha". San Francisco Chronicle.
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