This fall, Innovative Dining Group (IDG) is thrilled to welcome former “Iron Chef America” alum, Tyson Wong Ophaso as the new executive chef at Chi Lin on the Sunset Strip. The newest addition to IDG’s impressive restaurant portfolio, Chi Lin offers modern Hong Kong cuisine in a seductively designed, intimate setting located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.
“We’re looking to Chef Ophaso to infuse the menu with new ingredients, bold flavors, and exciting combinations that reflect his experiences throughout Asia, France, and the East Coast,” says IDG co-founder Lee Maen. “He will be building on the foundation created by Chef Yujean Kang.” Chef Ophaso joins Chi Lin with a diverse culinary background, specializing in both French and Asian cuisine. Having studied under the tutelage of many great master chefs including Paul Bocuse and Marc Meneau, Ophaso went on to work at some of the country’s leading fine dining establishments such as L'Espérance, Le Cirque, and Straits. His creativity and pedigree landed him a spot on “Iron Chef America,” where he competed against Iron Chef Morimoto.
Guests and media alike are drawn to Chi Lin for a truly unique and diverse sensory experience. Collaborating with award-winning boutique design firm Studio Collective, IDG created a sophisticated and neoteric atmosphere featuring 300 suspended lanterns, garden vignettes with optical illusions of the path of the white butterfly, and an alluring red and jet-black color palate. Ophaso’s extensive and eclectic culinary pedigree lends itself to the innovative concept and his new menus, to debut in October, will draw upon his past experiences.
Born in Laos to Chinese parents, Ophaso moved from Bangkok to France at the age of fourteen and found his love for cooking while studying under Michelin chef, Pierre Troisgros, master chef Paul Bocuse in Lyon, and chef Marc Meneau of L’Esperance. After honing his skills in France, he moved to New York City to study under world famous master chefs Andre Soltner at Lutece, Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque Restaurant, and Claude Troigros at CT Restaurant as the chef de cuisine. In 1995, he worked with master French chef Jean Jacques Rachou to open the “new” Le Cote Basque, where he remained the Chef de Cuisine for seven years. In 2000, he opened two new ventures on both the East and West Coasts – Nong Restaurant in Union Square and Spring Street Bakery in SoHo. In late 2003, he took the post of Executive Chef at Lotus in the booming Meatpacking District, where he created a new menu of urban Asian street fare. By 2005, with his reputation and knowledge of Asian cuisine, he opened the popular Chinatown Brasserie in East Village, creating traditional and regional Chinese cuisine. Domaine Restaurant Group recruited him two years later to become Executive Corporate Chef in Los Angeles, where he oversaw new development projects and culinary concepts before he accepted the position as corporate executive chef of Straits Restaurant in Atlanta.
