Chinese restaurants in the United States began during the California gold rush, which brought twenty to thirty thousand immigrants across from the Canton (Kwangtung or Guangdong) region of China. The first documented Chinese restaurant opened in 1849 as the Canton Restaurant. By 1850, there were five restaurants in San Francisco. Soon after, significant amounts of food were being imported from China to America’s west coast.

The trend spread eastward with the growth of the American railways, particularly to New York City. At the ratification of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 there were only 14 restaurants in San Francisco. However, the Chinese Exclusion Act allowed merchants to enter the country, and in 1915 restaurant owners became eligible for merchant visas. This fueled the opening of Chinese restaurants as an immigration vehicle.

First catering to miners and railroad workers, they established new eateries in towns where Chinese food was completely unknown, adapting local ingredients and catering to their customers’ tastes. Along the way, cooks adapted southern Chinese dishes such as chop suey and developed a style of Chinese food not found in China.

Late 20th-century tastes have been more accommodating.  By this time it had become evident that Chinese restaurants no longer catered mainly to Chinese customers. Chinese-American restaurants played a key role in ushering in the era of take-out and delivery food in America.

The United States had 46,700 Chinese restaurants and a lot of Chinese-American chef when we come to 2015.

We are trying to introduce you to the best of these Chinese-American chefs. We have determined 10 names. We have compiled most of the information and photos about chefs from wikipedia. If there are chefs who want to join this list and want to be featured in the toptens lists, they can contact us.

Until December 31, 2021, the chefs on the list can be voted. One person can only cast one vote a day. On the 31st of December, 2021, we will have chosen the best Asian-American Chefs of 2021 with your votes.