Within his debut cookbook,Down South + East: A Chinese American Cookbook (Abrams), Atlanta chef Ron Hsu introduces readers to his own personal culinary journey—shaped by his Chinese roots and upbringing within his family’s Georgia restaurants; his classical training as a chef and restaurateur; and of course, incorporating the flavors of the American South with those of his family’s heritage. As a child running around Hunan Village (a group of seven Chinese restaurants his parents operated for nearly three decades), Hsu gained invaluable kitchen experience long before stepping into the world of fine dining at New York’s Le Bernardin. After seven years there, he returned to Georgia as a partner in opening Lazy Betty, which earned a MICHELIN star in 2019.
