You can do almost anything with soup stock, it’s like a strong foundation. When you have the right foundation, everything tastes good. – Martin Yan
When I retire or pass away, I will be able to look back and say that this has been an exciting life. That’s all that matters. – Martin Yan
Anyone that has come to America past the age of eighteen will be able to understand when I say that you can never shake your accent. – Martin Yan
At thirteen, when I arrived in Hong Kong after leaving China, I made a living by working in a restaurant. – Martin Yan
Chinese culture has a lot of virtues that are tremendously valuable to not only us as Asian-Americans, but also the world in general. – Martin Yan
I also have a lot of preserved foods, things that will keep for a long time like dried fish, seaweed or lotus seed. – Martin Yan
I think being famous is more of a hindrance, a constraint, than just letting yourself be free. – Martin Yan
A lot of people don’t enjoy their job, they may even hate it, but I am lucky enough to be able to make a living through my passion. – Martin Yan
If I could only have one type of food with me, I would bring soy sauce. The reason being that if I have soy sauce, I can flavor a lot of things. – Martin Yan
I think a lot of times it’s not money that’s the primary motivation factor; it’s the passion for your job and the professional and personal satisfaction that you get out of doing what you do that motivates you. – Martin Yan
People who don’t travel cannot have a global view, all they see is what’s in front of them. Those people cannot accept new things because all they know is where they live. – Martin Yan
Happiness is within. It has nothing to do with how much applause you get or how many people praise you. Happiness comes when you believe that you have done something truly meaningful. – Martin Yan
I’ve never considered myself a celebrity or even part of the entertainment business. I’m a cooking teacher. – Martin Yan
I don’t like to waste anything. Any food left over from the night before is always eaten the next day. – Martin Yan
Some people never contribute anything positive to society, they may even drain our resources, but most of us try to do something better, to give back. – Martin Yan
I remember when I was in college, I used to watch Julia Child’s cooking show during dinner and joke with my roommates about becoming a TV chef. – Martin Yan
In general I love to eat anything. I enjoy anything that is well prepared, a good spaghetti, lasagna, taco, steak, sushi, refried beans. – Martin Yan
