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Like a cold can of Coke on a hot summer day, Dallas native Mimi Chang is just about as bubbly, refreshing and celebrated as the popular drink. Chang is now one of only 10 contestants on the Food Network’s first season of “All-Star Academy,” a show where home cooks — regular folks who enjoy cooking for fun, not as a profession — go head to head under the tutelage of mentors Bobby Flay, Alex Guarnaschelli, Michael Symon and Curtis Stone. Chang took some time to speak with Times Leader regarding her childhood in NEPA, her subsequent successes and her family, whom she cites as the wellspring of her support and inspiration.
Times Leader: Thank you for speaking with us, Mimi.
Mimi Chang: The Times Leader is such a big part of my life. I grew up reading that paper every day of my life, so I’m floored to be featured by you guys.
TL: Have you always been drawn to cooking or is it a hobby you discovered later in life?
MC: I’ve always loved to cook. I was brought up in a home where food was so central to our family life. So many people in my family, especially my mom, were passionate about cooking.
TL: How did “All-Star Academy” come into the picture?
MC: I heard about the open call through my sister, so I thought, ‘Eh, why not?’ There was this really long eight-page application that I had to fill out. The very same night I turned my application in, I got a call from the casting directors who said they loved it. Before I knew it, I received a call that I was one of 10 people chosen to be a contestant on the show.
TL: Do you find you draw any inspiration from NEPA when you are cooking?
MC: I think that, when you are from NEPA, there is a part of you that is very grounded, very true to yourself. People from NEPA take their food very seriously. If you can cook good, honest food that is not just delicious, but really true to who you are as a person, then you are definitely from NEPA.
TL: What were some of your favorite places to eat growing up?
MC: Oh, gosh, there’s so many. I must say, in NEPA I grew up with restaurants whose food made you feel as if you were putting on a warm, cozy sweater. I love Grotto Pizza in Harvey’s Lake —the sauce, the atmosphere… Katana in downtown Wilkes-Barre has some of the best sushi you can get. Always creative, always fresh.
TL: What style of cuisine would you say you prefer to cook?
MC: My food is, like me, American-Asian fusion. I do this one dish that I call ‘Asian Spaghetti & Meatballs’, which was actually the dish that won me a spot on “All-Star Academy.” The producers ate it right up.
TL: You won Bobby Flay’s Burger contest last year. How’d you swing that?
MC: Once again, I took a very iconic American dish and added an Asian twist to it. This time it was a Kalbi Burger. This is a dish where I really wanted to highlight the integrity there with the Korean ingredients.
TL: Who was your favorite judge on “All-Star Academy?”
MC: I can’t really say that I had a favorite. They were really empathetic and truly wanted to guide you and elevate your dishes.
TL: Are there any words of wisdom any of the judges shared with you that you remember vividly?
MC: Yes. Season your food aggressively. Seasoning your dish well will truly elevate it.
TL: If you could summarize your experience on “All-Star Academy,” what would you say you learned from participating in the competition?
MC: This experience taught me how strong I am. I’m proud that I carried myself in a way that my children can say, ‘Yay, mommy!’