A chef brings her Chinese heritage and French culinary training to create a fusion approach.

For many people living in the US, Chinese food in their eyes is large portions, cheap prices or takeouts.

"But Chinese cuisine is much more complex than that," said Bolun Yao, the owner of restaurant Yingtao.

Yingtao, located in Manhattan, New York, is a contemporary restaurant founded by husband-wife duo Bolun and Linette Yao.

The restaurant presents Chinese flavors through a modern tasting menu format, blending traditional elements with contemporary fine-dining techniques.

Yingtao is a one-star Michelin restaurant, one of a relatively small number of Chinese restaurants in the US to receive the distinction.

With Yingtao, the young couple said they seek to redefine Chinese cuisine in New York, blending tradition with innovation and showcasing Chinese culture on the global fine-dining stage.

Bolun, the restaurant's owner and founder of August Hospitality Group, grew up in Xi'an, Shaanxi province and New Zealand before moving to the US. He later came to New York to pursue food studies at New York University.

After graduating, instead of entering the traditional food industry, he decided to chase a long-held dream: opening his own restaurant, named in honor of his grandmother.

"I've tried almost every Michelin-starred restaurant in New York, many of them more than three times," he told China Daily.

Through those experiences, he realized something was missing: The city had "countless excellent and traditional" Chinese restaurants, from Sichuan to Cantonese, but very few presented Chinese cuisine through contemporary fine-dining.

"Chinese cuisine in New York City can feel very 'static', but we don't see it as just a fixed category — we want to elevate it," Linette, the managing partner, told China Daily. "Chinese food and culture involve a lot of techniques and skills, and many classic traditions are already reflected in the dishes served in restaurants."

Refined interpretations

The early days were challenging. US diners were often unfamiliar with refined interpretations of Chinese flavors, while some Chinese diners expected more traditional dishes.

"We were in an awkward position," Linette recalled. "Local diners didn't fully understand Chinese cuisine, and some Chinese diners felt this wasn't the Chinese food they were used to."

But as recognition grew, so did the audience for Yingtao's innovative approach.

The new menu places even stronger emphasis on Chinese flavors while maintaining a fine-dining presentation. Many dishes reinterpret familiar classics.

For example, one dish is inspired by the Cantonese dim sum classic lo mai gai (sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf). Rather than wrapping the rice in the traditional way, the chefs stuff sticky rice, Chinese sausage and salted egg yolk inside a chicken wing.

Earning a Michelin star is not the final goal, Linette said.

"It's not necessarily about prestige, but about visibility and representation. It's about trying to find a platform for Chinese cuisine to stand against, like all the other Asian cuisines happening in the city. It gives a lot of leverage," she said.

"We're not trying to replace traditional Chinese restaurants," her husband said. "What we want is to show another possibility."

mingmeili@chinadailyusa.com