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    Chef

    Cori Xiong

    Discipline
    Chef
    Portrait of Cori Xiong

    Portrait of Cori Xiong

    i. Biography

    Owner of Mala Sichuan Bistro in Houston, Cori Xiong works in a role defined by repetition, precision, and the daily demands of service. Born in China and shaped by formative years in Texas, she brings that background into a hospitality practice centered on Sichuan cuisine, with the Houston restaurant as the fixed point of her career.

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    The Climb

    Training at University of Texas at Austin gave Cori Xiong a foundation built on polish, discipline, and composure. The path that followed reads as steady advancement rather than abrupt arrival: the work moved from restaurateur to owner, with each title marking a clearer hold on the restaurant and its rhythm. In 2025, Cori went on to work as restaurateur at Mala Sichuan Bistro in Houston, Texas, a role that placed her inside the daily operation of the venue.

    Today, Cori is owner of Mala Sichuan Bistro, carrying that progression into stewardship. The title is simple, but it signals an ongoing responsibility shaped by time, familiarity, and the long view.

    Today

    The present role is owner at the restaurant. The shift from restaurateur in 2025 to owner is best read as a continuation of the same work rather than a break from it.

    Signature

    Cori's signature dishes include Konjac Duck Stew with Pickled Vegetables, Fried Basa Fish, String Beans, Red Bell Peppers, Pickled Vegetables, Beef Brisket, Broth, Mushrooms, Yellow Chives, Soy Sauce, and Sizzling Rice Cracker Pork. The list maps the kitchen in direct terms: layered, vivid, and built from preparations that suggest heat, depth, and contrast. As a set of named dishes, it gives a clear read on the flavors associated with her work.

    Recognition

    Recognition rests first on the title attached to Xiong: owner. That designation anchors the record of her career, while the 2025 restaurateur role at the same venue marks the point just before it. Taken together, those facts define a hospitality path centered in Houston and rooted in Sichuan cuisine.

    ii

    FAQ

    Asked of Cori

    • Where did Cori Xiong train or study?

      Cori Xiong trained at University of Texas at Austin.

    • What is Cori Xiong known for?

      Sichuan cuisine.

    The Sunday email

    Read about chefs like Cori Xiong in the Sunday email.

    Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.

    See a sample of the Sunday email

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