James Beard Award winner
Martin Yan
- Discipline
- James Beard Award winner
Made By record
Awards & recognition
1 total
verified records
i. Biography
Martin Yan has hosted Yan Can Cook since 1982. The format rests on demonstration, repetition, and teaching at speed; Martin Yan built his name inside those demands, with a background from the University of California, Davis and certification as a Master Chef. His work sits squarely in Chinese Cooking, presented through television and live instruction rather than restaurant mythology.
The Climb
Training at University of California, Davis gave Martin Yan the academic base that followed him into extension-program teaching and the floor work of live demos. He taught Chinese Cooking at college extension program and served as chef on the "Flying Squad" at Stephen Yan's Chinese Cooking demonstrations in Canada, then moved into broadcast cooking with Yan Can in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (1978–1982). Later credits on Martin Yan's Hong Kong (2005–2007) and Martin Yan's China (2008) show the same discipline translated across formats, before a run of judging and hosting roles on Iron Chef America (2011), Food Court in Hong Kong Cable TV (2011), Iron Chef Vietnam (2012), Top Chef (2013), Hell's Kitchen (2013), Martin Yan: Taste of Vietnam (2013), Back to Basics (2013), Martin Yan: Taste of Malaysia (2015), and Rick Stein's Road to Mexico - Episode 1 (2017). Yan Can Cook (since 1982) and Martin Yan's Asian Favorites (since 2018) remain the current anchors.
Today
The work is still built around Yan Can Cook, with Martin Yan continuing as host. The throughline is Chinese Cooking, and the credential attached to it is certified Master Chef.
Career - host — Yan Can Cook, San Francisco, California, U.S. (1982–present) - host — Martin Yan's Asian Favorites (2018–present) - teaching Chinese Cooking — college extension program - chef on the "Flying Squad" — Stephen Yan's Chinese Cooking demonstrations, Canada - host — Yan Can, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (1978–1982) - host — Martin Yan's Hong Kong (2005–2007) - host — Martin Yan's China (2008) - judge — Iron Chef America (2011) - tutor / host — Food Court, Hong Kong Cable TV (2011) - guest judge — Iron Chef Vietnam (2012) Education: University of California, Davis
Signature
The signature titles tied to Martin Yan’s television and publishing work include Yan Can Cook, Martin Yan's Feast, Martin Yan's Asian Favorites, Chinese Cooking for Dummies, and Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking.
In Their Words “Listen, no one needs to debone a chicken in 18 seconds. It doesn’t matter if it’s 35 seconds or a minute and a half. It’s just entertainment.” “Don't try to be Bobby Flay, Emeril or Rachael Ray. There's only one (of them) so be yourself.”
FAQ What is Martin Yan's current role? As of 2026, Martin Yan is Host. Where did Martin Yan train or study? Martin Yan trained at University of California, Davis. What recognition has Martin Yan received? James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award (2022).
