i. Biography
In Max Wo’s work, the sequence is straightforward: train the craft, lead the service, then shape the room from above it. The throughline is Refined Cantonese cooking, framed by a pure, traditional style.
Coming Up
At Lei Garden, the ground was set for the standards that now define Max Wo’s cooking. In Taipei, Taiwan, that foundation carried into a Head Chef post at Silks House from 2019, where the work moved from training into day-to-day command. The later move to Culinary Director at Silks House keeps the same kitchen vocabulary in place, while widening the scope of how the restaurant’s Cantonese expression is shaped.
Where They Are Now
Culinary Director at Silks House in Taipei is where the line currently lands for Wo, after training at Lei Garden and taking the Head Chef role in 2019. The path is useful to read because it tracks a chef whose practice sits in Refined Cantonese cooking, where precision, balance, and fidelity to tradition are part of the brief, not decorative extras. The dishes associated with Wo are direct in their construction. Xishi soup rice, built with lobster, mud crab, and white prawns, carries seafood richness without losing its structure. Char siu pork stays close to the core of Cantonese technique, with glaze, texture, and controlled sweetness doing the work. Steamed king crab with egg and shaoxing wine brings seafood, egg, and wine into a restrained composition. None of these plates relies on excess; they read clearly because the ingredients are allowed to remain legible. The style attached to this cooking is described as pure and traditional, and the dishes bear that out in their plainness of intent. In Wo’s case, the present role is less a break from earlier stages than the point where training, service, and direction all sit in the same frame.
Signature
Max's signature dishes include xishi soup rice, char siu pork, and steamed king crab with egg and shaoxing wine.
Honors
The career milestones are professional rather than prize-based: Cantonese cuisine training at Lei Garden, the 2019 head-chef role at the Taipei restaurant, and the current culinary-director position.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Max
What is Max Wo's current role?
As of 2026, Max Wo is Culinary Director.
Where did Max Wo train or study?
Max Wo trained at Lei Garden.
What is Max Wo known for?
Cantonese cuisine.
