Michael Wendling

The Essentials French cooking at Cuivre in Shanghai is built on classic forms, with Michael Wendling using a restrained twist rather than a full break from the canon. Since 2011, he has been chef/co-owner there, after serving as chef at Le Royal Meridien Shanghai from 2006 to 2011. The escargots, based on his mother’s recipe, are the dish that carries that line most clearly; they are described as the best in town. The mother’s-recipe escargots show how a home formula can survive intact in a restaurant setting. Wendling’s own words place that influence plainly: “She’s a great home cook, and I learned to love food because of her.”

Signature

Wendling’s signature sits in the French bistro-to-brasserie register: escargots, duck confit, beef bourguignon, goat cheese salad, and truffle pastas.

In Their Words “She's a great home cook, and I learned to love food because of her.” “I didn't do high school, actually.”