i. Biography
Culinary training is the starting point in Zeng Huaijun’s work, and that training was shaped by Sichuan, the place he hails from. In Guangzhou, as Executive Chef of Song Chinese Cuisine, that background reads less like biography than method: heat, restraint, and technical control sit at the center of the kitchen. The path from early discipline to present role is visible in the way his cooking names its subjects plainly—crab, grouper, pork belly, duck—and lets the dish carry the claim.
Coming Up
Training at culinary school gave Zeng Huaijun the base every kitchen demands: repetition, precision, and the habit of doing the same task until it holds. Those are the working conditions behind the role he later took on as Executive Chef at Song Chinese Cuisine. In that position, the focus is not on volume but on standards—setting pace, holding line, and keeping the kitchen legible through consistency rather than flourish.
Where They Are Now
Zeng Huaijun is Executive Chef at Song Chinese Cuisine in Guangzhou, China. The dishes tied to his name are concrete and easy to read, which is part of their force. Song’s special spicy crab is listed as a must-try dish, and the name tells you exactly where the emphasis sits: spice, shellfish, and direct flavor. The chef’s stand-out spicy boiled tiger grouper works in a similar register, using heat as a measured tool rather than a distraction. The same kitchen also moves into richer texture with pork belly slices with mashed garlic, another must-try dish at the restaurant. That plate shifts the register from spice to depth, building on fat, aroma, and the straightforward pull of garlic. Zeng’s stand-out list also includes jujube wood-roasted 42-day-aged Peking duck, a name that carries method and timing in full view, with wood, age, and bird all stated without ornament. Taken together, those plates describe the work more clearly than general praise would. Crab, tiger grouper, pork belly, and Peking duck mark the range of the Guangzhou kitchen, each one anchored to a named preparation. The result is a profile of a chef whose craft is expressed through specificity: technique stated, dish named, and flavor made legible on the menu.
Signature
Zeng's signature dishes include Song’s special spicy crab, Signature spicy boiled tiger grouper, Pork belly slices with mashed garlic, and Jujube wood-roasted 42-day-aged Peking duck.
Honors
Zeng's honors include Michelin Guide, One Star.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Zeng
What is Zeng Huaijun's current role?
As of 2026, Zeng Huaijun is Executive Chef.
What recognition has Zeng Huaijun received?
Michelin Guide, One Star (2024).
