Born and raised in Taiwan, Steve Wu developed a deep respect for food through family traditions and the region’s rich culinary culture. Since moving to Sydney in 2012, he has risen through the ranks of Lotus Dining Group to become Executive Chef. In this profile, he talks to Crumb Wire about how a ten-minute walk to work led to a ten-hour flight and a celebrated culinary career.
What first sparked your love for food, and how did you get your start in the industry?
My love for food started at home in Taiwan. Growing up, I spent a lot of time helping my mum prepare traditional foods for major festivals and family celebrations. During Lunar New Year, we would make rice cakes (nian gao), and during the Dragon Boat Festival, we would spend hours making dumplings and rice dumplings (zongzi) together.
Looking back, those experiences taught me many of the fundamentals that are essential in professional kitchens today: patience, attention to detail, preparation and the importance of sharing food with others. I didn’t realise it at the time, but those early memories laid the foundation for my career and made my journey through the industry much smoother.
What’s been your journey so far – from your first job to where you are now?
My first job in hospitality was at a small local restaurant in Taiwan. It was only a ten-minute walk from my home. At the time, I never imagined that my career would eventually take me across the world. Today, I work in Sydney, and every time I visit home, I have to take a ten-hour flight to get there. When I look back, the distance between those two places reflects the journey I’ve taken throughout my career.
Every workplace, every service and every challenge has contributed to who I am as a chef today. Whether it was a small neighbourhood restaurant or a high-profile venue in Sydney, each experience has been an essential part of my development. None of those jobs was wasted, every single one helped shape my skills, leadership style and understanding of hospitality.
What have been some of your greatest achievements and challenges along the way?
One of the achievements I’m most proud of is building Sydney’s dumpling-making classes from the ground up. When I first started, there were very few people running dumpling-making classes at the scale we do today. It took a lot of time and effort to introduce the concept, build interest, and create an experience that people genuinely enjoyed.
Today, whenever I launch a new class, tickets often sell out quickly, and we regularly have long waiting lists. Seeing people connect with food, learn new skills and enjoy the experience together is incredibly rewarding.
Like any project, there were challenges along the way. Building awareness, maintaining quality, and continuously improving the experience required persistence and commitment. But those challenges made the success even more meaningful.
Outside your property/properties, what are your current favourite food joints?
Two of my favourite restaurants in Sydney are Cafe Paci and Ester. Neither of them is a Chinese restaurant, but I really admire their creativity and approach to food. Every time I visit, there always seems to be something unexpected on the menu. They have a great ability to combine ingredients and flavours in ways that feel original while still making perfect sense.
As a chef, I find that very inspiring because it reminds me that great food doesn’t always have to be complicated; it just needs thoughtful execution and a willingness to think differently.
Which chefs and cuisines inspire you most – past or present?
Before I came to Australia, the person who influenced my cooking the most was definitely my mother. She taught me many of the traditional cooking techniques and values that I still carry with me today. Through cooking alongside her, I learned the importance of patience, respect for ingredients and cooking with care for the people you’re feeding.
After moving to Australia, my first Head Chef, Benjamin Haywood, had a huge impact on my development. He gave me my first real introduction to Australian produce and taught me how to appreciate local ingredients in a completely different way. That experience opened my eyes to a new style of cooking and helped shape the chef I am today.
How do you think Australia’s food culture has evolved in recent years?
Australia’s food culture has become more diverse, more sophisticated and more ingredient focused. Guests today are far more knowledgeable and adventurous; they’re interested in authenticity, sustainability, and the story behind the food. We’ve also seen a greater appreciation for Asian cuisines and regional cooking styles that were previously less understood by the broader market.
At the same time, casual dining has improved significantly. People now expect restaurant-quality food and service across all levels of hospitality, which has raised standards throughout the industry.
Any exciting food trends you’ve tried at home – or sneaked onto the menu?
To be honest, I’m a big fan of soup. From the traditional free-range chicken soups that my mum taught me to make when I was growing up, to the beautiful seafood soups I make here in Australia, soup has always been one of my favourite things to cook.
Australia has access to incredible seafood, and I love making simple broths with fresh seafood, ginger and spring onion, allowing the natural sweetness and flavour of the seafood to shine through. I also enjoy making slow-cooked beef soups using high-quality Australian beef. These aren’t necessarily trendy dishes, but they’re the kinds of food I genuinely enjoy cooking and eating at home because they focus on quality ingredients and honest flavours.
And finally, what do you love doing when you’re not in the kitchen/at the venue?
I enjoy visiting different markets to see what’s available and discover new products, trends, and ideas. I also spend a lot of time in the gym when I’m not working. I strongly believe that chefs need to look after their own health and maintain a good work-life balance.
Our industry can be physically and mentally demanding, so having a healthy lifestyle helps me stay focused, perform better at work and enjoy a longer and more sustainable career in hospitality.
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