Exclusive Awards 2019

Chinese Master Chef Leung Yiu Tong (1935 to 2021)

A native of Shunde in Guangdong, China, Chef Leung Yiu Tong began his culinary career in 1954. As a young man, he honed his cooking skills under the guidance of Cantonese culinary master Chef Pang De in Macau, specializing in Shunde cuisine, renowned as the pinnacle of Cantonese cooking. Chef Leung initially served as the banquet chef at Avenida do Comendador Ho Yin in Macau. He was later invited by Mr. Ronald Li Fook Shiu, founder of the Far East Exchange, to cook for celebrities at the Exchange’s dining room. In the 1980s, Chef Leung immigrated to Vancouver, where he opened several restaurants and shared his culinary expertise, inspiring many chefs. In February 2019, he retired and closed his award-winning Hoi Tong Chinese Seafood Restaurant, which was celebrated as one of Metro Vancouver’s top authentic Cantonese dining spots. Chef Leung passed away in November 2021, leaving behind a cherished legacy in Vancouver’s Chinese culinary scene.