Chef Victor Wang has over 30 years of restaurant industry experience. Born into a family with generations of restaurant industry expertise, his entry into the restaurant world was at a very young age. Chef Victor has traveled extensively throughout Asia and the United States, picking up recipes and ideas everywhere he went, learning from top chefs of various cuisines. He is an avid believer in the benefits of balanced nutrition and the philosophy of “Food as Medicine.”
Studies have shown that many human ailments are caused by a lack of, or excess of, certain nutrients. Also, many foods have been proven to help prevent most human illnesses. Chef Victor has read studies regarding these foods, and combines these findings with his own cooking style.
Chef Victor has been the executive chef of Zen Forrest Pan Asian Restaurant for the last 18 years.
Zen Forrest has been serving the Tampa bay area and considered the culinary doorway to China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, as well a fusion of international and American flavors.
Chef Victor and Zen Forrest brought to the area tasting menus with a focus on regions of Asia, wine food and wine pairings, and food and beer pairing before such menus became trendy.
Chef Victor has educated many with his cooking classes ranging from preparing a proper stir-fry and chef-level knife skills, to proper techniques for making dumplings and rolling sushi.
Committed to supporting local purveyors and locally produced, farmed, and caught foods, he has formed long lasting relationships with the likes of Farmer Jim Kovaleski of Freedom House Farms and many others.
Chef Victor has received numerous accolades for his work from various media, and has earned “Best Of” ratings in countless publications.