Phantom Gourmet: Fuji At Assembly In Somerville
SOMERVILLE (CBS) - Jimmy Liang is passionate about food.
"Food is really my first love," he says.
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And as the man behind a number of successful Asian eateries, he's serving creative dishes in stylish dining rooms, especially at Fuji at Assembly.
Located in Somerville's Assembly Row, Fuji is like a new generation of Asian restaurant. There's expertly prepared sushi, mouthwatering wok-tossed dishes and eye-popping desserts.
"I've been in the restaurant business for 22 years. And over the years I've just realized that a lot of the traditional dishes get a little stagnant. People want different flavors. People want to try something new always," Liang says.
So there are sushi rolls like you've never seen before, formed by chefs Jimmy trains personally.
"With a lot of our chefs we train them ourselves. We like to take raw, untapped talent and shape and mold them into the chefs we think they could become."
And while there's edible art being made at the sushi bar, a different set of skills is on display back in Fuji's kitchen.
"We have wok-tossed chefs here and what they do it's a skill in itself because of the wok. The secret to making a nice wok dish is being able to control the flame. And these guys. They're tossing and using the wok and using the spatula, but they're controlling the flame with their knees, to try to make it higher, make it lower. They're very proficient at it. Meanwhile their hands are busy but their legs are also cooking too. It's almost a little magical, seeing them doing it," he says.
But for Jimmy Liang, nothing is more magical than when his customers enjoy the fruits of his labor.
"For me, working with good ingredients and creating a dish and seeing a smile on someone's face when they're eat it- that's priceless to me."
Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.