American-born Anthony Wang, who opened his first restaurant, Firstborn, inside the Mandarin Plaza in Chinatown on March 28, credits his older sister, Lulu, for his career as a chef. He would not be cooking today if it were not for her support and encouragement.

Wang studied classical piano as a kid, and he was really good, often placing at the top in state competitions. But when he turned 18, he stopped loving his instrument. His sister sat him down for a chat.

“It is obvious that you like cooking,” she told him. “Why don’t you try to pursue it?”

Wang was initially worried because he did not want to disappoint his parents, who were Chinese immigrants.

“The last thing an immigrant family wants for their children is for them to go into blue-collar work,” said Wang. “My dad’s first job in this country was as a dish washer. This is the last thing he would want for his only son, his first child born in America. My parents moved to the United States so that their kids could have the opportunity for a better future.”

When Wang finally did approach his parents with his desire to be a chef, they were confused. It was Lulu who, throughout the years, in Wang’s words, “talked them off the ledge.”

“Give it time,” she told them.

Time is exactly what Wang needed. He spent a decade studying classical French technique and training at a number of restaurants, including Michael Voltaggio’s Ink, Jordan Kahn’s Destroyer and Eric Bost’s Auburn.

“Throughout my career, I have been lucky to work with great people,” Wang said. “The place that had the biggest impact on me was Eric Bost’s Auburn in LA. It was short-lived; it opened March 15, 2019 and closed on March 15, 2020, the first day of the pandemic. I felt like during my time with Eric, he made me understand what it meant to be a leader, and I saw how he led his team by example. He was a great mentor. He had compassion and empathy for his staff. He showed me the kind of person and leader I wanted to be. I owe a lot of my ideas and how I conceptualize food to Eric.”

Lulu, who is 11 years his senior, is not only Wang’s biggest supporter; she is his collaborator. She also happens to be an extraordinary home cook, although her day job is as a filmmaker. Her film, “The Farewell,” about their maternal grandmother, premiered at Sundance in 2019. Lulu’s home cooking is delicious, nutritious and holistic. She has a massive garden at her home in Silver Lake, and the two siblings find great joy in working in the garden together.

“The garden gives you a strong sense of time and place,” said Wang. “It transforms throughout the year, giving me a deep appreciation of the cyclical nature of life. I am inspired by my sister’s garden and how much passion she has for it.”

Wang’s passion for cooking tracks back to his childhood. He grew up watching his mother in the kitchen. There was a rule in his house that he had to be at the dinner table every single day — no exceptions. Although he abandoned his piano years ago, he does see similarities between cooking and classical music: If you have a strong foundation of technique, you can build on it with skill.

Opening Firstborn, his first restaurant, has been extremely gratifying for Wang. Sure, there is more pressure than start-up money, but he is focusing on the things he can control: producing thoughtful food and providing high-level service. He is surrounded by a team that he believes in and is watching grow into leaders.

“I am very proud of my team,” Wang said. “Many chefs find joy in mentorship, seeing their peers grow alongside them. I realized very quickly that you cannot do it all on your own. You have to find people you can rely on and trust.”

When Wang first started conceptualizing Firstborn, he had two conversations with himself. The first was his realization that his knowledge of Chinese food was limited. The country is vast and divided into a number of provinces, and its history spans thousands of years. Feeling humbled, he made an effort to learn more.

“A large part of the restaurant is exploratory,” said Wang. “I wanted to understand the core values of what Chinese food is and how it is represented: texture, temperature, seasoning.”

Wang’s second conversation centered on authenticity. His family lives in America. He grew up in Northern Atlanta and went to high school with almost no other Chinese kids. A lot of Chinese restaurants served food defined by fat, salt, sugar and low-quality ingredients…but not his own mother’s cooking. Wang wanted to re-evaluate and reinterpret what Chinese American meant, asking himself: Why did people perceive Chinese American food like this, and how could he change their perception?

Ron De Angelis/Submitted

Firstborn is his answer. One of Wang’s goals is to show people the broad scope of what Chinese food is. It is Zhajiang oxtail and fried Chongqing chicken. It is sweetbreads, which can be a tough sell: deliciously soft, deeply rich and luxurious, with ragu made of pig’s feet, a recipe inspired by Pierre Koffmann, a French chef in the U.K.

“I grew up eating pig’s feet at my grandmother’s house on my father’s side,” Wang said. “It is a memory of my childhood. I take a humble product and elevate it and make it something that’s beautiful. Two guests picked up the flavor of the ragu immediately and identified the traditional dish it came from. That is so rewarding, when dishes resonate with people and a core memory.”