Where to Start with Bill and Judy Leung
Bill and Judy Leung are the parents behind The Woks of Life, a food blog they started in 2013 with their daughters Sarah and Kaitlin. What began as a family project to document recipes across generations became the most popular online resource for Chinese cooking in English. Bill grew up in a Cantonese-speaking household and brings decades of home cooking experience, while Judy’s culinary roots run through Cantonese and broader Chinese traditions. Together with their daughters, they have been featured on PBS, Magnolia Network, Food Network, and Good Morning America, and their cookbook became a New York Times bestseller.
Start here
The Woks of Life
Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, Sarah Leung · 320 pages · 2022 · Easy
Themes: cantonese cuisine, chinese american cooking, family recipes, home cooking, dim sum
The Leung family’s beloved blog became this cookbook, which shares 100 of their favorite home-cooked and restaurant-style Chinese recipes. The book is rooted in Cantonese cooking traditions passed down through Bill and Judy’s families, adapted for the modern American kitchen.
Why Start Here
This is the only Leung family cookbook, and it captures what makes their blog so beloved: clear, tested recipes written in a warm, family voice. The 100 recipes span Cantonese classics like char siu, steamed fish, and congee alongside Chinese American favorites. A thorough pantry guide, cooking tool recommendations, and QR codes linking to video demonstrations make it especially welcoming for newcomers. Recipes are rated by difficulty so you know what you’re getting into before you start.
What to Expect
A 320-page cookbook with vibrant photography and an encouraging tone. The book covers everything from quick weeknight stir-fries to more ambitious projects like Cantonese roast duck. The Leungs are practical about substitutions and realistic about what you can find at a regular grocery store versus an Asian market. A New York Times bestseller and James Beard Award nominee.