Hot Wok Cafe's Chinese Wonder

is located on North Main Street in Cranbury — but it's not just the busiest street in town that attracts customers to the cafe. Locals rave about the rich, Chinese cuisine that is served by its two chefs.  

“I like the place a lot. Anything I pick out on the menu is always made just right,” said Jonathan Reece, a Plainsboro resident who makes the trip to Cranbury often, just for Hot Wok food.

Who is responsible for the delicious delicacies that Reece and the rest love so much? Chefs Qiu Lin and Lin Lin are the two geniuses that are working diligently in the back.

While some chefs may come out and talk to their customers and others may walk around the dining room to make sure that everyone is satisfied, that's not the case here, as a language barrier (Lin and Lin don't speak much English) keeps the two in the back working diligently. 

If you'd like to get glimpse of the magicians, come in at 3 p.m. on Sundays, or when Qiu Lin takes his lunch break. 

You may be able to have a few words with him during his lunch hour, if you ask Jessie Gao, hostess and server at Hot Wok Cafe, to translate.

“Everyone here has a good, kind personality,” she said proudly. “Qiu Lin is really talented too.”

Qiu Lin came to the United States twenty years ago from Quangzhou, the third largest city in China. He began working in New York City, before coming to Hot Wok in 2006, when the restaurant opened.

“I started cooking when I was twenty years old,” said Lin.

Chef Lin, unlike many other chefs, was not inspired by anyone in his household. Instead, Lin was impressed with a neighborhood friend that saw potential in the hands of Qiu Lin.

Lin left home to act as an apprentice to this friend, and learned all he needed to know about traditional Chinese cooking. Lin gained more experience in China before heading to the United States.

“I like my job. It's not difficult if you really want to do it,” said Lin.

And it's obvious that he really wants to do it. He can make Dim Sum and traditional Chinese breakfast meals as well.

When asked about his number one goal in the kitchen, Lin responded, “Cleanliness. Being clean is number one.” 

And what's the second most important goal to this chef? The ingredients. Fresh ingredients are shipped every morning, ready for Lin's creative mind. Lin believes that the ingredients are just as important to a chef as the paint and paintbrush are to an artist.

Chef Qiu Lin recommends the Ribs Hot Pot, not only because it's packed with flavor, but because it's he has the most fun making it!