Deh-Ta Hsiung was born in 1933 in Peking (Beijing) and educated amongst other places at University College, Oxford, and the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London. His career has included the following: food and wine consultant to Chinese restaurants in the UK, Hong Kong and India; teacher of Chinese cooking regularly around the world (including France, Ireland, Finland, India and at Ken Lo's Chinese Cookery School in London); Chinese restaurant inspector for a prestigious guidebook and for several major food manufacturers. He is also the author of numerous books on Chinese cooking, including two he co-authored with Ken Lo. But his accolade must be as special Guest Chef at the Savoy, London, for their staff on several occasions.