In 1985, Cathy opened her first restaurant, Cathy's Wok in Plano where food quality was high but prices were not. Having taught Chinese cooking for more than twelve years, she served fresh, healthy and delicious dishes. Her kitchen staff has introduced many popular Vietnamese and Thai dishes to her customers for a wider dining experience. Over time, popular response has

covered Southeastern Asia dishes as well as those of Japan, Korea and Northwestern China. Cathy and her husband, Charles, who had traveled extensively throughout Asia in the 80s and 90s for Texas Instruments and Halliburton, are genuine believers of “Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food.” As they traveled, together they took notes and have learned a thing or two about nutrition, medicinal value of certain plants, vegetables, fruits, herbs, seaweeds, and other foods. A recent article in USA Today (Oct. 14, 2003) reported that 40% of Americans, or 68 million people will be obese by 2010 if people continue eating and living their current fashion. Asian Lean Cuisine represents our latest endeavor, especially designed for our customers who are health and beauty-conscious. There is a Chinese proverb saying, "The first wealth is health." I totally agree with this. When it comes to your health, don't settle for anything less than the best. We sear our foods with wok cooking, right combination of ingredients, freshest produces, no preservatives or MSG, less salt and sugar, abundant citrus juices, vegetables, herbs, wines, soy bean products, and legume to help you eat better, healthier, and live longer joyfully.

So, come and try our wonderful new cuisine and share our health tips.

Cathy and her staff

Catherine Liu is the founder and owner of two "Cathy's Wok & Grill" food establishments in North Dallas. Her career as a cooking expert has been unusual and varied. She has done twenty years of food research in American family kitchens and has had more than twenty-five years of experience in demonstrating and teaching Chinese cooking.

Catherine Liu

Born in Chungking, China, and brought up in Taiwan, she came to the United States to study. After receiving her B.S. and M.A. in education, marriage changed her career direction. Her love of Chinese cooking and tremendous interest in ethnic foods, plus her natural teaching ability, have led her down the path of culinary arts demonstration and the restaurant business.

Among her many honors, The Dallas Observer named her "The Best Cooking Teacher in Dallas." Known for her ability to find the easiest and most effective food preparation method, Catherine compiled more than 230 recipes and self-published a very simple, practical, easy-to-follow cookbook, "Chinese Cooking the American Way." It was an instant success with the 9th edition now in the making.

Since publishing her book, she has been the director of her own cooking school, The Chinese Cooking Institute, for more than ten years. While raising four children was always her first priority, she managed to find time to consult restaurants, gourmet shops, and cooking schools such as Neiman-Marcus Cooking Series, held at the Dallas Northpark Store, and Asian Fortnight held at the Neiman-Marcus downtown location in the 1980s.

In 1999, her new restaurant, Cathy's Wok & Grill, was chosen one of the Top Ten New Restaurants of the year by The Dallas Morning News. Since opening her restaurants and publishing her book, she has been a major contributor in the explosion of interest in Chinese as well as other Asian cooking methods, with emphasis on Thai cooking. She plans food events, caters and does fund raising for numerous charities, all the while entertaining creatively in her home.

Catherine Liu has a great interest in healthy eating; as a pioneer in the field of vegetarian and soyfood cuisines, she makes her own soy milk and tofu products whenever time permits. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with Charles, her husband of 38 years. Together they have four grown children and four grandchildren.