Chef Honored for Work to Cure Diabetes

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a press release from Regan Communications.)

Wesley Chen is no stranger to the far-reaching effects diabetes can have on a family. His paternal grandmother has been living with Type 2 Diabetes for over 30 years. Now 88 years old, the family credits Ah-Pao Chen’s resiliency to the care she has received at the world’s preeminent diabetes research and clinical care organization, the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. 

It was the exceptional treatment received by the family matriarch that serves as the inspiration for Chen’s continued involvement with Joslin. Chen, 36, is the executive chef of the Lotus Cuisine chain of restaurants, which he owns and operates with his four brothers and two sisters. The restaurants include Lotus Blossom in Sudbury, Changsho in Cambridge, Lotus Flower in Framingham and Water Lily in Wayland. He was originally approached by Joslin more than 10 years ago to help with a food demonstration being given at a diabetes conference held in Boston.

“I saw it as a small way to pay Joslin Diabetes Center back for the wonderful care my grandmother has received there,” says Chen. “And when you have a personal connection and a tremendous interest in something, you always want to do more. For me this is true because of my grandmother, but also because of the role food plays in nearly every aspect of the education, care and research related to diabetes.”

Chen was approached two years later by Joslin’s Asian-American Diabetes Initiative (AADI) to participate in the first-ever “A Spoonful of Ginger,” a food-tasting event featuring some of Boston’s most renowned chefs. Now in its eighth year, A Spoonful of Ginger will honor Chen and his family, along with local architect Been Wang, on Monday, March 26, for their contributions to the AADI’s mission.

The AADI was founded when Dr. George King, Chief Scientific Officer at Joslin, noticed an alarming increase in the number of Asian-American’s being diagnosed with diabetes. Chen feels he understands part of why this is occurring.

“It’s not what is being eaten, but what is being added to it and how it is prepared,” he explains. “People are eating more processed foods then ever and exercising less, and this combination is creating an unhealthy lifestyle that can ultimately cause diabetes.”

This year, as his family is being toasted as one of the event’s honorees for their commitment to supporting Joslin and helping to increase involvement of their colleagues in the culinary community, Chen will once again be lending his talents to A Spoonful of Ginger. Chen will be serving a ginger-inspired dish along with all-star Boston chefs, including: Jasper White, Andy Husbands, Gordon Hamersley, Ting San, Evan Deluty, Joanne Chang, Brian Reyelt, Jacky Robert and Jose Duarte.

A Spoonful of Ginger is Monday, March 26, from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s new Art of the Americas Wing. Proceeds will benefit the AADI’s mission of enhancing the quality of life and health outcomes for the rising number of Asians and Asian-Americans living with diabetes, as well as supporting Joslin’s commitment to a cure.

For more information on the Joslin Diabetes Center eighth annual A Spoonful of Ginger, visit www.joslin.org/ginger