Shirley Chung Biography: Age, Husband, Net Worth, Top Chef, Cancer, Recovery, Restaurants, Books

Shirley Chung is a Chinese‑American chef and restaurateur who first gained wide recognition as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef: New Orleans (Season 11), where her inventive approach to Asian‑inflected cuisine earned her a third‑place finish.

Raised in Beijing and migrating to the U.S. at 17, Chung combined classical French and Italian training with her grandmother’s teachings in regional Chinese cooking.

Profile

• Full name: Shirley Chung
• Date of birth: December 21, 1976
• Age: 49 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Beijing, China
• Nationality: Chinese‑American
• Profession: Chef; restaurateur; television personality
• Parents: N/A; grandmother Liang Si Yi (Red Cross director) played major culinary influence
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: Jimmy Lee (married since 2006)
• Children: None
• Relationship status: Married
• Ethnicity: Chinese‑American
• Net worth: USD 1–5 million

Early Life and Education

Shirley Chung, now at the age of 49, was born in Beijing, China, on December 21, 1976, and was raised under the culinary influence of her grandmother, Liang Si Yi, a former Red Cross director who introduced her to regional Chinese cuisine.

Chung emigrated to the U.S. at age 17 to pursue higher education, ultimately earning a business administration degree, working in Silicon Valley, and later deciding to follow her culinary passion.

She attended California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where she trained in classical French and Italian techniques.

Personal Life

Shirley Chung is married to her husband Jimmy Lee, whom she met in Silicon Valley; they have been married since 2006.

The couple co‑own Ms. Chi Cafe in Culver City, California, and have no human children.

They did lose a beloved pet dog named Chase in 2014.

Chung has spoken about Jimmy as a strong partner through her career and personal challenges.

Health Challenges

In July 2024, Shirley Chung announced she was diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer, which led her to close Ms. Chi Cafe on August 4, 2024, to focus on treatment.

She underwent chemotherapy and radiation at the University of Chicago, receiving nutritional support via a feeding tube early in treatment.

By May 2025, she reported being in 100% remission, having regained some sense of taste and still working on recovery.

Career

After culinary school, Shirley Chung trained with celebrated chefs such as José Andrés, Thomas Keller, Guy Savoy, and Mario Batali.

In 2014 she opened her first restaurant, Twenty Eight Modern Chinese Cuisine in Irvine, California—her first venture where she had complete creative and operational control.

That earlier restaurant was later nominated by the James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant in 2011.

In 2018, she co‑opened Ms. Chi Cafe in Culver City with Jimmy Lee, focusing on modern Chinese‑American comfort food.

Chung also featured on Top Chef: New Orleans (Season 11, third place), returned for Top Chef: Charleston (Season 14, runner‑up), and has appeared on Guy’s Grocery Games, Tournament of Champions, and other televised culinary competitions.

Awards and Nominations

• Third place, Top Chef: New Orleans (Season 11)
• Runner-up, Top Chef: Charleston (Season 14)
• Nominee, James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant (with Twenty Eight) in 2011

Net worth

Shirley Chung’s net worth is estimated in the USD 1–5 million range, reflecting her earnings from culinary businesses, television appearances, book sales (Chinese Heritage Cooking from My American Kitchen, 2018), and related ventures.

Social Media

• Instagram: @chfshirleychung
• Twitter/X: @chfshirleychung

Books

• Chinese Heritage Cooking from My American Kitchen: Discover Authentic Flavors with Vibrant, Modern Recipes (2018)