At Bonnie’s in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, every plate tells a story — the story of a kid who grew up between Chinatown and Brooklyn, who once tried to blend in, and who now proudly celebrates the flavors that shaped him. Chef Calvin Eng, a Kikkoman Kitchen Cabinet inductee, is putting Cantonese American cooking in the spotlight — with a voice, vision, and heart all his own.

Calvin Eng didn’t always plan on being a chef — much less a flag bearer for Cantonese flavors. As a kid, he grew up eating massive family-style dinners his mom would make every night: whole fish, stir-fried vegetables, Cantonese charcuterie, and plenty of steamed jasmine rice.

He also tagged along with his mom through the tight, fragrant alleys of Manhattan’s Chinatown. She’d chat in Toisanese with fishmongers and produce vendors, filling her bags with fresh greens, roast duck, and pastries — while he’d sulk, wishing for peanut butter sandwiches like the “more American” kids at school.

Years later, fresh out of culinary school and working near Chinatown, something shifted. Wandering those same streets, he noticed which shops had closed and which had survived. “It hit me that there was no better time to reconnect with my heritage,” he says. “I started to feel proud. Speaking Toisanese with the shopkeepers and seeing their faces light up — it felt like coming home.”

Bonnie’s, named for his mom, is Calvin’s love letter to that homecoming. It’s not a strictly Cantonese restaurant or an “elevated” reinvention of tradition — it’s personal.

“Every dish starts with a memory,” Calvin says. “Something I grew up eating at home, at a banquet hall, or in a restaurant with my family. From there, I build it out with my own techniques, flavors, and ideas. I’m not chasing authenticity — I’m telling my story.”

He’s also on a mission to shift perceptions. “Cantonese food is one of the most technical, nuanced cuisines out there,” he says. “I want people to understand that — and to taste it for themselves.”

The stories Calvin tells at Bonnie’s have resonated. The restaurant has drawn raves from The New York Times, Bon Appétit, and Eater, and earned him nods as a James Beard Award finalist, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, StarChefs Rising Star, and Food & Wine Best New Chef.

For Calvin, seasoning is the backbone of good cooking — and consistency matters. That’s why he turns to Kikkoman.

“Growing up in Brooklyn, we always had Kikkoman® Soy Sauce in the pantry,” he says. “I think of soy sauce as salt, flavor, and umami in one bottle. It balances fat and acid beautifully and adds layers of complexity to everything. A little goes a long way in any cuisine.”

He especially appreciates Kikkoman’s gluten-free options — including Soy Sauce, Hoisin, and Panko — because they let him serve everyone without sacrificing flavor. “I never want a dietary restriction to be the reason someone can’t experience my food,” he says.