Food is a crucial part of our daily lives. It provides us with energy and nutrients to power us through the day. It is also deeply tied to our identity and culture. In fact, we care so much about food that we have an entire field of science dedicated to it.

Importantly, and much like the thriving interdisciplinary environment at the Beckman Institute, food also brings people together.

This is a concept that Gen Guo, the first-ever catering chef for Beckman’s new Ted’s Café, is quite familiar with. Guo, who has worked in the food industry since he was a teenager, describes his passion for cooking and shares what the community can expect from Ted’s Café. The Beckman Institute will celebrate the café at a Sept. 10 ribbon cutting.

Tell us a little about your experience as a chef.

I came to the U.S. from China when I was 15. I started my first job at a restaurant at 17 and I worked mainly in the front of house as a cashier. My whole life here has revolved around food. When I moved to Illinois in 2002, I had my own restaurant in the Danville area that I eventually sold to my brother. I moved to Champaign and found a job in 2008 as a cook at the University of Illinois. I was promoted to chef in 2016, focusing on catering services, and then became a residential dining chef.

What is your role in the new Ted’s Café?

I will be the production chef. I will be overseeing the catering services and food production in the new café. I’ve already created new menus and will eventually focus more on the upcoming catering services.

What are some tasks that you’ll be responsible for?

I am creating new lunch menus based on different cuisines including Mexican, Asian and Caribbean style food. I will be the main person to cook and focus on cooking in the café. We will also have student workers who will help with food preparation including portioning and taking care of food storage. In my previous experience at Illinois, I’ve enjoyed working with students. Even if they don’t have experience in the kitchen, they have passion, and I enjoy working with them to build good habits. I personally think it’s really fun to educate and teach other people, that’s how we learn from each other. That’s how I was taught.

What excites you most about food?

I like to see people smile. In my culture, we have an old saying about food that basically means eating is part of nature. When we’re born, we need to eat so it’s something nature based. In order to provide great good or comfort food, we need to make people smile. I personally believe that it is a great achievement to see people enjoy the food I make.

Have you thought about getting suggestions or feedback from the Beckman community?

Yes, I suggested to my boss that we put out a suggestion box or something to get feedback because everyone tastes food differently. If there is something I can do to improve or make it better, I will. I like spicy food but that doesn’t mean everyone likes spicy food. In situations like that, I try to find a middle ground and make as many people happy as I can. I don’t mind hearing feedback from people because that’s the way you improve.

Do you have a favorite style cuisine?

I’m Chinese so I like Chinese food. I like spicy food, so I love Szechuan cuisine. Where I’m from, there are a lot of different cultures and amazing food from different regions. Even though the same ingredients might be used, the flavors are so different. I personally believe that every region has different dishes and because of this we need to communicate with each other to share our ideas and to improve. I also enjoy Vietnamese food and when I first moved to America and tasted a hamburger, it was great!

Have you ever thought of creating a burger with a Chinese spin on it?

Actually, in China, there is a dish called rou jia mo, which is like a Chinese street burger. It’s basically chopped meat stuffed inside a bun and it’s been really popular for hundreds of years. I’m thinking about creating something like this with braised beef on a bao bun as a chef’s special in Ted’s Café one day.

I’ve divided the menu into different regions, so you can expect Asian cuisine, Mexican food, maybe a few Italian pasta dishes, Mediterranean meals and of course some traditional American-style food. For the catering, we’ll also offer breakfast choices and snacks.

What does it mean for you to put love and care into your dishes?

Personally, I believe that great food comes from fresh ingredients. Not necessarily expensive ingredients, but fresh. When you have the ingredient, you need to take care of it, including cleaning, trimming and cutting. If you put second-quality ingredients in your food, it will affect the taste, so you need to pay detailed attention to the ingredients. Consistency is important too. Soy sauce, for example, can have a huge impact on the flavor profile depending on the region it’s coming from or the brand. Soy sauce from China versus Japan versus Korea all taste different. I believe that showing your love and care through cooking is paying attention to the details and maintaining consistent, high-quality dishes.

I noticed that you’re a big supporter of reducing your impact on the environment and using local and sustainable ingredients. Can you talk about that a bit more?

In my previous role as chef in a university dining hall, about 80% of the produce came from the Sustainable Student Farm on campus. I like to choose products from sustainable sources and use everything we can to eliminate as much waste as possible. I also like to use locally sourced products when possible.

Do you have any specific goals regarding what you’d like to bring to Beckman?

Aside from bringing new dishes to the Beckman Institute, I’m excited to see the impact that the new café will have on Beckman community members. A main business goal is to promote café business and sales so that we can eventually expand.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Welcome, everyone! Please check out the café and come say hi. Talk to me and share ideas. If you don’t see something you like, I’m open to suggestions!