© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196
colour photograph
Image courtesy of the Penguin Group, Australia
Kylie Kwong was born into a 4 th-generation Australian Chinese family in Sydney . She learnt the finer points of Cantonese cooking in her mother’s kitchen, but the young Kylie aspired to be a visual artist: she studied fine arts and furniture restoration, and worked in graphic design and advertising before rediscovering her passion for food at age 25, while working for a catering company. She then apprenticed with Neil Perry at Rockpool, and within 2 years was made head chef at Perry’s Asian-themed Wockpool. In 2000 Kylie opened her own restaurant, Billy Kwong, in Sydney ’s Surrey Hills. Her recipes are known for their blend of traditional Chinese and contemporary Australian influences. Her first cookbook, Kylie Kwong: Recipes and Stories, was published in 2003. Also in 2003 came the ABC TV series Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul, and a book based on the series.
Masters of fare: chefs, winemakers, providores celebrates men and women who have championed the unique culinary characteristics and produce of Australia, enriching our lives with new ideas and new flavours over the past forty years.
Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
