MANILA, Philippines?There is no secret [to cooking great-tasting food]. I prepare food by heart, and today I share a very emotional preparation to Chowking," said the very passionate chef Liu Zheng Hsiung, Taiwan's renowned beef noodle king, who was recently in town to share his winning recipe with the culinary staff of Chowking Foods Corp.

Hitting the Farmer's Market in Cubao, QC, before 6 a.m. each day, Chef Liu proved that one need not buy expensive beef to whip out a terrific beef noodle. Touch the meat to gauge how taut or firm it is, feel the texture, and smell the meat to determine how fresh it is, said Chef Liu.

Chef Liu is the second-generation owner of Taiwan's famous beef noodle house, Lao Dong Restaurant, who took over the business when his father retired. Winning awards for his beef noodle cooking, including the Traditional Beef Noodle Competition in the 2006 Taipei Beef Noodle Festival, Chef Liu has made Lao Dong Restaurant as the beef noodle to eat in Taiwan.

Tender and buttery soft

Liu is known for cooking noodles with fresh beef seasoned in Chinese herbs and spices for 24 hours until the meat tenders literally melt in the mouth.

Liu said he learned the art of cooking beef noodles the hard way. He constantly experimented and tasted his experiments since his father never spoon-fed him the "secrets" of the cuisine.

"Obviously beef selection is critical," Liu said. "You need patience to master that skill. I love cooking and preparing beef noodles. This is not just work for me, this is my passion."

Last June, Jollibee Foods Corp. acquired 70-percent share of Lao Dong Restaurant. It plans to put up 100 branches in China the next five years.

Chef Liu's visit to the Philippines is consistent with Chowking's commitment to engage its staff to learn new food styles and flavors from abroad, said Chowking Food Corp. president Erwin Elechicon.

After all Chowking, Elechicon said, is not the traditional fast-food where everything in the menu is precooked and reheated. Calling itself the country's pioneer in quick-serving food, Chowking's food is always prepared by a skilled cook in the kitchen upon order.

If and when the famous beef noodles land in the Chowking menu, Polly Yang, corporate R&D head and chief technology officer of Jollibee Foods Corp., said the flavor will be tailored to suit the Filipino food palate.

"The Lao Dong beef noodle is so unique, even in Taiwan where the beef noodle is representative of the Chinese food. If you taste it you will remember it," Yang said.