Water Lily Chef Honored for Volunteer Efforts

Wesley Chen, executive chef and co-owner of the Lotus Cuisine restaurant chain, will be honored, along with his family, by the Joslin Diabetes Center on March 26 in Boston.

Wayland's is part of the Lotus Cuisine chain.

Chen began working with the Joslin Diabetes Center 10 years ago, when he was approached about helping with a food demonstration at a diabetes conference in Boston. A press release explains that his work with the center was inspired by the treatment his grandmother, Ah-Pao Chen, has received from Joslin during her more than 30 years of living with Type 2 diabetes.

According to the press release, the Chen family credits their matriarch's health to the care she has received at Joslin.

“I saw it as a small way to pay Joslin Diabetes Center back for the wonderful care my grandmother has received there,” said Wesley Chen. “And when you have a personal connection and a tremendous interest in something, you always want to do more. For me this is true because of my grandmother, but also because of the role food plays in nearly every aspect of the education, care and research related to diabetes.”

Two years after his original work with the center, Joslin's Asian-American Diabetes Initiative (AADI) asked Chen to participate in the first "A Spoonful of Ginger" food-tasting event featuring Boston chefs.

The eighth annual event will take place March 26 at the Museum of Fine Arts. This year, not only will Chen join other Boston chefs in preparing dishes, he and his family will be honored for their contributions to AADI's mission.

According to the press release, Dr. George King founded the AADI after noticing an "alarming increase" in the number of Asian-American's with diabetes.

“It’s not what is being eaten, but what is being added to it and how it is prepared,” Chen said, explaining why he believes diabetes is on the rise in that particular population. “People are eating more processed foods then ever and exercising less, and this combination is creating an unhealthy lifestyle that can ultimately cause diabetes.”

Proceeds from A Spoonful of Ginger benefit the AADI’s mission of "enhancing the quality of life and health outcomes for the rising number of Asians and Asian-Americans living with diabetes, as well as supporting Joslin’s commitment to a cure."

For more information about the event, visit www.joslin.org/ginger