Michael Wendling

French chef Michael Wendling began his culinary training at 14 at EMTH in the South of France. By age 20, he was cooking at three-Michelin-starred Georges Blanc (Vonnas) and one-star La Villa Florentine (Lyon).

In 2000, he returned to Georges Blanc as Sous-Chef, also consulting for Singapore Airlines and Dragon Airlines on first-class menus. As Sous-Chef at La Villa des Lys (Cannes), the restaurant earned a second Michelin star and 17/20 in Gault-Millau.

In 2005, Le Royal Meridien recruited him to Shanghai to open Allure. Within two years, Travel & Leisure named it "Best New Restaurant in Asia."

In 2011, he opened Cuivre, his own contemporary French bistro. Cuivre received multiple awards: "Best Restaurant" (Disciples d'Escoffier), "Best Newcomer", "Best French Restaurant", and "Restaurant of the Year" (City Weekend). It has been listed in the Michelin Guide since 2017.