Although this dish is now enjoyed worldwide, ginger beef was first created in Calgary during the 1970s. George Wong, the head chef of the Silver Inn restaurant, invented the recipe while seeking ways to attract more customers to his family’s business. Today, ginger beef is a staple in many Chinese restaurants across North America and beyond, as reported by icalgary.
The Backstory
In 1975, a family newly arrived from Hong Kong decided to open a Chinese restaurant in Calgary. Sisters Louisa Tsang and Lily Wong found an old café with the name Silver Inn in the city’s Chinatown. The building was in a state of disrepair.
The original menu at Silver Inn combined Western and Chinese dishes. However, the family revamped it to include new Beijing-style Chinese dishes, some of which were considered unusual by Calgary diners at the time.
To cater to customers not yet ready for authentic Chinese cuisine, the restaurant offered Western staples like grilled cheese sandwiches. It was during this time that Lily’s husband, George Wong, decided to create a dish that could feature Alberta’s beloved beef while pairing well with beer.
His idea was to create a beef-based dish that incorporated Chinese flavours but mimicked the appeal of something familiar to Canadians, like French fries. Drawing inspiration from an old beef recipe he had learned in England, George modified it by deep-frying shredded beef and cooking it in a sweet-and-spicy chili sauce reminiscent of other Asian vinegar-and-sugar-based sauces. The new dish was called “Deep-Fried Shredded Beef in Chili Sauce.” Interestingly, the original recipe did not include ginger; the combination of frying and sauce created an illusion of ginger flavour.
An Unexpected Rise in Popularity
Calgarians fell in love with the dish’s taste and texture, and it quickly gained popularity. The invention of ginger beef not only helped Silver Inn thrive but also contributed to the growth of Calgary’s Chinese food industry. Ginger beef became a favourite among food enthusiasts in Calgary, often served with rice. Notably, its popularity spread before the era of the internet and social media, relying solely on word of mouth.
George had no intention of creating a legendary dish; his goal was simply to bring new flavours to the community and revitalize the restaurant. Despite the family’s modesty, the restaurant began attracting celebrities in the 1980s, further boosting ginger beef’s fame. For instance, Prince Albert of Monaco visited with his security team during the 1988 Winter Olympics, adding to the dish’s prestige.
Cultural Recognition and Evolution of the Recipe
Ginger beef became such an iconic dish that it was featured in the Royal Alberta Museum’s exhibit Chop Suey on the Prairies. It also inspired the Ginger Beef Throw Down, a one-time culinary competition organized by the museum.
Over the years, the original recipe has been refined to suit changing tastes. Some cooks now include fresh ginger and garlic, while others add sautéed onions, peppers, and carrots.
Silver Inn’s Legacy
In September 2022, Silver Inn announced its permanent closure after 45 years of serving the community. Beyond ginger beef, the restaurant introduced Calgarians to dishes like hot-and-sour soup, grilled pork dumplings, and chicken with cashews in yellow bean sauce.
The family’s culinary creations adapted classic Chinese recipes to local preferences. Their use of fresh ingredients and high standards delivered delicious Chinese food that satisfied Calgary’s appetite for decades.