A Chinese chef who became a popular fixture on Japanese TV shows has died of aspiration pneumonia at a Yokohama hospital, his family said Sunday. He was 71.
Zhou Fude, who died last Tuesday, was especially well-known as a result of his appearances on the variety show "Ryori no Tetsujin" (Iron Chef), where he displayed his unique skills in cooking Chinese cuisine. He also gained popularity as a lecturer on a cooking program that aired on public broadcaster NHK.
Raised in Yokohama's Chinatown, Zhou, who was known to the public by his Japanese name Shu Tomitoku, learned cooking from his father, who worked as a chef there.
After graduating from high school, Zhou trained as a chef and later opened his own restaurant. He was also the author of several books on cooking.