Alhambra’s Celebrity Chef Bill Yee

By Glenn Barnett

The dictionary defines a Renaissance man as “a person with many talents or areas of knowledge.” That definition applies to Alhambra resident and Cordon Bleu-trained chef William “Bill” Yee. He has worked in several high-end venues, including 5-star hotels, private clubs, the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, and after parties at the Emmys and Academy Awards.

His specialty is the preparation of omelets, a skill he perfected while a chef at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena and as an omelet chef for Wolfgang Puck. He estimates that he has prepared over 70,000 omelets.

He also makes use of his kitchen skills to help others. He established the Alhambra Professional Culinary Academy to help beginner cooks hone their cooking techniques and promote their talents. He has taught kitchen skills to homeless veterans and children.

But there is more to Bill Yee than cooking. He will tell you, “Cooking is my profession, but music is my passion.” He sings in local choirs, including the Lake Avenue Community Church Sanctuary Choir. He founded the Alhambra Performing Arts Center (APAC) in 2006 as an outreach of Sage Granada Park United Methodist Church on Hellman Ave. Musicians of all genres and styles are invited to perform in his monthly presentation of “A Taste of Music.”

Bill’s friend Aaron Leung says of him, “Music is the language of the heart, and Chef Yee is committed to promoting music appreciation that strengthens our local communities with events that connect food with music.”

This year, Mr. Yee began a new avenue of community service. With little more than a week’s notice, he teamed up with the Methodist Church and a team of cooks and volunteers to prepare Thanksgiving meals for 300 people who needed a hot meal and a place to be with others at that time of year.

In December, at Alhambra Fire Station #71, he and his volunteer team fed over 300 adults and children at the Spark of Love Toy Drive and pancake breakfast. He was recently honored by the American Culinary Foundation. His new book, The International Omelet and Egg Dishes Cookbook, will be out soon. Through food and music, Bill Yee improves the quality of life in Alhambra and everywhere he goes.