Michael Zee
Michael Zee is the British-Chinese food writer and photographer behind SymmetryBreakfast, exploring breakfast, Chinese cooking and the stories people share over food.
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Latest
Michael’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Interlink Books
Bantam PressOverview
- Work
- Food writer, photographer and cookbook author
- Heritage
- British-Chinese; grew up around his family’s Chinese restaurants near Liverpool
- Started
- SymmetryBreakfast, 2013
- Home base
- Piemonte, Italy
- Also creates
- Culinary retreats at Le Vedette with his husband Mark
Mini bio
How it started.
Michael grew up just outside Liverpool, helping in his family’s Chinese restaurants. He later worked in the V&A’s Learning Department. In 2013, he started sharing photographs of breakfasts for himself and Mark, arranged as matching pairs. Breakfast gave them time together around Mark’s busy working days.
From a table for two to books.
SymmetryBreakfast grew into a full-time creative career. His 2016 debut, SymmetryBreakfast: Cook-Love-Share, brought breakfasts from around the world into a cookbook. In 2019 he contributed to Eat Like a Local: Shanghai, and his breakfast photographs appeared in the V&A exhibition Food: Bigger than the Plate.
Going deeper into Chinese food.
After five years living in Shanghai, Michael brought his interests in breakfast, China and photography together in Zao Fan: Breakfast of China. Published in 2024, it documents morning meals and the people who make them, with recipes adapted for home kitchens. It won the 2025 Fortnum & Mason Cookery Book award.
Life around a shared table.
Michael and his husband Mark now own Le Vedette in Piemonte, where they organise culinary retreats with visiting cookbook authors. His work also includes restaurant writing and food photography for The Infatuation.
Creditschronological, newest first
Books
- 2024Zao Fan: Breakfast of ChinaAuthor and photographer
- 2019Eat Like a Local: ShanghaiContributing editor
- 2016SymmetryBreakfast: Cook-Love-ShareAuthor
Food writing and exhibitions
- 2025The Best Chinese Restaurants In MilanCo-writer with Elizabeth De Filippo-Jones; photographer
- 2019Food: Bigger than the PlateSymmetryBreakfast featured in the V&A exhibition
Awards
Quotes
I want to see the person making the cake. I want to see the person who inspired the recipe.Michael Zee, KCRW Good Food
In his November 2024 interview, Michael explained why he photographed the people and places behind Zao Fan’s recipes.
Trivia
- He has a bachelor’s degree in photography and trained as a secondary-school teacher.
- His cat is called Kebab.
- His coffee eggs are a variation on traditional Chinese tea eggs.
Find Michael
Follow Michael’s breakfasts, food writing and culinary travels.
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