Are there any self-taught Michelin star chefs?

Yes, there are self-taught chefs who have earned Michelin stars. One notable example is Alvin Leung, who achieved two stars for his Hong Kong restaurant Bo Innovation without formal culinary training.

The path of Alvin Leung

Before becoming a chef, Alvin Leung worked as an engineer. He never attended culinary school or trained in a traditional fine dining kitchen. Instead, he taught himself to cook, drawing from his Chinese-Canadian roots and a passion for bold, experimental flavors.

At Bo Innovation, Leung created what he calls 'X-treme Chinese Cuisine'—a high-energy, inventive style that uses modern techniques like spherification and intense layering of textures. His approach broke expectations and earned international acclaim.

A rare achievement

Leung’s nickname, 'the demon chef,' reflects his intense presence and relentless standards in the kitchen. His success shows that while most Michelin-starred chefs follow a traditional path, exceptional talent and vision can emerge from outside the system. He remains one of the few self-taught chefs to reach this level of recognition.