Meet Our Executive Chef

Since joining Levy as the BCEC’s Executive Chef in 2017, Chef Kaeo Yuen has utilized more than 20 years of experience in kitchens from Hawaii to Cambridge to create a dynamic, flexible, and unique dining experience. From planning your event to when the last dish is cleared, Chef Yuen and his staff bring culinary visions to life no matter the event.

What is your role in planning as well as preparing food for the events at the BCEC?

My role begins with the creation of the menu that is customized for each show and meeting planner request or requirement. From there we have meetings to discuss the vision and direction the food will be going in, then it gets handed off to the chefs to coordinate in their respective areas.

It is a team approach from beginning to end, with lots of conversation about everything from production, flavor, execution, serving vessel, and theory behind the dish. My role ends when the guests are fed and the dishes are returned.

The BCEC takes sustainability seriously, can you explain your role in the sustainability efforts Levy takes when planning for events?

This is another area where a team approach is important. It takes the proper sourcing of sustainable items, from seafood to locally grown produce, to using local vendors as much as possible to not only reduce carbon emissions, but to support our local economy, and have the food be as fresh as possible. All of these things require a group effort and come into play when deciding how best to showcase Boston, the Seaport, and the BCEC.

With such varied experience, what has served you best in your role at the BCEC?

I have worked in hotels for 18 years, across 4 states, including 2 islands. I’ve helped open hotels and restaurants, and have gotten to see a lot of different styles of food.

I’ve worked with chefs from the Philippines, New Zealand, Italy, Austria, the Bahamas, Mexico, and South America as well as working with staff from China, France, the Dominican Republic, and from every part of the US. Each of those individuals and experiences have influenced the style and flavor profiles I come up with, and the ideas of cross culture preparations of dishes and ingredients that thousands of guests can identify with and enjoy.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being executive chef at BCEC?

Without doubt, working in the largest commercial kitchen on the east coast, which finds me planning events on an extremely large scale. What comes with that though, is being able to share my love of food with thousands of people.