Mai Leung

Born in China, Thayer finished high school in Canton, China, and graduated from The New Asia College in Hong Kong with a degree in Fine Arts. She moved to the United States with her husband in 1962. After obtaining a Master’s degree in Asian Area Studies from Seton Hall University, Thayer taught Chinese history and philosophy at Drew University. Thayer is the author of several acclaimed cookbooks, including The Classic Chinese Cookbook and The Chinese People’s Cookbook: Dim Sum and Other Chinese Street Food. In addition to television appearances and cooking demonstrations across the country, she has been featured in national print media, including The New York Times, The New York Daily News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Chicago Daily News, and numerous other publications. She has traveled extensively and expanded her cultural horizons visiting twenty-two countries around the world. Thayer has lived in Madison, New Jersey, since 1970.