Kylie Kwong was born into a fourth generation Australian Chinese family in Sydney. She learnt the finer points of Cantonese cooking in her mother's kitchen, but the young Kylie aspired to be a visual artist: she studied fine arts and furniture restoration, and worked in graphic design and advertising before rediscovering her passion for food at age 25, while working for a catering company. She then apprenticed with Neil Perry at Rockpool, and within two years was made head chef at Perry's Asian-themed Wockpool. In 2000 Kylie opened her own restaurant, Billy Kwong, in Surrey Hills. Her recipes are known for their exciting blend of traditional Chinese and contemporary Australian influences. Her first cookbook was Kylie Kwong: Recipes and Stories 2003. Also in 2003 came the ABC TV series Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul, and a book based on the series.
