Chef Who Invented General Tso’s Chicken Has Died (Video)

Taiwan News is reporting that Chef Peng Chang-kuei, the man credited with inventing the iconic Chinese dish General Tso’s chicken in 1952, died at the age of 98 on November 30th.

The man credited with originating the popular Chinese dish known as General Tso’s chicken has died, reports Taiwan News.

According to the news outlet, the pneumonia-related death of Chef Peng Chang-kuei occurred on November 30th; he was 98. 

Chef Peng reportedly created the chicken dish with its signature sauce in 1952. He began cooking in China as a teenager but was forced to move to Taiwan in 1949 after the Communists won control of the country. 

He is said to have improvised the dish to expand on his offerings during a U.S. admiral’s visit; he ultimately ended up naming it after a well-known Chinese military figure. 

Two decades later, in 1973, Chef Peng launched a restaurant called “Peng’s” in New York City where he served a sweeter version aimed at American palates. 

He eventually returned to Taiwan, but a 2014 documentary about his dish, titled “The Search for General Tso, revealed some of its history.