White & Wong’s

Thu Ya Naing - Head Chef White + Wong’s Viaduct

Born and raised in a large family in Yangon, Myanmar, Thu Ya was inspired by his aunts’ passion for cooking to become a chef. After finishing his training at Baiyoke Kandawyki, he moved to New Zealand in 2003 and started his career at the Hotel Grant Chancellor Auckland as a Junior Chef. He has worked as Sous Chef and Executive Sous Chef for 5-star hotels and restaurants, including the Langham, Stamford Plaza and Bracu, before joining White + Wong’s Viaduct as Head Chef in 2020. 

Thu Ya’s passion for cooking multi-cultural cuisine is second to none and you can literally taste the love he puts into each dish. Thu Ya is the brain behind many of White + Wong’s iconic signature dishes and we are pleased to be able to present some of these at Induge 2023.