NAAAP (The National Association of Asian American Professionals) invited Helen Tse to address their twenty second annual convention with representation from over 25 states in the USA.  NAAAP’s slogan is “We Make Leaders!” and in particular Brad Baldia (elected president for 2009) and John Fok (current president 2008) were great role models who are really making a difference in enhancing their members’ careers and in the community.

Founded in 1982, NAAAP now has a presence in more than 25 cities in the US and Canada. With more than 3,000 active members, their message of leadership and professional excellence reaches over 20,000 Asian Americans in North America.

NAAAP embraced Helen and her debut book Sweet Mandarin. Her family’s story of struggle and overcoming adversity inspired the audience to never give up even in times of difficulty. Barnes and Noble kindly supported the book launch after the speech.

“Helen’s speech was inspiring and left the audience members wanting to return to their roots and being proud of their heritage”

For more information go to www.naaap.org

Other Dates for your Diary to meet Helen and Lisa Tse in person

6 September 2008 7.30pm - midnight - LISA TSE is the keynote speaker for Association of Chinese Financial Professionals in UK (ACfPU). (Location: Chartered Accountants’ Hall, 1 Moorgate Place, EC2R 6EA (nearest station: Bank/Moorgate))

18 September 2008 6pm - 8pm - LISA TSE is the Keynote Speaker for the a1a Women in Leadership Seminar. (Location: Thistle Hotel, 3-5 Portland Street,  Manchester, M1 6DP)

25 September 7pm - HELEN TSE is the Keynote Speaker and will launch her book in Michigan (Location: Okemos Library, 4321 Okemos Road, Michigan)

BBC One

 

17 September 2008 7pm - BBC One -Inside Out - a documentary on one of the oldest Chinese families in the North of England and the first Chinese woman to set up a Chinese restaurant, Lily Kwok. It tells the moving story of the three generations behind the award winning restaurant, Sweet Mandarin.

Sweet Mandarin has made it to Hollywood and is available in all good book shops in the Los Angeles area (as well as everywhere else in the USA and Canada). When Helen Tse was asked to appear on tv with Connie Martinson on the Connie Martinson Talks Books television series, I thought I should join Helen and give her some moral support (and also check out the sites).  The Connie Martinson Talks Books television series airs daily at 3pm on LA Cityview Channel 35 (and repeats at 11.30pm), can also be seen on government-access cable outlets throughout the country, and on PBS in New York.

You can catch Helen’s interview on 4 September 2008 on tv and online at:  http://www.conniemartinson.com/ 

We are thrilled to announce that Sweet Mandarin has been chosen by Barnes and Noble as their Great New Writers’ Selection and been nominated for the non-fiction prize. Buy the book on www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com 

Its not every day that award winning restaurants meet to brainstorm….but we love to break the mold and recently caught up with Alan Yau, founder of Wagamama and Hakkasan…….Do you want to know what is going on at Sweet Mandarin ?  Pop in to see us for dinner (try the sumptuous Taste of China menu….this month we’re bringing you a taste of Shanghai) and we’d love to share our exciting plans…..or join Lisa for her culinary Masterclass and she’ll share the secrets of the wok with you.

For all the people in Los Angeles, we look forward to meeting you. We’re stopping off in Hollywood to do a tv interview and I will be giving the keynote speech for the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) in Los Angeles. Email us at sweetmandarin@gmail.com if you want an invite to the exclusive book signing. 

Welcome!
To the Women in Leadership Event 2008 in Manchester

The 2008 Women in Leadership Event is proudly supported by Barclays Bank and Rt Hon Theresa May. Read More

Taking place on 18 September at the Thistle Hotel on Portland Street, the seminar will be hosted by local entrepreneur, contributing author and radio star Lisa Tse, Director of Sweet Mandarin and has been backed by Rt Hon Theresa May, shadow minister for women, who said: “I welcome this initiative to encourage and support women leaders. I am sure these workshops will inspire a diverse range of women to develop their talents and take on leadership roles in business and the community.”

With the support of Barclays Bank - one of the bank’s key initiatives is ‘banking on a brighter future’ which gives people the chance to explore their skills and potential with the support of Barclays staff - leadership group athena1associates (a1a) developed the seminars to provide help and guidance for all women, including those just entering the workforce, from all ethnic backgrounds, as well as the unemployed. In addition, the network has been specially designed to act as a good backing mechanism for women in the workplace giving them a place where they can learn and talk to women already in leadership and senior management roles.

This extraordinary event signifies Women in Leadership which will increase self-awareness, facilitate leadership and professional development, network with like-minded individuals, and explore new opportunities.

Please enjoy the Women in Leadership event in Manchester. We are honored by your presence and take great pleasure knowing your journey of personal and professional growth will be furthered byattending the event. We hope you walk away from the event as a “rising and shining star.”

To confirm your attendance please see the details below:-

Women In Leadership 2008 Manchester

Thursday, 18 September - 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Venue: Thistle Manchester
3-5 Portland Street, Picadilly Gardens,   M1 6DP

18:00 ~ Refreshments and networking
18:30 ~ Welcome
.    ~ Keynote Speaker

.    ~ Lisa Tse   on Leadership
~ Women in Leadership Workshop

Themes
.                              ♦ Post Graduates & returning to Work
.                              ♦ SME and Entrepreneurs
.                              ♦ Corporate and Senior Executive
~ Workshop Review
20:00 ~ Close

Call: 0845 331 2754 to Book your place.

There is a lot of exciting stuff going on at Sweet Mandarin. My twin sister, Lisa has been working hard in the kitchen, creating new taster menus which will tatalise your tastebuds. This month’s sample menu is a Taste of Shanghai……where you will be transported back in time with her Shanghainese dumplings, five willow fish, famous spring onion bread and ‘crossing the bridge noodles’…..where every dish tells a story.   If you want a cultured evening steeped in favours of the East and fine wine, we welcome you to Sweet Mandarin.

Lisa and Sweet Mandarin (the restaurant and book) is really making waves and catching the media’s attention. Here’s a snapshot of our lives so far….

Lisa headlines the BBC News across the world - with the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games

Watch Lisa’s Interview at Sweet Mandarin http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7550569.stm

To celebrate the launch of the Beijing Olympic Games today (08/08/08 - extremely lucky for the Chinese) …… Watch our very own LISA TSE, CEO of SWEET MANDARIN being interviewed on BBC News about the Beijing Olympic Games, her identity and running the award winning restaurant, Sweet Mandarin.  This will be broadcast on BBC News, BBC News 24 and BBC World News (across 70 countries).

BBC Show Inside Out Features the Women Behind Sweet Mandarin 

Andy Johnston delves into the history of one of the earliest restauranteurs in the United Kingdom and discovers a a family who have had to endure a murder, poverty, the isolation of being an immigrant family and how despite the odds, they have lived to tell their tale - and continue their lifeline through food. This programme features the women behind Sweet Mandarin and gives honour to the grandmother, Lily Kwok, whose extraordinary life inspired the book Sweet Mandarin. Aired on 17th September 2008 on TV and online.

Barnes and Noble chooses Sweet Mandarin for their Great New Writers’ Selection

There are thousands of books that are stocked at Barnes and Noble. Yet despite the piles of books sitting there waiting to be read, Sweet Mandarin has been read from cover to cover and chosen by Barnes and Noble in their Great New Writers’ Selection and has been shortlisted for the non-fiction prize to be announced in February 2009. The book will appear in every single Barnes and Noble across America at the front of the store with a beautiful display and a bonus for booklovers - a 20% discount.

Portico Library, Manchester, UK Non-Fiction Prize

Sweet Mandarin has been nominated for the Portico Library non-fiction book award.

Helen Tse heads to Hollywood

Helen gives the keynote speech at the NAAAP convention and is interviewed on US TV …… watch this space…. 

Dear Friends,

Finally, we have launched in America and Canada. It is such a pleasure to share our family story with yourselves. I hope you will support my family and buy a copy of the book. It is available at all good bookshops (a Barnes and Noble’s Great New Writer’s Selection) and also online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or the sites on www.sweetmandarin.com/book.html

I want to thank you for your kind words of support that have been flooding in today and look forward to your book reviews on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and bookclub sites.

 Best wishes

 Helen Tse

Not too long now before we launch in America. What a journey - the map shows my family’s journey from China to the UK! In working on the promotion for this book, its been an exciting time and also a sad time. Many who have read the book and come to love and respect my grandmother, Lily Kwok may not know this, but she passed away.  So this journey to America has been a bittersweet one.

The choice to launch on 8 July 08 is because it co-incides with the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 and the number 8 is a very lucky one for Chinese people. I hope you have enjoyed reading the excerpts from the book on my countdown. To keep reading, please buy my book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble or on our website www.sweetmandarin.com

So far, we’ve been featured in numerous publications including Wall Street Journal, Asian Pages, Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Book Browse and Shelf Awareness. The next stage is to go on various tv shows and radio shows to promote my book which is very exciting.

 I would like to thank everyone who has emailed in with their kind words and would encourage you all to buy the book when it launches on the 8th July 08.  www.amazon.com

Wishing you all the best

Helen Tse

www.sweetmandarin.com

when I was living in Hong Kong in 2002 and working as