Beloved Houston Chef Alex Au-Yeung Dies After Cancer Battle

Alex Au-Yeung, the chef and owner of the wildly popular Malaysian restaurant Phat Eatery, passed away on Thursday, March 21. The 2022 James Beard semifinalist for Texas’s Best Chef award died after a brief battle with cancer, according to a press release provided to Eater Houston.

Au-Yeung created almost instantaneous demand for his approach to hawker-style Malaysian cuisine and charmed the Houston community at his Katy restaurant with warm, inviting bowls of curry chicken and roti, pineapple fried rice, and curry laksa. His reputation for kindness and generosity was well-known throughout the Houston dining community. In recent months, Au-Yeung continued to pour his efforts into the Katy restaurant while navigating personal health challenges. He also worked closely with teammates Kevin Lee and Marvin He to expand the locally loved and nationally recognized Malaysian restaurant to The Woodlands, where a second outpost is set to open this spring.

Jenn Duncan

In the press release, Au-Yeung’s loved ones offered their hopes for the chef’s legacy. “While Au-Yeung’s family, friends and colleagues mourn their loss, they encourage the Phat Eatery community to celebrate the incredible impact Au-Yeung left on Houston’s culinary landscape,” the statement reads. “His spirit will endure among those privileged to know him.”

Au-Yeung was born in Malaysia and raised in Hong Kong, and arrived in Houston at age 19. After several entrepreneurial endeavors, he pursued his culinary interests, studying under Cantonese chefs in Hong Kong before opening Phat Eatery in Katy Asian Town in 2018, which had to double its seat count in 2019 to accommodate its popularity. In 2021, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce awarded the chef with their “Rising 10” award, which recognizes the 10 fastest-growing Asian businesses in Houston. In addition to the chef’s 2022 James Beard nomination, that same year, Au-Yeung was granted the Texas Restaurant Association’s “Faces of Diversity Award,” which celebrates diversity in the restaurant industry.

While accepting a People’s Choice Award Texas Restaurant Association’s 2023 Taste of Texas celebration, Au-Yeung expressed his approach to life and leadership. “It’s hard in this industry,” the chef said. “I’ve had my struggles. You’ve got to take care of your guests, you’ve got to take care of the numbers and, most importantly, you’ve got to take care of your people.” Au-Yeung ultimately returned the money he’d been awarded to the foundation, donating the prize money to their efforts to support chefs and restaurateurs in the state.

Houston chef Chris Shepherd remembers a friend who worked tirelessly to demonstrate his love of Malaysian culture, and show up as an outstanding colleague along the way.

“Alex started to teach people about Malaysian food, and his cooking was my first interaction with understanding more about Malaysian cuisine,” Shepherd told Eater Houston of the chef’s impact on the city’s dining scene. “He made it approachable, fun, and highlighted the beauty of the cuisine, and I’ll be forever grateful for his contributions to the city of Houston.”

Sabrina Miskelly

According to the press release, Au-Yeung decided to keep his diagnosis private, preferring to focus on assisting his colleagues and bringing lifelong restaurant goals to life. While his condition initially improved, according to the statement, his health recently took a sharp turn.

Visitations for Au-Yeung will be held April 1 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and April 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sugar Land Mortuary at 1818 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, Texas. Services are open to the public, and in lieu of flowers and in the spirit of Au-Yeung’s generosity and gratitude to the restaurant community, the family encourages donations be made in Alex’s honor to Shepherd’s Southern Smoke Foundation to support hospitality workers in need.