About

Meet Our Culinary Team

Xiao Lin

Executive Chef & Partner

Born in the Fujian province of southeast China, his love for cooking began at early age. Under the tutelage of his uncle, chef-owner of a 5-star restaurant, Xiao learned the art of Mandarin cooking from an experienced master. A year later, he arrived in New York with his family to open a new restaurant. It was here where Xiao began to master the nuances of the wok and learning how to use the heat from the Tianjin red chili peppers.

In 2003, he made his way to California. Two years later, he partnered up with a family member to open Oceanic in San Mateo. As executive chef, Xiao created a Hunan and Mandarin style menu. Coupled with excellent customer service and creative Chinese delicacies, Oceanic became one of the busiest Chinese restaurants in the Peninsula.

In 2011, Xiao’s desire to open a new business in the East Bay had finally taken hold. He sold his share of Oceanic and decided to open in Walnut Creek shortly thereafter. He brought with him the best dishes, while creating brand new dishes exclusively for Dragon’s Pond’s customers with an full wine list.

Xiao welcomes you to Dragon’s Pond and he hopes he can share his passion for food with you.

Hongzhao Lin

Chef de Cuisine

Beginning as a chef in China, Hongzhao also worked under a 5-star restaurant in China. He made the move to general manager, becoming the link between front and back-of-house at the successful restaurant. He eventually left for New York and with a new passion for cooking, enrolled in a culinary school. Xiao reached out to Hongzhao to work at Dragon’s Pond to maintain the high-standard of Mandarin cuisine. In 2011, Hongzhao made the move to Walnut Creek, bringing 20+ years of experience in the restaurant business.