Eric and Sophie Banh, owners of Monsoon Restaurants, have named Johnny Zhu the executive chef of Monsoon East in Bellevue.

Zhu, the former chef de cuisine at Veil Restaurant, had been helping the Banhs streamline restaurant operations and launch the new lunch menu.

The Banhs draw on their combined Vietnamese and Chinese heritages in their cooking. They say the addition of Zhu’s background in French technique will help Monsoon further define its brand of modern Vietnamese cuisine.

Zhu was born in Shanghai, and received a Le Cordon Bleu degree from the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, where he graduated near the top of his class. He also interned at Alain Ducasse’s Essex House in New York City and then spent a year at Café Campagne under chef Daisley Gordon.

Zhu subsequently cooked at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurants Spice Market and the flagship Jean Georges in New York City, followed by Alinea in Chicago. He moved to Seattle to be near family and spent a year at Veil before joining Monsoon East.