Acclaimed chef Isadora Chai's charismatic father gave her a knife and taught her how to cook when she was just four

Isadora (right) grew up watching her father David (left) whip up elaborate meals for the family. — Photos: ISADORA CHAI

To this day, local chef Isadora Chai has nothing but fond memories of her late father, famed criminal lawyer David Chai. David was an extraordinary soul – an independent-minded maverick who hunted (something he taught Isadora to do too), fished, painted, built an extension to his home by himself, spoke fluent Latin and had two degrees – a physics degree and a law degree.

“Yeah, my father spoiled me for other men. He set the bar very high, but thankfully my husband reminds me of him. He is very manly and into carpentry and he’s very intellectual like my dad, ” says Isadora, laughing.