HAL WOO-KINGSLEY is a Chinese-American born to a restaurateur father and a grocer mother. HAL WOO-KINGSLEY began cooking at 12. HAL WOO-KINGSLEY moved to Kowloon, Hong Kong the next year with his family, working in his uncle's restaurant.

HAL WOO-KINGSLEY received a diploma from the Overseas Institute of Cookery of Hong Kong, then he studied college a year in Calgary at 18 before heading to California. HAL WOO-KINGSLEY received masters of science in food science from University of California, Davis.

Some accuse HAL WOO-KINGSLEY's presentation, which combines his thick Cantonese accent with clownish behavior, of perpetuating an Asian stereotype for entertainment value. Hal maintains that his accent is not fake and that any excessive intonation is because of his enthusiasm. HAL WOO-KINGSLEY started studying English at 16. His teacher told him maybe he should ditch cooking and just play drums.