Cover Try your hand at making Roganic's Three Yellow Chicken dish (Photo: Courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board)

The “Drink, Eat, Play” programmes that are a part of the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s annual Wine & Dine Festival brings the city’s top restaurants to your dining room

The love of food knows no bounds, and while the pandemic means we may not be able to visit our favourite restaurants as often as we’d like, the ongoing programming by the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Wine & Dine Festival is a delicious way to try new things—and even level up your cooking skills.

After launching on 11 November, the festival has already seen a successful run of online masterclasses held by the likes of Vicky Lau from Tate Dining Room; Vicky Cheng of VEA; and Shane Osborn of Arcane. Food lovers were able to follow along from the comfort of their own kitchens, having pre-ordered a meal kit that included all the ingredients and garnishes they would need to recreate the chefs’ signature plates at home. If you missed out the last week, fret not—as the programme continues this weekend with top chefs and mixologists ready to lead you through their craft.

See also: The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival Is Back In 2020 And Bigger Than Ever

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Photo 1 of 4 Petrus' shallot tarte tatin with truffles and Comté sauce
Photo 2 of 4 Chef Uwe Opocensky
Photo 3 of 4 Ingredients for Chaat's Punjabi Dhaba chicken curry
Photo 4 of 4 Chef Manav Tuli

On 5 December, join chef Uwe Opocensky of Petrus as he demonstrates a spin on a French classic with his recipe for shallot tarte tatin with truffles and Comté sauce—you can still get your Cook-Along Kit (HK$368) from the Wine & Dine website. Otherwise, log on at 2:00pm that day to witness a cooking demonstration by Chaat’s Manav Tuli, who will break down the steps for cooking the perfect Punjabi Dhaba chicken curry—a richly flavoured dish that is perfect for sharing. If cocktails are more your thing, don’t miss Jay Khan’s virtual cocktail class featuring George Clooney-backed tequila brand Casamigos; the mixologist behind award-winning bar COA will be sharing his secrets for making the best out of the agave spirit, so get your tasting kit (HK$500) as soon as possible.

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Photo 1 of 6 Ingredients for seafood paella by La Rambla's Ferran Tadeo
Photo 2 of 6 Seafood paella by La Rambla's Ferran Tadeo
Photo 3 of 6 La Rambla's Ferran Tadeo
Photo 4 of 6 Ingredients for Three Yellow Chicken by Roganic's chef Ash Salmon
Photo 5 of 6 Three Yellow Chicken by Roganic
Photo 6 of 6 Roganic's chef Ash Salmon

Other classes taking place over the weekend include a Cook Along by Ash Salmon, head chef of lauded restaurant Roganic, who will be taking viewers through a live Zoom session featuring the restaurant’s signature Three Yellow Chicken dish on 6 December. Later that day, Ricardo Chaneton of Mono will be divulging the secrets behind making tamals, a traditional Venezuelan treat that defines the festive month of December. Lastly Ferran Tadeo of La Rambla will be showing viewers how to make the perfect paella—the Cook Along kit includes the freshest seafood (Carabineros prawns, squid, clams) along with rice, stock and sofrito, in addition to an authentic paella pan for you to recreate the traditional dish to a tee. For all of the Cook Along sessions, you can order your kit online and the packs will be delivered to you one day before the class takes place.

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Photo 1 of 3 Comforting Korean food by Hansik Goo
Photo 2 of 3 Ah Yat braised abalone by Forum
Photo 3 of 3 Ah Yat fried rice by Forum

Prefer to have your food already prepared? The festival’s exclusive Gourmet At Home Fine Dining Sets have everything you need to make your dining room feel like a top restaurant—even more helpful given that some restaurants, such as Hansik Goo, are already fully booked for the remainder of the year. The popular Korean restaurant has prepared a comforting menu featuring braised beef short-ribs, deonjang guk (soybean paste soup) and multi-grain rice with banchan (side dishes) for a traditional feast at home. Likewise, three-Michelin-starred Forum restaurant has gone large with an eight-course menu that includes their signature braised Ah Yat abalone with goose web and vegetables, as well as luxurious dishes such as roasted Hokkaido scallop with Malossol caviar; and steamed egg white with lobster and Yunnan ham. And while not everyone may have the soaring views of the harbour like The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, you can at least replicate the flavour of dining at the sky-high hotel with their sumptuous three-course The Perfect Roast for four—select a main from oven-roasted French chicken to roasted US Prime rib-eye or Australian wagyu “Tomahawk” to two whole roasted spring chickens with black truffle butter, and also receive a selection of soups, sides and a dessert of fresh blueberry cheesecake.

And what is food without wine? The festival also presents a unique rare and unique wines auction, presented by The Hong Kong General Chamber of Wine & Spirits, which opens for bids starting 9:00am on 5 December through to 9:00pm on 11 December. Titled Treasure Hunt — Hidden Gems, the exclusive wine auction features 103 exceptional wine lots, from a magnum of Dom Perignon 1955 to a mint condition Leroy Clos De La Roche 2013, estimated value between HK$36,500 to HK$47,450. It’s an opportunity for oenophiles to add some hidden gems to their own collection.

With so much to see, experience and buy, this year’s Wine & Dine Festival makes staying at home easy—and fun.

For more about the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, visit their website.

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