Known for its notoriously competitive landscape, Hong Kong is nevertheless full of people willing to go out on a limb for their peers when the going gets tough
All around the world, we are seeing examples of people banding together to get through the challenges that have struck the hospitality industry in the wake of coronavirus. More than ever, we realise just how important restaurants—and those who dedicate their lives to feeding their communities—are in society, but also how vulnerable they are in the face of the rapidly changing situation. Earlier this year, The Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department released figures that left no doubt that the restaurant industry is in dire straits with business receipts down by 14.4% comparing the end of 2018 with 2019. Meanwhile, just this month, unemployment figures rose to 3.7% with the majority of job losses in the food services sector, retail, accommodation and construction. Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labor and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-Kwong, noted that “the situation in food and beverage service activities was particularly severe, with the unemployment rate and the underemployment rate soaring to 7.5% and 3.5% respectively.”
Never has it been more important to support the businesses you love in Hong Kong, in any way that you know how—see our list of things you can do to contribute—while staying safe and respecting calls for physical distancing. In the meantime, below are also some inspiring ways that the community itself has been doing their part to support each other during these difficult times.
We will keep this list updated—if you have something to share with us, please email us on hktd@tatlerasia.com or send us a message via our Instagram @tatlerdininghk
Chefs Supporting Chefs
The food community has always been supportive of each other, and even in a time where social distancing and limiting dining out has become the norm, F&B workers are still finding ways to prop up their peers. With many restaurants amping up their delivery game, we’re seeing chefs supporting their fellow chefs by ordering in food for their staff meals or in their own personal time—a win for everyone involved. Chef Vicky Cheng of VEA recently ordered in from Soho's Ho Lee Fook and Causeway Bay's Little Bao Diner.
See also: Hong Kong Food And Wine Deliveries That Promise Restaurant-Grade Gourmet Food At Home