The inventive young chef behind restaurants Little Bao, Second Draft and Happy Paradise will be participating for the first time ever, bringing Hong Kong-tinged creations that reflect her local heritage. 

Menu highlight: The Taste Exclusive and Icon dish of Surf & Turf Bao: Little Bao’s signature white fluffy buns will sandwich crispy suckling pig, squid patty, and fermented shrimp paste. Fun fact—this unique creation first made its debut at T.Dining’s #DimSumDuets in November 2017, and was a dish that came out of the chef’s collaboration with Lee Man-sing of Mott 32. We're glad to see it back.

Okra’s frontman is set to bring something a little different to the table by curating and showcasing local Hong Kong purveyors and their flavours alongside his boundary-crossing cooking. Watch this space for more information on their new offerings for Taste of Hong Kong 2018. 

Menu highlight: Dried oyster and dashi gumbo is a true Max Levy dish, combining Cantonese ingredients with techniques gleaned from his New Orleans upbringing.

The head chef at Duddell’s is returning for the second year, bringing a taste of contemporary Hong Kong through his menu of new future classics.

Menu highlight: Steamed egg white pudding with lobster and hua diao wine.

See also: Duddell’s Man-Ip Fung Unveils The Secret Of Cantonese Cuisine

New Punjab Club was one of the standout restaurant openings of 2017 (it took home both the readers’ choice award for Best New Restaurant and Best Service award at our T.Dining Best Restaurants Awards in November) and chef Palash Mitra will be slinging Punjabi favourites during his inaugural appearance at the festival. 

Menu highlight: Chicken biryani, which will be a Taste Exclusive.

See also: Why Dining At New Punjab Club Feels Like Being In A Wes Anderson Movie

Caprice’s new frontman, who joined the Four Seasons just under a year ago, will be adding a touch of French finesse to the festival, using ingredients such as caviar and Comté. 

Menu highlight: The Taste Exclusive of lobster with Comté espuma, confit leek and white mushrooms.

The chef-owner of Sai Ying Pun hit BlackSalt will be bringing spice and everything nice to the table, with food inspired by the flavours of Nepalese, Bengali and Sri Lankan cuisine.

Menu highlight: What’s The Mattar Paneer?—a dish of housemade curd, grape tomatoes, green pea gravy and gunpowder seasoning.

Top 20 Best Restaurant Frantzen’s Kitchen will be making their debut at the festival this year, bringing Scandi flavours with Löfdahl at the forefront.

Menu highlight: French toast with truffle, aged balsamic vinegar, and aged cheese.

See also: Jim Löfdahl On Bringing Nordic Cuisine to Hong Kong

Yardbird and Ronin’s head honcho is back for the second time, and we’re told that the yakitori specialist will be unveiling an exciting new food concept at the festival. Watch this space.

Our 2016 Best New Chef awardee and man behind the counter at modern Japanese restaurant Haku (a 2018 Top 20 Best Restaurant awardee) will be making his first appearance at Taste this year. Expect highly Instagrammable dishes that taste as good as they look. 

Menu highlight: A Taste Exclusive dish of prawns with Koshihikari rice, togarashi and parsley.

With over 25 years of culinary experience, chef Chan of Grand Hyatt’s One Harbour Road will be injecting the festival with a hefty dose of local flavour. Three quarters of his menu for Taste will be exclusive dishes found only at the event. 

Menu highlight: Roasted suckling pig with foie gras pate and crispy lotus.

Hailing from Turin, the Italian chef behind Pici will be adding comforting carbs to the menu—we’re hoping that the queuing situation for his dishes will be more favourable than those at the Wan Chai and Central restaurants. 

Menu highlight: Roman ravioli stuffed with amatriciana and Italian sausage, pecorino and black pepper sauce.

We at T.Dining are advocates of sustainable seafood and we’re pleased to see that Zuma’s Oscar Luzon and sushi chef Gary Tsang will be educating the public by showcasing sustainable Kumamoto tuna through an omakase menu option. 

Menu highlight: Zuma’s ice cream was a hit last year, and this year they’re bringing a Japanese Toychime strawberry sundae into the mix.

The husband-and-wife duo currently run the kitchen at Chachawan, infusing the line-up with flavours from the Isaan region of Thailand. 

Menu highlight: The duo will be serving an Icon dish of Goong Smun Prai Khao Gee (deep-fried tiger prawns with grilled sticky rice).