From celebrity chef to acclaimed taste makers, this spring is all about celebrating the art of cuisine
Guest chefs from around the world are flying to Hong Kong to celebrate the art of fine cuisine, from two master chefs set to showcase their food at Taste of Hong Kong, to American celebrity chef staging for a four-night event. Mark your calendars and get ready for a season of great bites ahead.
Martin Benn at Amber
What: The contemporary Australian cuisine ambassador, executive chef of Sydney’s Sepia is collaborating with Richard Ekkebus of Amber this March for a two-night showcase. The duo will create a set of four hors d’oeuvres, followed by a 10-course dinner menu featuring dishes such as Port Lincoln squid miso cured egg yolk yuzu, Saikou salmon roe, sudachi and chrysanthemum petals, and Brittany diver scallop seared with lime and umami sabayon. The special dinner menu includes a signed copy of Martin Benn’s book “Sepia: The Cuisine” and priced at HK$3,688 per person with additional wine pairing option at HK$2,088 per person.
When: March 20 and 21
Where: Amber, 7/F The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central; Central, +852 2132 0066
Andrew Wong at Above & Beyond
What: British-born Chinese chef Andrew Wong from London’s restaurant A.Wong will be staging at Hotel Icon’s Above & Beyond for a three-day pop-up event, where chef Wong will demonstrate his unique modern twists on Chinese cuisine. Wong will showcase a six-course menu themed around different region in each dish, including the esteemed chef’s 63-degree tea egg, prawn dumpling with foamed rice vinegar, and smoked chicken and sweet corn soup, foie gras cappuccino . The special pop-up menu is priced at HK$688 with an additional three-glass wine-pairing option at HK$288 per person.
When: March 30 – April 1
Where: Above & Beyond, 28/F Hotel Icon, 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 3400-1345
Hawksmoor’s Richard Turner at Rhoda
What: Celebrated chef and meat-master Richard Turner of Hawksmoor London is heading to Hong Kong this April, joining Rhoda’s chef Nathan Green in a two-day celebration of unique beef cuts and seafood. The meat-oriented duo will create a nine-course menu during the two-night event, presenting sharing-style signatures such as braised wild Hereford short rib on toast with Sturia caviar, charcoal-grilled Tomahawk steak with mashed potato with trotter, chopped steak with olive oil and lemon, and baked oysters with bone marrow jus. Rhoda’s Richard Turner showcase menu is priced at HK$998 per person.
When: April 5-6
Where: Rhoda, G/F, Upton, 345 Des Voeux Road West, Hong Kong; +852 2177 5050
Marc Forgione at Lily and Bloom
What: American celebrity chef and author Marc Forgione is heading east next month to host a four-day culinary showcase at Lily & Bloom, where he collaborates with resident executive chef Chris Grare in creating a seven-course special menu featuring some of Forgione’s signatures from Restaurant Marc Forgione, notably including chilli lobster with Texas toast and halibut en croute with hazelnuts and sauce proposal.
When: March 22-25
Where: Lily & Bloom, 5-6/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central;. +852 2810 6166
Luca Fantin at Ta Vie
What: For one night in March, Ta Vie’s Hideaki Sato is collaborating with esteemed chef Luca Fantin in a four-hand degustation dinner. The executive chef of Bulgari II Ristorante Luca Fantin is known for his contemporary interpretation of Italian cuisine using Japanese ingredients, and together with chef Sato, the duo will prepare a 10-course degustation menu, priced at HK$3,280 per person.
When: March 28
Where: Ta Vie, 2/F The Pottinger, 74 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2668 6488
Kei Kobayashi at Taste of Hong Kong
What: An Alain Ducasse alumnus, chef Kei Kobayashi of Paris’ Kei Restaurant is the latest chef confirmed to join the all-star lineup at Taste of Hong Kong. Kei will be creating his menu signature dish of gnocchi with black truffle and Iberico ham, one that is served exclusively at the Hong Kong food festival at the Central Harbourfront.
When: March 16-19
Where: Taste of Hong Kong, Central Harbourfront.
Nick Kim at Ronin
What: Another confirmed International chef to be featured at Taste of Hong Kong, Nick Kim of New York City’s Shuko will not only be demonstrating his culinary skills at the Porsche Taste Theatre at the four-day food festival, he will also be collaborating with Matt Abergel in a two-day pop-up dinner event at Ronin this March. Kim will transform Ronin into a sushi counter featuring his contemporary sushi on the first day, and an izakaya-inspired a la carte menu on the second day.
When: March 14-15 (Ronin pop-up), March 16-19 (Taste of Hong Kong)
Where: Ronin, 8 On Wo Lane, Central