When you’ve been one of Hong Kong’s most visible personalities and highly successful in business, you might be tempted to rest on your laurels. Not so for Bonnae Gokson. Although she clearly enjoys the high life, to think of her merely as a social butterfly would be a mistake: she’s more of a relentless force. From her projects to her passions, right down to altering the way she spells her name, Gokson constantly surges ahead in search of the new, the fresh and the exciting.

Sitting opposite me, Gokson is immaculate in a simple white shirt, hair pulled back neatly to reveal a collection of gold necklaces, as she pours us both a cup of lemon myrtle tea. We’re in Sevva, her hotspot restaurant in the heart of Hong Kong that attracts a celebrity crowd. Poised and polite, she is here to explain the details of her soon-to-be published book, Butterflies and All Things Sweet, The Story of Ms B’s Cakes. This beautifully shot compendium of original images is the latest in Gokson’s list of achievements. “It’s not a cookery book; it’s a coffee-table book,” she says. “I didn’t want a lot of words; I wanted it to be about the images, like a little dream where you can’t wait to turn the pages.”

The book is the icing on the cake of an eclectic career that includes working as a creative consultant for hotel groups; helping brands such as Chanel, Prada and Giorgio Armani build their presence in Asia; and being at the forefront of Joyce Cafe, Ms B’s Cakery and Sevva. Gokson has built a professional life on the foundations of taste and style. Just where did she learn how to do that? “Ha! I did once ask my sister that. I mean, I don’t have a master’s degree in anything. But I’ve had so many great experiences; lots of girls couldn’t have hoped for what I’ve seen. I’m very blessed.”

Discover how Hong Kong Tatler unravels the person behind the persona in our latest September issue on newsstands now; you can also subscribe to the magazine here.

Portraits by Chen Man
Hair by Kim Robinson
Cake Photography by Andrew Chester Ong and Petrina Tinslay