May Chow, Chef of Little Bao on The Delish Guestlist Podcast
Hong Kong/ Delish/ People

Little Bao's May Chow Tells The Delish Guestlist Podcast Her Bao Story

May Chow began her Little Bao story a decade ago, eager to utilise her Michelin-star education in Hong Kong kitchens to birth a restaurant offering accessible meals relatable to both local foodies and visiting tourists.

Arriving to the city in 2009, May’s culinary CV has seen her influenced by Alvin Leung at Bo Innovation, Que Vinh Dang at the former TBLS, and Matt Abergel at Yardbird.Now a defined name brand in the city’s F&B scene, Little Bao blends the foundations of Chinese cuisine, notably the white plump bao bun, with influences from abroad. Her signature bao buns made their first appearance at the Island East Market in 2012, before her first Little Bao opened in 2013 in SoHo.May joined The Delish Guestlist Podcast about her success behind one of Hong Kong’s more symbolic restaurants, and what Cantonese food culture means for her.

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Transcript of the episode with May Chow on The Delish Guestlist podcast:

The podcast transcript provided is generated using speech recognition software and has not been reviewed for accuracy. We cannot guarantee that the transcript is accurate. If you believe something is incorrect, please contact us to make the necessary corrections.

Rubin Verebes: Welcome to The Delish Guestlist podcast, a deep dive into the lives and work of Hong Kong’s crazy food and beverage industry leaders, hosted by The Beat Asia magazine. This episode we speak with Hong Kong's own May Chow, chef and owner of the Little Bao empire in the city, operating her acclaimed restaurant chain since 2013 – where we sat down with May at her Causeway Bay joint after the lunch hour rush. She champions neo-Cantonese fusion cooking and female and LGBT empowerment in the kitchen. We spoke to her about her success behind one of Hong Kong’s more symbolic restaurants, and what Cantonese food culture means for her.  Enjoy!

[Sting]

Rubin Verebes: Hello listeners in Hong Kong, Asia, and beyond. We are speaking today with chef May Chow of the eminent Little Bao restaurant franchise, a defined name brand in the city’s F&B scene, blending the foundations of Cantonese cuisine with influences from abroad. Arriving in the city at 2009, May’s culinary CV reaches all corners of Michelin and local, international acclaim. He has worked with Alvin Leung at Bo Innovation, Que Vinh Dang at the former TBLS, and Matt Abergel at Yardbird. Her signature bao buns made their first appearance at the Island East Market in 2012, before her first Little Bao opened in 2013 in SoHo. 

Rubin: May, Thank you so much for sitting me down with us.

May Chow: Thank you for recapping my life.

Rubin: Absolutely, how does that sound?

May Chow: Pretty good, time flies.

Rubin Verebes: Born to a Chinese Hong Kong family in Toronto, why did food have such a pull that you're here right now sitting down with us? To flick back on that story, that massive CV you have, the name you possess?

May Chow: I think everything is hindsight 2020. So, in reflection, I grew up in a loving family. My mum was always a, what we call ‘Tai Tai’ [太太], she was a housewife. She didn't have a career, but she was Shanghainese, outspoken, and loved cooking. And so, I think being very close with her, seeing her cook, and, you know, she hit me when we played piano, but she didn't hit me when we, you know, made food.

So, you know, naturally a kid wants to be good at something they're commended on, and it was something she did with me very lovingly. Now I know that it was passed through generations, from her mother to me, so I can see why that passion was inherent.

And then, of course, when I was young, I actually had ADHD, and so for many, many years in Hong Kong, from schooling, I thought I was not very smart. I thought there was something I wasn't applying in school. And eventually I figured out, you know, my calling for through food, but also my sense of learning. I like tactile things and I like learning through experience.

And so all those things really applied well through the F&B industry, and it was very personal, and that kind of energy inherent within restaurants and food is exciting.

Rubin Verebes: Was there a reason coming to Hong Kong in 2009? I mean, I came in 2009 for a reconnection of this sort of Cantonese identity. Was that sort of a search that you were on?

May Chow: Early on that time, I could have married my gay best friend and stayed in the US, or moved back to Hong Kong. So it was not, I could not get a visa in the US. And then I returned to Hong Kong, and it was also a time when I haven't been with my family for a long time, so it seemed like a good time to reconnect as well.

Rubin Verebes: Sure, sure, was there any doubt that you wanted to work in restaurants in Hong Kong?

May Chow: Actually, Hong Kong gave me the opportunity, because when I graduated from college, it wasn't that easy to get a career in food in the US. Plus, you know, I was on a student visa, so it wasn't easy.

When I returned to Hong Kong, I had the privilege of living at home and not having to pay rent, which allowed me to be like, “I want to try.” Like, I've worked at hotels and catering companies, but as like, I've worked at more admin or office jobs, and I didn't enjoy it at all. The only thing I could think was being in a restaurant, so I thought I have to try. And so that was around, I don't remember how old I was, maybe 22, 23? Right after college.

Rubin Verebes: So it doesn't date back deep. I guess professionally, in jobs in your childhood adulthood, it started as a way to occupy yourself.

May Chow: It's interesting, because I think I wanted to go to cooking school when I was a kid, but my parents were like, "You're going to college". So I went to college, and then I graduated from college, and I tried to do the normal trajectory, and I just couldn't.

So I think after I, you know, did a few years, I was ready to dive into F&B.

Rubin Verebes: So living under your parents’ home and not paying rent, but looking forward to a career post university, do you think it was hard to convince your parents that this is something that I can do, this career?

May Chow: Sometimes people fail not because parents were supportive or not supportive. Their way of supporting was very interesting, was to give you options when you're really tired. Meaning like, ‘Hey, May,’ like I'll be like exhausted coming home at 2:00 AM, and they're like, “Hey May, if you want to stay home and not work, we can take care of you and you find another job.”

And I'll be like, “Oh, shut up, I just need to sleep” and get [this] over with, because they wanted me to quit. They wanted me to think about a better option.

Rubin Verebes: And do what?

May Chow: But there was a lot of truth, like, to be honest.

Rubin Verebes: Mm-hmm.

May Chow: Like even when I mentor young girls or young chefs now, the reality is that we fell in love with the- we didn't, you know, look at other restaurants and go to Chinese restaurants or go to restaurants that we went to as a kid and be like, “I want to be that guy.”

You know what I mean? I watched ‘Yang Can Cook’ on TV, Netflix came along, you know, Anthony Bourdain, it was a whole sexy, media driven, idea about what a chef is. No one thought like, ‘oh my god, my life career would be working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, doing the same thing over and over again’.

Rubin Verebes: Were you scared of, because you mentioned Anthony Bourdain, the idea that food is not just food, it's the adventure, the exploration of society and culture. Did you feel attracted to what food represents, rather than what it is building a community?

May Chow: I think what the job entails is, and what we all aspire to, is what that 1% is doing.

Rubin Verebes: Really?

May Chow: So I am lucky that I'm in that 1%. So I can create food all the time, I can communicate food, I can talk about the philosophy of food, you know, all the diasporas of Chinese cuisine, but to be real, the day-to-day job is making the same thing: one menu for one year, two years, 10 years.

Rubin Verebes: Yeah.

May Chow: And now I see it, [what’s] actually interesting. If you want to get a three Michelin star, I see it like almost like running for the Olympics. You can't do it for 50 years. Like you could, but you could like, you know, look like, like Gordon Ramsey, and look like you're just dried out for 30 years, you know what I mean?

Like, you could! and like, you know, lose a liver or two. But the reality is that if you see it as you have to start young, you have to commit 16 hour days, six days a week, and you just chase it. You chase it for about a decade, 15 years, 20 years, until you get three stars. And so you see someone like Marco Pierre White, maintaining three stars is horrific.

It's like playing defence for eight years, but you're like, you know…

Rubin Verebes: You don't want to get wrinkles on your ears.

May Chow: And it's different, because once it's proven successful, you can't change anything. So you maintain the same menu for another eight years, and then he retired. It's like, this is enough.

And so if you can see it that way, it's actually more purposeful, because you're not like, “I'm going to have three Michelin stars for the rest of my life.” I'll have it for 10 years. It's like, you can have three Olympic golds, you're lucky if you have five. And then that's it, and then move on. Move on to something else.

Rubin Verebes: So when you entered F&B and had this idea like, “I don't want to do the three Michelin stars”, what was the goal you had? You didn't have a goal?

May Chow: No, I didn't have a goal. Usually people who are this romantic or passionate are not that logical, and I was a creative, and I realised that creative people all have horizontal careers.

Like they were never like, they're like, “Did you climb the ladder?” I was like, I did not even think I was climbing the ladder. I was like, “Oh yeah, he cooked so well! Let me follow him.” “Let's go to this restaurant.” “Let's go to that restaurant.” I was lucky enough, but I think inherently I wanted to be an entrepreneur, beyond being the title of ‘Wanting to Be a Chef’.

I wanted to be an entrepreneur. So very early on, I literally wrote, you know, a diary of Alvin Leung, and every time he did something I didn't agree with, I write down, ‘when I become boss, I won't be like this’.

Rubin Verebes: Was it interesting or captivating to work with him?

May Chow: Everyone is successful for a reason.

Rubin Verebes: Mm-hmm.

May Chow: and he was highly successful. I understand why he was important on many levels. He ate well himself. He wasn't professionally trained, so I wouldn't say you would learn from him in terms of technical skills as a chef, but how he presented himself, how he knew where the market was driving, how he could get three Michelin stars or get to that level. I think he had a clear idea of what that meant.

Rubin Verebes: Sure, sure, sure.

May Chow: And how to, you know, because you have to understand that year or that time, no one [had] ever done that in Hong Kong before, and he was the first hometown hero. Someone that was at that calibre, but also to be that internationally renowned, like everyone knew him across the world.

Rubin Verebes: Do you think, do you think you followed his footsteps in flipping Cantonese cuisine on some head, looking at specific, I guess, tenets of traditional fairs that you'd find in Hong Kong and putting a twist on it?

May Chow: I think he definitely gave me the taste of what it meant. I share [this with] creatives all the time.

Rubin Verebes: Mm-hmm.

May Chow: If you're serving a local community, you're hyper international. If you're serving an international community, you're hyper localised, because if you want to represent Hong Kong, you need to represent the city, the ingredients, the story, everything. You're the hometown hero for the world.

Rubin Verebes: Absolutely.

May Chow: There's a huge difference. Like I always say, like if you're Bruce Lee, you were promoting Kung Fu to everybody. You weren't just doing it for the Hong Kong audience, so knowing that my goal was to be international, I wanted to be iconic in the whole F&B community.

Rubin Verebes: More than a decade ago, this was your goal?

May Chow: Yeah, we were writing business plans and my friend was writing for me, but, still clueless, she's like, “Oh, you're gonna be the hometown hero”. And I was like, “What do you mean?” She's like, “because everyone else is international, everyone's doing international cuisine, no one's talking about Hong Kong. So if anyone wants to know more about Hong Kong, they'll come to you.”

Rubin Verebes: Do you think you've accrued this international name for yourself, because you've taken the bao and made it into a burger and brought these different ingredients, these different cuisines, fusion that together that has brought the local through to the international?

May Chow: I think that's like, I don't think it's, so in hindsight, not that moment. If I had to hindsight look at it, what we're achieving now is that 0.1%. So it's like me telling you, I'm not saying I'm Dua Lipa, but like, can you follow Dua Lipa’s footsteps and achieve the same success?

If she was a brain surgeon, you could follow exactly the same steps and become a brain surgeon, right? So it means like it's a lot of luck, a lot of society, what the world was trending. I was the first restaurant probably in Hong Kong that was taking something very local, but international and in a very small space.

It was when Instagram just started, we became viral without any strategy to become viral, no marketing. I picked green tea as an ice cream sandwich, because I was too lazy to make a real dessert. So my dessert pastry friend was like, “just fry the bun and stuff some ice cream inside,” she's like, “why do you have to make a chocolate cake? Who cares? Just stuff it.”

I was like, that seems lazy… and then I picked green tea, and it's interesting because we were number one on Open Rice, and I was like, “why are we number one on Open Rice?” Because number one was green tea ice cream sandwich, number two was green tea latte, and number three was green tea souffle.

Rubin Verebes: Wow.

May Chow: And I was like, I did not- what if I picked chocolate? You know? And then why would my mind pick green tea? Because I thought everyone in Hong Kong likes green tea, pick green tea! I didn't know the impact of what that meant and how to create that, so you can only see in hindsight, 2020.

Rubin Verebes: Do you think this hindsight 2020, we're in this space right now in Little Bao in Causeway Bay compared to the former SoHo home and then now the second SoHo home? Are you playing or have you inadvertently played to the tastes and flavours of Hong Kong foodies, people that eat in Hong Kong, Instagrammable bites, cute looking appearances of the food, something that's very consumable, I guess, not using challenging recipes?

May Chow: I think, no, I think it's when we wanted to do it. At this point, I went to Bo Innovation. Bo Innovation showed me, we went to Sydney Food and Wine Festival. He took me to Singapore. Every time I went abroad, they're like, “Oh my God, is he the demon chef from ‘Parts Unknown'?”. So I knew the power of what storytelling was.

Rubin Verebes: Sure, sure, sure.

May Chow: And then when I went to Matt at Yardbird, and that year when I worked with him, he broke every paradigm. Everything he was, I wanted to be. He had the sense of community, every brand, every touch point was a reflection of his personality and what he believed in.

He was genuine, like a great boss, and everyone respected him, and the people who came were cool. He was the first person where I was like, “I want to be like him.” Because when I was with the Alvin and Que, I was like, “Oh yeah, whatever” like, there are some parts I appreciate about them, but I couldn't see myself like them.

So Matt was the first person, he was a great mentor. Before we went into execution, he's like, your branding sucks, you need to re-brand, this is no good. He was like “this idea's not original enough. Do better”. And so I think that's him being honest with me, and he found me actually my first location, because it was so hard to find even a shop then.

So if you ask me now and then, like our proudest moment, then was to distil what I learned, but try to find something honest. And I think what I loved about Little Bao was that we were social, I loved to party. So music, drinks, like the atmosphere, and the food itself was the culmination of my random life experiences, like, you know, from Rave to Coachella to whatever, and then also bringing that community together, so I think that was great.

And then being able to then take that item, and I thought, we must make it so that my grandma doesn't think it's for white people, but white people don't think it's too Chinese. We're trying to ride the line, and it's actually really hard. Because you can do fusion in New York, I'm serving 50% local customers, and the bao is about 10 times more expensive than a Char Siu bao.

Rubin Verebes: Like a Gua bao?

May Chow: Any bao! and actually even all the Gua baos that opened that were kind of gimmicky or whatnot, they've all closed.

So our proudest moment now is like, we've been around for a decade. That's like dog years, like restaurant years, and then passing through COVID and then still surviving. It's beyond - like my proudest moment is like, how do we become timeless? So my goal is like, I need to stick it through for 20 years.

Rubin Verebes: Wow.

May Chow: And then it's not even like, do you like it or not? It's like if you come to Hong Kong and don't eat at that, you know, tomato soup or beef noodle place on that corner, you're not local. Like, I'm trying to get there, you know?

Rubin Verebes: I mean, it's an unbelievable success story. Just hearing that number ten coming through my headphones and knowing that leases last three years in Hong Kong, and then some other concept comes in. Do you think you always wanted to do East meets West, and do you think that was the way you captured both sides of Hong Kong?

May Chow: I always knew there are many things that go through my head. I wanted it to reflect the culture, because that was also like, that was what was expected. Because you know, even when I read a lot about successful chefs, sometimes a community drives you.

We were talking [about] the first, Noma interview. The guy was like, you know, he was sitting down, he was talking about his food, and then the reporter asked him, what are you doing for sustainability?

So then he's like, “Oh, I don't know, like nothing”, but then you're embarrassed, so you go home and you're like, “why am I not?” But how many people ask you, like, everyone asks me, what are you doing for Hong Kong? What are you doing for women empowerment? What are you doing for LGBTQ+? What are you doing for sustainability, and how are you driving the direction?

So it sets big goals. It's cool. It's a lot of responsibility, but I find that right, quite, fun. And so for me to say that money is not the ultimate goal for food, but in Hong Kong, you need to be financially savvy to survive.

So if you don't know how your staff is getting paid or what's going on, you can't survive here. So you cannot be creative, because you have to withstand a lot to even get there, where at the point you get to be creative. Right?

Rubin Verebes: Absolutely.

May Chow: And then two was like, I was worried about being a one hit wonder. And so by the time I was trending very hard, I was already ready to progress. Like, “Oh, I can't be a hipster and be a hype beast all my life.”

Rubin Verebes: Mm.

May Chow: Clearly there's an age group for this, and so I already was, in Women's Foundation, doing corporate, you know, many initiatives and talking about bigger purposes for the brand, and myself included, that was beyond just, are you the most trending number one thing.

Rubin Verebes: So I guess in 2022, you have also initiated many popups with big names or foundational restaurants in Hong Kong that are trending right now. Is that a way to keep Little Bao fresh and innovate on the one product that is the ‘bao’?

May Chow: Well, I'm a big fan of Jane Fonda and talking about Richard Ekkebus. It's like, you need to know at one point, either you are the young kid that’s fresh, or you're mentoring someone that's fresh, or you're partnering with someone that's fresh.

Rubin Verebes: Mm-hmm.

May Chow: And to feel energetic is that, you know, I don't care if they're 20 or 30 or famous or not. It's to trigger you to want to grow all the time. So for me, it's like we do partnerships where anything that intrigues me like could be - so right now we're doing one with a retired 70 year old Sichuan master chef, and he's coming and he's retired, and I met him at this random event.

Rubin Verebes: Wow.

May Chow: He's done Sichuan food for 50 years, and doing a popup here. So I don't know if that attracts 20 year olds, but it piques my interest.

Rubin Verebes: Absolutely.

May Chow: You know what I mean? It's freaking cool. Someone like Richard, my whole idea is that we're trying to tell a story where like Zara or whatnot, like there's Karl Lagerfeld that works with Zara and everyone can buy it.

So I told them like, “Richard, not everyone can spend [HKD] $1,800 to have your meal, but for [HKD] $78, [HKD] $138, it's an affordable luxury that they can understand more about you and your life, your achievements, and your philosophy about food in this dainty little bao.” So that's what our mission was when we started that partnership.

Rubin Verebes: So essentially, you could fit any cuisine, concept, popup, collaboration between those buns.

May Chow: Yeah. We like to think this fluffy bond is non-invasive, we can talk about women empowerment in this fluffy bun, we can talk about LGBTQ+ like “Haha, you should do better!” in a bun.

You know, that kind of vibe. So I always thought it was fun, because even when we did our first concept, it was about when we served this bun. Maybe you can't accept Sichuan hot pot yet, because there's floating chillies. It's like chicken with bones in it, with the head, but you can eat it inside a burger.

Rubin Verebes: Sure.

May Chow: And I can tell you about the hotpot, I can tell you about the culture.

Rubin Verebes: So it's a perfect vehicle for introducing western mouths for eastern food and eastern mouths for western food.

May Chow: Anything! And I think what it is is like, what is that purpose? And I love this restaurateur Alan Yau from London. Someone asked him, “Is interior design important for the food business?”

He's like, “Uh, not really. It's the bottom line in operations. But really, if I can't even have design, why am I doing this? It's not even creative at all.” You know what I mean? Because you're just slapping noodles and doing operations, and it becomes an operations job. So I find a lot of meaning in my work, because I create meaning within it.

If not, we're just serving baos all day. With four flavours, two ice cream challenges, and four cocktails, right? And so it makes the job more fun, more interesting, and more meaningful to me. Those actions, whether strategic or strategic for the long term, I enjoy pursuing them in that way.

Rubin Verebes: So I guess you mentioned filling the buns with women empowerment, those topics, women empowerment and LGBTQ+ education. Has that been something at the forefront throughout, with Hong Kong, where many white male chefs are involved in restaurant businesses, and to be different?

May Chow: I think it's some white male or male anything. I was just at a- I'm always invited to these panel discussions, like ‘Oh my God May', like it's a financial tech and finance, and they're like, you're the only woman on the panel. I'm like, “Come on, like can you find someone in your industry?” But you're finding someone in food to be the only woman on the panel.

And I watched this show on, I love this show called Hacks. I don't remember. It's like two stand-up comedians, an amazing show. And I realised that sometimes I do stand-up comedy. It's like, ‘ha ha’, I say it as a joke, but like, you know, just to put it out there.

So I've been in meetings where I'm like, first of all, people have a hard time telling the age of Asian people and they undervalue them. So I go into meetings, I'm like, I know you think I'm young, but I'm 38, and have been in this industry for 15 years. I do a lot of dollars.

In an all, corporate meeting.

Rubin Verebes: Yeah.

May Chow: And then I'll say like, I want the white man budget. So whatever budget he's getting, I want that budget. If you want me to open a restaurant, I don't want an Asian girl budget. And then they're like “uh uh”, but then the moment I was like, “don't let me find out that budget, because if I find out the white man's budget, I want that budget”.

Rubin Verebes: Aye, aye.

May Chow: Right? And so it's like a joke, but like, once you say it out in the air, it progresses through, you know?

Rubin Verebes: So you want, you want to be brutal with the way you yourself could be viewed or sort of undersold.

May Chow: I already know the reality, and I'm just trying to, you know,

Rubin Verebes: Twist?

May Chow: Navigate it, twist it.

Rubin Verebes: Okay

May Chow: And like, get there, and then, you know, bring people with me. So the challenges of what we face, whether it's food or, or whatnot, like, make my work fun. And so, I love mentoring young girls, and I love, you know, integrating those into the business. And so, it's interesting because I am the founder. So, you know, many companies have pillars, mission statements, and vision statements, and it came from me.

So I think we didn't say like, “Oh, every year we need to do for LGBT initiatives”, we just do them. Because it's like, if someone asked me, I'm like, “Yeah, sure, we'll do it,” and then naturally it becomes something

Rubin Verebes: Sure, sure, sure.

May Chow: Now that we're in the decade, we hope to build, but we're still navigating because it’s still a business. Right now, you can see we're doing a lot of Chinese turnip cakes.

[And] that's, that's great, and I like finding niche categories that we can excel in and have new conversations for.

[Interlude]

Rubin Verebes: Stop the podcast! Just cutting in to say if you’ve enjoyed this episode so far – check out thebeat.asia for greater content like this. The Beat Asia is the fastest growing regional publication for local news, happenings, culture, and more, so be sure to check us out at thebeat.asia – alrighty, let’s get back to May!

[Interlude]

Rubin Verebes: Do you think the business element has brought you through the initiatives of opening up Little Bao Bangkok through working with Second Draft through the former venue of Happy Paradise? Has that been expanding your portfolio and building beyond Little Bao, which is limiting, in a sense, building up this empire that can allow you to build the business in a, I guess, fiscal sense?

May Chow: You know what's interesting? You know how they talk about, I literally thought about this two days ago. My industry just popped a bubble.

So you know, they have NFT bubbles, crypto bubbles, and I was like, “Oh, I was an F&B bubble and I didn't even know I was in the bubble!” So we were growing like I was joking that day, like you could be an idiot in 2013, and you would break even in a restaurant initiative like it. You would [have] thought you were a restaurateur, right?

You're like, “Oh, I'm doing so well,” but actually you're not. Everyone is doing well because it’s at the height of the market.

Rubin Verebes: When did the bubble burst?

May Chow: This year.

Rubin Verebes: Really?

May Chow: So Noma, the number one restaurant in the world, just announced closing by 2024, because there was a huge issue that interns were not paid to work at these restaurants.

So I know all about these restaurants - intern and full-time, 10 to 90. There are 10 full-time staff, 90 interns, [a] hundred chefs serving a 50 seat restaurant, each working 16 hour days. And so they, this year, I think they offered pay, and then immediately they're like, we're closing.

Rubin Verebes: I think it was a report of 50,000 USD per month that they had to pay to interns.

May Chow: Yeah, yeah, yeah, and that's not even that much. But then, because there were only like 2,700, but what happened was in the US, and it started to become illegal, and you can't make people work 16 hour days and things like that.

And so, you have to understand, like what happened during that time was Asia's 50 best happened. World's 50 best happened. So I was part of Asia's 50 best, you know, engine. I got Best Female Chef of Asia.

Rubin Verebes: 2017, Yes.

May Chow: And that award made me do a hundred interviews that year.

Rubin Verebes: Really?

May Chow: So when we're attracting, we're not attracting what Hong Kong people like, we're attracting globally that 1%.

So if you think about the functions of restaurant[s], so if you go to Starbucks, you go because you drink coffee and they fulfil your idea of where you wanna get coffee, period. Noma, no one's going like, “Oh, I'm gonna get some fermented, you know, mould tacos for lunch”. Like, no one thinks that way. They're like, “I'm gonna be the number one restaurant in the world”.

Rubin Verebes: Sure.

May Chow: I'm gonna bring my client to the number one restaurant in the world I'm gonna bring - and no one knows what number one means, but it sounds good! So when they became number two, like one year, they dropped [to] number two, 50% of their bookings cancelled. So your most important goal is to get that title, because the moment you don't get that title, you have no function in society.

Rubin Verebes: There's a bit of a disillusionment.

May Chow: Yeah. So you have to know what you're getting, like why are these people chasing these stars? Because at that point you're not like, how do you define which fine dining restaurant to go to? It's number one, it's three Michelin stars, it's got four hats. It's blah blah blah, it's all accolade based.

Like you're not going to LV to buy the bag, because you actually know what craftsmanship is in there. It's because you're buying LV and your friend knows how much it is, and when you give that gift, they're like, “Wow, you're generous!”

Rubin Verebes: Do you care about these accolades?

May Chow: No, but when I won Best Female Show of Asia, I drank the Kool-Aid. I was like, “Oh my God!” I was like, all 50 was all men. So on that awards ceremony, I'm like, “Careful guys, I'm coming back, I'm definitely going to be in this 50.” So I built Happy Paradise. I was like, I'm going to be the craziest, most adventurous, more forward-thinking.

Which is fine with those restaurants, because no one needs them as a function until you get that award. So you're basically chasing that award. So if that award takes you 10 years to get, you have to pay out of pocket for this initiative, until you get there.

Rubin Verebes: Mmm. Interesting.

May Chow: So usually it's a billionaire or like somebody needs to fund this project. At that point, it’s like having a horse, a yacht, you know, like, you know what I mean?

It's not like, how many lunches did you sell? You know? So then you're just attracting that 1%, the 300 voters, the billionaires, the key influencers or things that put you yourself in there. So, of course, I tried it, but then I think, you know, it's a different game.

But then people get confused, and chefs get confused, because chefs are always a blue collar job. Now it's a fancy job, right? And to be honest, if it wasn't a fancy idea, why are these college graduates going to these blue collar jobs, right? So the blue collar job risen chefs get upset because they're like, “Oh, these chefs these days can't work!”

They went to Harvard! Like, of course, they don't want to spend 10 years scrubbing a pan, you know what I mean? They could be a CO in three years, so why are you making it so difficult? Like think about how to scale up this operation and teach them faster! So there's this disconnect of old and new.

So it's interesting. I rode the new, and I rode the bubble until it burst, you know? And survived somewhat.

Rubin Verebes: And so after the burst of the bubble, you want to, I wouldn't say downsize, but you want to focus on the children you have still here in Hong Kong?

May Chow: Well, like Warren Buffet says on investment: be patient. I have nothing to prove. I don't need to prove to you that to stay relevant, I have to open this year. I still think it's going to be a horrible year.

We're trying to survive, and we want to grow sensibly and realistically. So to minimize my risk, because risks, when I was young, like all those franchises you were taught about, as long as someone asked me, I would do it.

Rubin Verebes: Really?

May Chow: Yeah. They're like, do you franchise? I'm like, give me 50 K, I can franchise.

Rubin Verebes: Wow.

May Chow: So they gave me the money and I went to a lawyer. I'm like, can you help me do a franchise manual? So I was a hustler, you know. I wanted to be brave and I wanted to feel like, you know, I was willing to be an entrepreneur and push it. But with Second Draft was truly like, I wanted that location.

Rubin Verebes: Mm. Tai Hang, yes.

May Chow: I want, I love that location. But Little Bao was not fit for there, and I don't know what to do with it. I love the beer guys, and I think they had a good idea. So I went in, I was like, “Hey, can I be your food partner?”

And I was stuck, because Little Bao was not strategic at all. It just came about as like a chance and opportunity that led to like ‘you must open’ kind of vibe. So for the next restaurant, what was to follow up? I really had no clue.

So I was like, oh, you need to take a break. I'm going to do this project to refresh myself and think about what's my next step.

Rubin Verebes: So when you opened Little Bao, in Bangkok, was that a way to plot for more critical success?

May Chow: Oh, no. It was, I wanted to try something, and I was like, Bangkok sounds cool enough, but actually no one would ever go. So I was like, if I fail, who knows? That was my first thought. Because if I effed up in London or New York, I'm done.

Rubin Verebes: Yeah, sure.

May Chow: Like, because people know what they're doing. But I was like, Bangkok, it sounds cool. Like, “Oh, expanding to Bangkok” but who's checking in on me? Like I wouldn't go to a Little Bao in Bangkok, even if Shake Shack opened in Bangkok, I wouldn't go. I would like a pad Thai place or whatever.

So it was, for me, it was like, that sounds cool. The location is great, the partners were fun, they were unlimited budget to do it, they bring in whatever chef and designers. And I thought, wow, what a fun way to learn how to franchise. And then someone was nice, kind to show me how to do a franchise deck.

And it was a great learning curve, because the moment we got there, we got to a local community. I didn't know what I knew today, but like nothing was spicy enough, because you're serving not an international community. Then they're like, “Oh, you're Chinese food, but you're not Chinese food.”

No one drank during dinner, in Thailand, people only drink at cocktail bars or beer gardens. So this eating and drinking culture actually only exists in places like, you know, LA, like New World Cities, Hong Kong, London and so on, Taiwan and Thailand. So nowadays when people are like, oh, you're gonna do so well in Taipei, I’m like “I don’t think so, I don’t think so at all”.

Rubin Verebes: Is that, are you reticent now after seven years that you would want to attempt to do that again, or was, does the Little Bao identity stay true to Hong Kong or can it stretch to the diaspora?

May Chow: My new thing is, right now I'm doing, I can't say what project, but I'm learning to do things in the US. So I'm going to do a big project in California.

Rubin Verebes: Interesting.

May Chow: And then, I think for my own, I want an iconic restaurant in Hong Kong, and unfortunately, I don't think it'll be Little Bao. I think Little Bao is amazing, it's in its own category, but there's absolutely zero function to it.

I would love to have a timeless brand, whether it includes dim sum or stir fry, and then have a twist on it. But my thing is now that some of the greatest projects or things I've seen people do, they spend three to five years. It’s like some people spend five years writing a novel, a film.

I was like, why can't restaurants be that way? Why don't I just spend five years perfecting every dish, every joke, every whatever, inside, right? Every design, detail, everything, and make it timeless, and just do it one time only, and everything's perfect. So it's not like, “Oh! like three weeks to opening? Just gimme a cocktail manual, we’ll figure [the rest] afterwards.”

And so for me, I don't need it to drive any business, because I feel we're going to do retail and do a lot of things. But I want to spend like, whatever time, hypothetical five years, but just having that timelessness to spend the time to have the perfect partners, perfect design, perfect everything, to build something that's maybe worth 10, 15, 20 years.

Rubin Verebes: Wow.

May Chow: Yeah. So that's in my head. Yeah.

Rubin Verebes: But for 2023, the plans are to…?

May Chow: Going to US, doing secret project.

Rubin Verebes: Secret project. Very secret.

May Chow: Very secret. But, it's an amazing project, and I'm excited about it, but I can't talk about it at all. But, I'm excited about that. But Hong Kong wise, Little Bao, retail products, or just exploring to be honest. I think anything that needs to be good needs a 10 year effort, so I'm not pretending expert in retail, expert in anything, I'm just learning.

Rubin Verebes: You've got 10 years to go for that.

May Chow: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Rubin Verebes: Awesome.

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This Week's Event In Hong Kong View more

This Week's Event In Hong Kong

Hong Kong/ Delish/ Happenings
Try Sonata in Pink Major Harbour View Afternoon Tea at The Mistral
Sonata 1 Photo by Courtesy of InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong

Indulge in a symphony of flavors and colors with Sonata in Pink Major Harbour View Afternoon Tea, where afternoon tea takes on a whole new level of art and luxury.

Available now until June 30, 2025, this enchanting experience takes place in the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong's Italian restaurant, The Mistral.

This afternoon tea is dressed in a show-stopping pink palette that celebrates the delicate harmony of Japanese sakura and sweet Korean strawberries. Try a selection of both savory and sweet bites, from the rich Salmone e Caviale (salmon and caviar) to the indulgent Fegato D'Oca (goose liver pâté). 

For those with a sweet tooth, the strawberry Yoghurt Panna Cotta and airy vanilla Il Profiterole are just a few of the delights waiting to wow you. 

As a bonus, each set comes with two complimentary glasses of Strawberry & Sakura Smoothies to refresh your palate. You can add HK$110 for a gorgeous glass of Pink Bellini Cocktail.

afternoon tea
Courtesy of InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong

Better yet, this afternoon indulgence comes with a 20% discount on Mozart’s The Magic Flute, brought to life by Opera Hong Kong.

After savoring your sweet treats, head to the Grand Theatre at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre for a stunning performance of this iconic opera (running from May 15 to May 18, 2025).  

Available Monday to Friday, this afternoon tea is priced at HK$728, or HK$788 on weekends and public holidays for two persons. It’s the perfect way to treat yourself or a special someone!

Visit the InterContinental Grand Stanford on their website, Instagram, and Facebook. Check out The Mistral on their Instagram.  

Sonata in Pink Major Harbour View Afternoon Tea

Location: The Mistral, 1F, No. 70 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon

Afternoon Tea Hours: From 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM

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Hong Kong/ Delish/ Reviews
Where to Eat: A Guide to Hong Kong Int'l Airport's Restaurants and Cafés
Hong Kong Airports Cafes and Restaurants

Known for its iconic skyline, rich cultures, and world-class cuisine, Hong Kong is a city that never stops moving — and neither does its airport. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) isn't just a travel hub, it's also a food destination in its own right. 

Whether you're after a quick bite, a refreshing drink, or Michelin-recommended eateries before your flight, HKIA is packed with venues that reflect the city's gastronomic diversity. Here's where to find the best eats in the HKIA terminal before you take off!  

Note that all these venues are in the restricted areas of the airport; only those who have passed through security & immigration for departure and transfers are able to access these dining spots.

Food Court Area

HKIA Food Court
Hong Kong International Airport

Once you pass through security and immigration from the departure gates, you're greeted with HKIA's food court area with an array of options to choose from. 

Right after Departures on L7 of the airport, there are Hong Kong's local iconic venues like one Michelin-starred Duddell's, Beef & Liberty, and Tasty Congee & Noodle Wuntun Soup, along with global classics like Lady M New York, Gordon Ramsay Plane Food To Go, and Putien

Around Gate 40-80 on L6, there's another food court where more casual, fast-food chains are available, including but not limited to Popeyes, Burger King, and OldTown White Coffee

Locations: After Departures on L7 and Around Gate 40-80 on L6

Opening hours vary across different venues. Burger King is the first to open in the morning at 6 AM, while Beef & Liberty is the last to close at 12 AM. Duddell's, Gordon Ramsay Plane Food To Go, Tasty Congee & Noodle Wuntun Soup, Putien, Moon Thai Express, and Bari-Uma & ShinsaEat Korean Kitchen are open 24 hours. 

THE MATCHA TOKYO

THE MATCHA TOKYO
THE MATCHA TOKYO

Originating in Omotesando in Tokyo, THE MATCHA TOKYO has opened its 10th branch in HKIA near Gate 11 on L6, offering the café's signature drinks, including their 100% Organic Matcha, Matcha Latte, Hojicha Latte, and various coffees. 

Additionally, THE MATCHA TOKYO has a variety of croffles and airport-exclusive hot dogs, for those who want a small bite as well! 

Location: Near Gate 11, Departures L6

Opening Hours: 7 AM to 11 PM

Yuan Is Here

Yuan Is Here
Yuan Is Here

As a recipient of the 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand, Yuan Is Here is known for its authentic Taiwanese street food and buzzing night market street food décor. 

Located near Gate 28 on L6, don't miss out on their signature dishes such as Braised Pork Rice, Taiwanese Burger, Sweet Taro Balls, and Bubble Tea! 

Location: Near Gate 28, Departures L6

Opening Hours: 7 AM to 11 PM

Men Wah Bing Teng

Man Wah Bing Teng
Man Wah Bing Teng

If you want to savor cha chaan teng-style food one last time before you fly, Men Wah Bing Teng is the perfect choice. 

Situated near Gate 11 on L6, this "bing sutt" (冰室) offers a variety of Hong Kong traditional dishes, like Men Wah BBQ Pork with Egg and Rice, Sa Cha Beef Noodles, and Hong Kong-style Milk Tea. 

Location: Near Gate 11, Departures L6

Opening Hours: 24/7 

INTERVALS Sky Bar & Restaurant

INTERVALS Bar
INTERVALS Bar

Located by the Sky Bridge on L9 (between Gates 12 and 24), INTERVALS is a cocktail bar launched by Plaza Premium Group in 2023, providing travelers a full-fledged service menu and in-flight takeaways. 

Their cocktail menu offers classic drinks such as Martini, Gin & Tonic, Margarita, and Whisky Sour, along with non-alcoholic drinks like soft drinks, tea, coffee, and kombucha

The venue also serves up a variety of food options to go with your drinks, such as The HK Prawn Toast, Mini Boston Lobster Roll, and Avocado "Croast." 

Location: Departures L9, Sky Bridge (between Gates 12 and 24)

Opening Hours: 7 AM to 11:30 PM 

% Arabica

Arabica %
Arabica %

For those who need a caffeine boost for their early morning flights, they can visit % Arabica, an iconic specialty coffee chain originating from Kyoto in Japan, near Gate 10 on L6

% Arabica was first introduced to Hong Kong in 2017, offering simple, yet high-quality cups of coffee, alongside matcha and lemonade for those who don't drink coffee. 

Location: Near Gate 10, Departure L6

Opening Hours: 6 AM to 9 PM

The Pier, Business Lounge (Cathay Pacific Lounge)

The Pier, Business Lounge Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific

If you're flying Cathay Pacific First Class, Business, or are a Silver Asia Miles member or above, their The Pier lounge near Gate 65 is a must-visit if you're departing from HKIA. 

As the largest airport lounge in the world, The Pier lounge not only offers delicious food and drinks, but they also offers work stations, shower suites, and semi-private resting pods

Don't miss out on their popular Noodle Bar serving up Hong Kong classics and Chinese dishes, and Teahouse with JING's loose-leaf teas ranging from Japanese sencha, aged pu-erh, and Earl Grey.

Location: Near Gate 65

Opening Hours: 5:30 AM to 12:30 AM

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Hong Kong/ Delish/ Happenings
An Exclusive Culinary Experience Awaits at the Sunset Grill at Sheraton HK
20250519 Sheraton Executive Chef Photo by Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel

A gourmet exploration is in order at the Sunset Grill at Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel

Curious gourmands are invited to an unforgettable evening at “The Best of Sheraton: Executive Chef’s Table,” taking place at the intimate counter of the open kitchen at Sunset Grill. A curated selection of six signature dishes crafted by the executive chefs will be prepared for guests to heartily enjoy. 

Executive Chef David Parkins at the Sunset Grill
Courtesy of the Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel

Guests will be treated to a culinary experience for the eyes and the palates, exhibiting the prowess of two renowned chefs, Executive Chef David Parkin, who leads Sunset Grill, Café Lantau, Four Points by Sheraton’s Tung Chung Kitchen, and The Harbour Lounge, and known for his ability to incorporate local produce into Western classics, along with Executive Chinese Chef Jacky Chung, Head of YUE and the hotel banquet with over 30 years of experience in the industry. 

Executive Chef’s Table is made for guests to enjoy a gourmet journey that features a carefully curated multi-course meal and up-close action with the executive chefs.

"The Best of Sheraton: Executive Chef's Table" features a curated selection of six dishes.
Courtesy of the Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel

Chef Jacky will be presenting the Steamed Cod Fish with Crispy Soy Bean and Chilli and Steamed Sea Cucumber, Shrimp and Pork Dumplings with Abalone Sauce, two sophisticated dishes from YUE. 

Western cuisine, represented by Sauteed King Scallops with Heritage Carrots, Pistachio, and Local Micro Herbs and A5 Wagyu Sirloin with Black Truffle, Burrata, Roast Hazelnuts, and Garden Peas, comes from Sunset Grill. Another highlight is the rare Aloo Tikka Chaat with Sweet Yoghurt, Tamarind, Sev, and Mint Sauce

Chef David’s creativity shines with his marriage of seasonal produce and bold pairings, with the beloved Petit Basque Cheesecake with Vanilla Sauce ending the meal on a high note.

Guests can savor these exquisite dishes alongside three carefully selected wines (wine pairing HK$388 + 10%). The refreshing and crisp Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin champagne, the fruity La Chablisienne Chablis ‘La Pierrelée’ white wine with mineral notes and fruit acidity, and the aromatic Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandrew Cabernet Sauvignon red wine with hints of spice, blackcurrant, and berry flavors, to elevate the flavors of each dish and complement the dining experience. 

“The Best of Sheraton: Executive Chef’s Table” will be available from June 2 to August 31 (except July 7 to 22) from 6 PM to 10 PM, priced at HK$1388 + 10% per person for a minimum group of 4 and a maximum group of 6 per night. 

Each guest will receive a surprise take-home gift after the meal. A four-day advance reservation is required, open on eShop now. 

For more information and/or reservations, please visit the Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel’s website here, and follow their Facebook and Instagram pages. 

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Hong Kong/ Delish/ Happenings
Goose Island Launches Their First Hong Kong Taproom in Central
Goose island Photo by Goose Island Taproom

Guess what? The local craft beer scene just got a whole lot frothier. Goose Island, the award-winning brewery that’s been flying the flag for craft beer since 1988, has officially landed in Hong Kong with its first Goose Island Taproom

Packed with personality and pouring over a dozen inventive brews, the new taproom brings buzzy beer culture straight into the heart of Central, on Lyndhurst Terrace.

Founded in Chicago, Goose Island has grown from a humble brewpub into a global pioneer of the IPA category. 

With a mission to brew great beer and have fun doing it, their motto says it all: “We don’t need to be the only beer you drink, we just want to be the best beer you drink.”

At the Lyndhurst outpost, expect a fresh lineup of craft creations every month. Highlights on tap include the multi-award-winning Goose IPA, famous for its hoppy aroma and citrus zing, and Thirsty Goose, a lager/hoppy pilsener that clinched gold at the 2024 World Beer Awards China

taproom
Goose Island Taproom

You can also try their tropical Head in Clouds Triple Hazy IPA, the crisp and classic The Great Goose, or the creamy, fruity Gossip in Hops Milkshake IPA. Each Goose Island Taproom Selected House Beer is priced at HK$78

To experience all the flavors at once, opt for their BrewMaster's Choice: Beer Flight, which includes their Beer of the Month plus a selection of 11 distinct House Beers, for just HK$298.

Need something to soak it all up? The food menu doesn’t disappoint. Share a plate of GOOSE LOADED NACHOS (veg-friendly option available) for HK$118, dig into the Brewmaster Classic Cheeseburger at HK$148, or go traditional with Goose Cod Fish N Chips for HK$158.

For more information, visit Goose Island Taproom on their Instagram

Location: Goose Island Taproom, Shop 1, G/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

Opening Hours: Sundays to Thursdays from 12 NN to 12 AM, Fridays and Saturdays from 12 NN to 2 AM

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Hong Kong/ Delish/ People
Yes Chef! Sustainable Fine Dining with Chef Adam Catterall of Roganic
Chef Adam 2 Photo by The Beat Asia

Asia is one food-crazy continent! We take great care to pick restaurants based on culinary vibes, rankings on international gourmand guides, mentions in magazines, Instagrammability, and added hunger. Yes, Chef! features the region’s chefs' stories of love and labour in kitchens that have made some of our restaurants the next big thing in Asia.

Leading the charge at Roganic Hong Kong—Mother Nature's sanctuary in the heart of Causeway Bay—is Head Chef Adam Catterall, the culinary virtuoso behind the city’s growing sustainable fine dining movement.

With over 15 years of experience at elite kitchens, Chef Adam merges culinary expertise with a designer’s eye, infusing every dish with relentless creativity.

Since Chef Adam joined Roganic in 2019 as a sous chef, he has been instrumental in shaping the restaurant’s vision, working alongside British culinary pioneer Simon Rogan MBE and Executive Chef Oli Marlow. He took on the role of Head Chef in 2023, leading the team with a sharp focus to a kitchen already known for its trailblazing ethos.

Chef Adam
Website/ Roganic Hong Kong

The one MICHELIN Star and MICHELIN Green-Starred restaurant has long been celebrated for its pioneering approach to sustainable dining. Chef Adam continues that legacy, maintaining a deep connection to the sourcing process and sourcing locally wherever possible. 

Roganic Hong Kong moved from its initial location in Sino Plaza in September 2024 and reopened its new home in the sleek Lee Garden One in February 2025. Their new menu utilizes by-products from menu ingredients that would otherwise go to compost, as well as a new flexible sharing set menu format. This new chapter stays true to Simon Rogan’s principles of prioritizing hyper-local ingredients, zero-waste techniques, and responsible gastronomy.

The Beat Asia sat down with Chef Adam to dive into his personal culinary journey, the creative inspiration behind Roganic's new menu, and what it takes to hold onto a MICHELIN Star plus Hong Kong’s very first MICHELIN Green Star.

When did you first begin your culinary journey and what brought you to Hong Kong?

Chef Adam
Facebook/ Roganic Hong Kong

My career began quite early, when I was around 14. I started working in a local restaurant near me as a Pot Washer, cleaning dishes in the north of England. I fell in love with working in the kitchen and it just snowballed from there. In between, I dabbled with graphic design at university, but after that, I went back to the kitchen.

I first visited Hong Kong on holiday in my early 20s, and I fell in love with the city. I love the variety of cuisine here!

What was the process of reopening Roganic Hong Kong like?

Roganic Hong Kong interior
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

I don't want to say smooth – it was challenging, but it's to be expected. 

We had a few [activations before the reopening]: we did a pop-up residency in Taiwan for six weeks, which was fun. And then there was a lot of work involved in getting Roganic open and with menu development. We decided very early on we didn't want to do any of the same dishes that we had at the previous restaurant. So obviously that's huge, creating a new menu and concept. A lot of thought went into this.

Congratulations on retaining Roganic's MICHELIN Star and Green Star. What does this award mean to you and your team?

It’s great to be recognized with a MICHELIN Star, especially after being open for such a short time- just a few weeks before the awards. Our whole identity at Roganic is about sustainability and supporting local which is all-encompassing in that award, so it's super special and a great achievement for us to retain the Green Star.

What's one behind the scenes challenge people wouldn't know about maintaining a MICHELIN Star and Green Star?

Adam sourcing
Facebook/ Roganic Hong Kong

Sourcing is always a challenge in Hong Kong, especially when you're so strict about sourcing locally. The farms here are really good, but they can be quite limited in quantity. 

We sometimes look to places like Taiwan as an alternative when [produce] isn't in season here. It can be very dependent on the weather, which means certain times we might be expecting a product, and all of a sudden it's not available, whether that's due to heavy rain or because we haven't had rain for a few weeks.  

This means that we either have to look at ways of preserving [ingredients] or being able to tweak a dish, and you have to be quite adaptive to the local weather in Hong Kong. The humidity is a big one, as a lot of things won’t grow if it gets too humid, but we can plan for it because we know the season when humidity kicks in.

What was your creative process like behind the new menu?

boltardy beetroots
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

It always starts with the produce. We look very closely at what's growing here and what season it is. 

Originally, we were planning to open in December, so we had a whole menu written for the December season of Hong Kong. We had to change a few dishes because we were two months delayed. But those, we can put on the back burner, as they might come back in the future, so they're never wasted. 

What are some defining moments that have shaped your journey as a chef?

team at Roganic
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

In my first role as a Head Chef, I've gained knowledge from Oli [Marlow], who's our Executive Chef, Simon [Rogan], and our previous Head Chef Ash [Salmon], on how to run a successful group of chefs and be a leader.

Being able to work alongside the great chef Simon Rogan opened my eyes to a lot of things. He put such a huge emphasis on the ingredient and the provenance of it and taught me that sometimes you don't have to do so much with ingredients – if they are fresh and grown in the correct way, it will do the work for you. 

It taught me the lesson that less is more sometimes – and always that question of: does that dish need that extra ingredient?  

How are you taking a holistic approach to sustainability in your kitchen operations?

Nantau tomatoes in perilla and coal, fermented pistachio and winter shoots
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

A lot of it comes down to managing waste and the waste that is produced in the kitchen. It's not always about how you dispose of things, or reuse things, but about how to use certain parts of products that may not be used usually

A lot of the byproducts of things that are used in the kitchen go into our soft drink pairings and all the juices we serve. We have a huge soft pairing menu, and lots of different flavors. 

Roganic soft drink pairings
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

For example, some of the tomatoes from our tomato dish [Farmhouse tomatoes in perilla and coal, fermented pistachio, and winter shoots], that are starting to go a little bit too ripe, we turn it into a tomato water, and it’ll be a pairing to go with the tomato dish. 

Roganic's menu spotlights unique ingredient pairings, like the fermented pistachio with Nantau tomatoes. Can you break down the thought process behind this dish?

Maitake mushroom, miso butter, grains, 3 yellow soft yolk and burnt chives 0
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

When we think about that tomato dish, we want it to be well balanced. We think about the acidity, you want a creaminess, a richness, and sweetness in the dish. It's all about balancing the flavors and textures. So, although the dish looks quite simple, it has a lot of elements involved in it. 

On the base is a fermented pistachio sauce. The pistachios make it have this nice, meaty, complex flavor when it gets fermented, with this rich umami flavor. The sugar goes really well with the acidity of the tomatoes, and it was the first time we did it with pistachios (before we did it with pumpkin seeds). I was pretty happy with how it came out.

Do you have a favorite creation on the menu?

I think the tomato dish- it's quite unusual. It's always good to have a special and interesting vegetarian dish on a menu, and it’s something that we're quite known for. We have a lot of vegetarian and vegan customers who really appreciate what we do and it’s really fun to create new things for them.

What's one item on the menu that you feel reflects your personal approach to cooking?

The lemon lychee dessert is super interesting – I really love the fresh flavor. We serve it as a palette cleanser in the menu. It’s something to refresh the palette after the savory dishes before the next dessert. 

It has different layers: fresh lychee, and then a butternut custard, so it's really smooth, rich and creamy, and then a lemon snow. For that, we use local perfume lemons and the snow is like frozen rocks in texture. Then we serve it with a Douglas fir oil

What is the story behind this dish?

Most of our stories go back to the same place, it’s always about what we can get from Hong Kong and what’s in season. 

We wanted to use the perfume lemons that were in season, so that’s where it all began. We were like, what can we pair with the lemons, what goes well? And the dish evolved from there. 

What’s one misconception about sustainability in fine dining that you wish more people knew about?

sea bass
Courtesy of Roganic

People understand the value of expensive meat and fish, but it's a bit more difficult to try and translate that into more of a "humble produce," like vegetables and fruits, so I'm trying to show the value of those to our guests. 

The Hong Kong market is still into caviar, sea urchin, and really expensive things. That’s one of our challenges [here], but it also makes us stand out from the crowd. We’re doing something different than a lot of places. That comes from Simon Rogan, that's what he believes in, what we want to do, and what makes us who we are.

You have spent years immersed in Hong Kong’s culinary scene. How do you think the city’s food and culture influences your approach at Roganic?

roganic duck
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

The breadth of different restaurants and bars and the whole story in Hong Kong is ever changing, there's always something different. But it’s really inspiring to see how different styles of food all come together in one city. It’s a great way to learn new things, new ingredients, and skills from working with people from different cultures. Hong Kong is quite unique in that sense. 

How does Roganic's new layout and open kitchen influence your operations?

layout
Courtesy of Roganic Hong Kong

When we were first thinking about the restaurant, we wanted to have something that was more casual, fun, and less like fine dining

We didn't want it to be too stuffy, and that was one of the ideas, to have more of an open kitchen. It creates more of theatre as well, I always love to go into a restaurant where you can see the chefs working, because you get a better connection with them. Something that we chefs like to do is go out, serve the dishes, and explain the dishes to the guests. It's more of an interactive experience.

Looking ahead, what are your goals for Roganic?

We want to continue to evolve and maintain our position as one of the most sustainable and best [dining] spots in Hong Kong. That's something we're looking to keep improving upon and developing, which can come from finding new suppliers and [exploring] different ways to become more sustainable.

To make a reservation at Roganic Hong Kong, visit their website here.  

Stay connected to Chef Adam on his Instagram. For more information, visit Roganic Hong Kong on their website, Facebook and Instagram

Location: Shop 402 – 403, 4/F, Lee Garden 1, Causeway Bay Hong Kong

Opening Hours:  

Lunch: Wednesday to Sunday from 12 PM to 2 PM

Dinner: Wednesday to Sunday from 6 PM to 9 PM

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Hong Kong/ Delish/ Happenings
Moroccan Coffee House Bacha Coffee Unveils Flagship Store at Harbour City
20250513 Bacha Coffee HK Photo by Bacha Coffee

Legendary coffee house from Morocco Bacha Coffee has unveiled its first-ever concept location in the heart of Hong Kong at Harbour City

This emblematic destination marks a new chapter in the illustrious journey of the Moroccan coffee label as it expands in Asia to bring an unparalleled collection of over 200 varieties of 100% Arabica specialty coffees from 35 countries around the world, as well as the art of traditional coffee preparation, service, and coffee gastronomy to coffee lovers in Hong Kong. 

Featuring a 2,500-square-foot space, the Bacha Coffee flagship at Harbour City is home to Hong Kong’s very first Bacha Coffee Room, Coffee Boutique, and Takeaway Concept that offers a delightful journey into the world of coffee in all its enchanting forms. 

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The Bacha Coffee Room seats 50 people, with a carefully curated menu available throughout the day that complements Bacha’s repertoire of coffees, signature pastries, viennoseries, and Moroccan-inspired dishes.  

The new flagship channels the spirit of Dar el Bacha in Marrakech, dressed in elegance and warmth, and now beautifully interpreted in the vibrant city of Hong Kong. Here, coffee masters move with precision and grace, brewing coffee with golden gooseneck pots — every pour a quiet ode to its timeless tradition. 

A breakfast set offered by Bacha Coffee
Courtesy of Bacha Coffee

The menu is a marriage of bold flavours and thoughtful pairings. Mornings begin with Baked Free-Range Eggs, nestled in a spicy tomato sauce infused with Red Bison Coffee, feta cheese, olives, and confit forest mushrooms. Come noon, the Traditional Moroccan Kefta Meatballs take center stage with the richness of warm spices, served in a hearty gravy with crisp straw potato fries. For an afternoon pick-me-up, the Bacha Club Sandwich is best paired with any Arabica of choice — layered with chicken, cheddar, beef bacon, fried egg, onion raisin confit, and gherkins

For those who know Bacha Coffee from IFC Mall or the airport, the Harbour City Coffee Boutique features a repertoire of more than 200 varieties of 100% Arabica coffees, ground to your desire or boxed in a beautifully crafted box. If you’re on the go, guests may enjoy hot or iced drinks from the Takeaway Concept, dressed in a side of vanilla bean-flecked Chantilly cream, a raw sugar candy stick, and a reusable glass straw. 

A coffee time set offered by Bacha Coffee
Courtesy of Bacha Coffee
The Takeaway Concept offers hot and iced drinks, with pastries.
Courtesy of Bacha Coffee
Bacha Coffee offers iced drinks on the go.
Courtesy of Bacha Coffee

Round out your indulgent ritual with Bacha Coffee’s selection of signature sweet and savoury croissants. 

“The Bacha Coffee Room experience is a significant addition to Hong Kong, allowing coffee lovers to immerse themselves in our rich heritage,” says Taha Bouqdib, President & CEO of Bacha Coffee. 

“Our every location and concept around the world bears the DNA of the original location at the Dar el Bacha in Marrakech, complete with intricate décor and elegant furnishings designed to engage the senses, transporting our guests to an era when coffee was served with true reverence. A key strategic location in our global expansion, we believe this Harbour City venue will become a cherished destination that honours the past while crafting the future for coffee enthusiasts.” 

Follow Bacha Coffee on Facebook and Instagram. You may check out their website here

Location: Bacha Coffee Harbour City Flagship, Shop G315 & G315A, G/F, Gateway Arcade, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Opening Hours: 8 AM to 10 PM

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Hong Kong/ Delish/ Happenings
PINTXOS by bàrbar Brings Authentic Basque Bites to Hong Kong
PINTXOS Photo by Courtesy of PINTXOS by bàrbar

A true taste of Spain is now officially on the map in Hong Kong, thanks to PINTXOS by bàrbar, the city’s first dedicated pintxos bar. 

Nestled on Ship Street in Wan Chai, this vibrant new spot is the latest gem from Epicurean Group, who’s already brought us some of the finest Spanish dining experiences in town. 

At their newest venue, they’re inviting guests to dive into the delightful world of pintxos—Basque Country’s answer to tapas—offering a culinary adventure perfect for a casual dining experience or a more elevated date night. 

pintxos
Courtesy of PINTXOS by bàrbar

The menu is a curated love letter to Spain’s famed small bites, with every dish crafted to showcase the finest seasonal Spanish ingredients that promises something fresh and exciting with each visit. 

Start with the cold bar for a satisfying hit of classic flavors that allows visitors to take as much or as little as they want. Offerings include the refreshing Gazpacho and Watermelon and a selection of quiches, from Avocado, Anchovy and Tomato, to fresh Mushroom. 

Classic pintxos include Traditional Gilda, Machego Gilda, Spicy Gilda (HK$32/each), featuring the classic Gilda—skewered olives, peppers, and anchovies, elevated with creamy Manchego and a spicy twist. The Octopus Skewer (HK$45), tender and perfectly spiced with paprika oil—a mouthwatering nod to Galician tradition. 

And let’s not forget the hot menu, which really makes PINTXOS by bàrbar stand out. The 40gr US Beef Tenderloin, Foie Gras, Périgord (HK$125) is pure indulgence, while the Pork Belly Pintxo, Apple and Celery (HK$35), delivers an unexpected balance of richness and freshness. 

Foie Gras
Courtesy of PINTXOS by bàrbar

Another standout is the Broken Quail Egg, Potato Parmentier, Chorizo, Migas (HK$48), a showcase of flavorful textures, with candied onions at the base, crispy “tempered” chorizo, creamy Parmentier potato puree, all layered with crunchy deep-fried “migas” in noisette butter.

The desserts are equally tantalizing. Try their “Xuxo” (HK$35), a golden Catalan pastry filled with luscious Catalan cream. Alternatively, indulge in the Spanish flan (HK$28), slow baked to perfection, offering a smooth and velvety texture with a caramel glaze and a hint of vanilla.

Led by Edgard Sanuy Barahona, Head of Spanish Restaurant Division at Epicurean Group and Head Chef Xavier Pla, this new spot is the place to be, whether you’re a pintxos aficionado or a newcomer to the Basque tradition.

To make reservations, visit this website. For more information, check out PINTXOS by bàrbar on their Instagram and Facebook

Location: G/F, 22 Ship Street, Wan Chai

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