Food & Drink
Then & Now | When supermarkets stopped being for the English-speaking elite in Hong Kong
Hong Kong supermarkets have gone from places with dress codes and English-speaking staff that served the wealthy elite to the ubiquitous neighbourhood stores of today.
Experience ‘balance and harmony’ in tea-pairing lunch, workshop in Hong Kong
Hungry and love tea? Try a lunch at Tate Dining Room in Hong Kong that pairs tea with French-Chinese cuisine – and attend a workshop to try a rare Puer tea valued at US$61,500 per brick.
What is natto and why is it loved or hated just like durian, stinky tofu?
Natto is widely consumed in Japan as a budget superfood, but the pungent aroma and wildly sticky texture of the fermented soybeans are not for everyone.
‘I had such a fire’: Hong Kong’s Mimi Wong on MasterChef Australia episode
MasterChef Australia series 16 contestant Mimi Wong, who began cooking in Hong Kong aged 13, talks about her ‘creative upper hand’ on the show from being ‘from two cultures, from the East and West’.
Reflections | How, in China, chillis were the poor man’s salt before becoming prized
The world has got used to eating spicy food – witness Denmark’s recall of too-spicy instant noodles. To think that centuries ago chillis were unknown to most Chinese, used instead of salt by ethnic-minority cooks.
How TikTok’s ‘Sandwich King’ leans into his Chinese and Italian heritage
Meet Owen Han, whose viral sandwiches have earned him millions of loyal followers on social media – and whose recipes are informed by his upbringing as the son of an Italian mother and a Chinese father.
Hand-crushed lemon tea trends in Hong Kong – where to find the best?
A battle royale is unfolding on the streets of Hong Kong, with a slew of speciality stores offering hand-crushed artisan lemon teas to a city nostalgic for its favourite citrusy tipple.
Can André Chiang reinvent hotpot? At Broth in Macau the chef is trying
Chinese people love a good hotpot, and chef André Chiang is putting his spin on it, starting with the broth that goes into soup bases. He’s also played with the meats, and the meal’s carb-loaded finale.
She rode every Hong Kong ferry. What did she find in city’s remote places?
Finding a list of official Hong Kong ferry routes opened long-time resident Bettina Wassener’s eyes to parts of the city of 263 islands she had missed out on. She decided to remedy that, and took them all.
Profile | This pastry chef earned 2 Michelin stars serving ‘dessert’ for dinner
Pastry chef René Frank wanted to do things differently, so he opened Coda, in Berlin, which turns fine dining on its head with savoury riffs on desserts, and has won two Michelin stars in the process.
Asian-American chef bro champions American-Chinese cuisine online and off
Emmett Chow, who disappointed his parents when he decided to become a chef, communes with his ChowFans on Instagram, perfecting his chilli crisp recipe and dreaming about his Hong Kong trip.
What is washoku? The definition of Japanese cuisine is up for debate
It’s been 10 years since washoku, literally ‘Japanese cuisine’, was added to the Unesco list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. What is it actually? The definition is unclear, and opinions differ greatly.
Profile | Why a Paris chef serves congee at her Michelin-star French restaurant
Chef Manon Fleury of one-Michelin-star Datil in Paris serves a rice porridge dish based on Chinese congee. She talks about her women-heavy kitchen brigade and championing female chefs.
Profile | Coffee shop Land to Sea in New York pays homage to Hong Kong and China
In New York and missing Hong Kong? Look no further than Land to Sea, a home-style coffee shop inspired by Hong Kong culture – think neon, Chinese newspapers and porcelain tea cups.
They said Michael Chow was too Chinese to be an artist. Look at him now
Famous for his celebrity-packed chain of Chinese restaurants, 85-year-old Michael Chow talks about facing prejudice, and why he wants to be known as the world’s greatest living artist.
How sourdough experiments in lockdown led to Asian baking recipe book
New versions of old recipes for pineapple buns and Asian crullers, his own recipe for durian cake – Christopher Tan explains what got him started on cookbook NerdBaker 2: Tales from the Yeast Indies.
Bitter, tasteless and hard to swallow? Not the TCM on this restaurant menu
Fine dining meets traditional Chinese medicine at The Mira Hong Kong’s Cuisine Cuisine restaurant, where chef Edwin Tang creates health-replenishing dishes that incorporate TCM ingredients.
When panic buying at a Hong Kong bakery chain led to a 3-day ‘cake run’
When a rumour swept Hong Kong that bakery chain Maria’s was going out of business, holders of vouchers for its cakes began panic buying. Some 400 bakers worked to meet demand until the ‘cake run’ ended.
Profile | Fired 3 times, Grace Choy found her vocation as chef of her own restaurant
Chef and cookbook author Grace Choy tells Kate Whitehead about her ‘simple’ childhood above the family’s mahjong shop in Hong Kong and how itchy feet have led her to Tokyo.
Where to eat on Cheung Chau, a Hong Kong island where old meets new
On Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau island, hip cafes and restaurants exist alongside traditional vendors selling noodles, seafood and dumplings. We’ve selected 15 of the best ones to try on your next visit.