Award-winning chefs from Hong Kong eateries discuss their approach to crafting menus, considering factors like seasonal influences, ingredient accessibility and freshness, along with personal preferences.
Enjoying an outstanding meal is frequently compared to a symphony, where flavors collaborate to produce something more beautiful than their separate contributions. However, each individual dish plays a role within this larger composition—the menu itself. At top-tier eateries, particularly those offering tasting menus, the entire culinary journey from appetizer to after-dinner treat should be guided by a seamless and cohesive sequence.
Although it can seem magical to diners, crafting a menu depends heavily on thorough preparation, trials, and thoughtful choices. Besides understanding their audience and anticipating guest preferences, chefs must have a distinct vision for what they aim to convey via the menu—such as highlighting local fare, a particular culinary approach, or fresh seasonal produce.
Chef Liu Zhen, who leads the kitchen as the head chef at
Ningbo specialist Yong Fu
meticulously selects every item from the menu to create a “harmonious gastronomic adventure.”
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He notes that ‘a superb menu goes beyond standout dishes; it adheres to a core concept such as seasonal ingredients, focus on seafood, or crafting experiences for both first-time and returning visitors.’
Uwe Opocensky, who serves as the executive chef at
Restaurant Petrus
, who also manages the six additional dining venues at the Island Shangri-La hotel, employs a seven-step method for crafting new menus. At Petrus, he utilizes this approach to introduce a fresh menu quarterly, aligning with seasonal shifts in his predominantly European and Japanese produce.
He characterizes the ingredients as “crucial” within the Petrus kitchen. “With top-notch quality ingredients at hand, they demand little manipulation to stand out. Hence, understanding their origin plays an essential role and forms the basis of our cooking philosophy.”
He begins his menu development by pinpointing the seasonal items he wishes to incorporate. Next, he chooses a primary component for every dish and identifies suitable accompaniments for this key element. In the third phase, he embarks on a quest to find top-notch ingredients through careful procurement.
He and his team proceed with several rounds of testing and sampling. Once the dishes are mostly finalized, they consider the sequence of the menu and the serving portions. The final stage involves concentrating on making minor adjustments, hoping they will be relatively insignificant alterations at this point.
Last year, Loïc Portalier assumed the role of executive chef at the modern French eatery Louise. He too uses the changing seasons as his guiding principle; however, he broadens his ingredient sourcing beyond Europe and Japan to include products from Australia as well.
He states, “I consistently look for the most flavorful items out there.” Once they’ve been pinpointed, they aim to create something innovative and distinctive that distinguishes them from other eateries in Hong Kong. He believes that an appealing menu should possess a distinct personality.
For Silas Li, who serves as the executive chef at Hong Kong Cuisine 1983,
His menu choices are primarily influenced by the restaurant’s identity—contemporary Chinese, specifically at his present location in Happy Valley—but he also heavily considers his individual tastes.
“When developing my menus, I consider various themes as inspiration; however, for me, it’s crucial to select dishes and ingredients that resonate with my personal taste,” Li shares with us. “Being a chef, I believe it’s vital that I enjoy the food I’m presenting. I prefer giving traditional components and techniques an innovative spin aligned with our East-meets-West philosophy. Nevertheless, it’s equally critical not to go overboard since ultimately, we remain dedicated to Chinese culinary traditions.”
At Yong Fu, the challenge many chefs face lies not so much in blending local and international influences or balancing traditional and contemporary styles. Instead, they must navigate the culinary landscape between northern and southern Chinese cuisine.
Yong Fu takes pride in serving Ningbo dishes—a style of cooking originating from China’s Zhejiang province renowned for its expertise in seafood preparation. However, Liu, who spent over twenty years at the inaugural Yong Fu location in Shanghai prior to launching the establishment in Hong Kong in 2019, mentions that their creativity draws upon various culinary influences rather than being strictly confined to one regional specialty.
“To really grasp the heart of Ningbo’s culinary style, which hinges on meticulous ingredient handling and superior control over cooking temperatures, genuine regional produce is crucial,” he explains. “Nonetheless, depending exclusively on Ningbo-sourced items in Hong Kong presents difficulties like procurement issues, logistics hurdles, and climatic effects. Crafting recipes using high-quality local components is an important approach.”
Liu mentions that he frequently interacts with nearby chefs to enhance his knowledge about Hong Kong’s ingredients. He also visits local markets to tackle supply challenges, which often fuels his creativity in the kitchen.
The development of cooking methods depends on maintaining traditions while also exploring continuously. Genuine advancement stems from creativity—mixing flavors, combining techniques with regional products, or reinventing Ningbo components using modern approaches. Various procedures uncover novel dimensions within the same component, much like how one method can alter different elements,” he states. “In Hong Kong, Cantonese expertise and indigenous resources bring additional depth to this inventive journey.”
While designing my menus, I consider themes as inspiration, but ultimately, it comes down to selecting dishes and ingredients that I genuinely enjoy.
The dishes like crunchy chicken topped with Sichuan peppercorn sauce, roasted oysters paired with dried bamboo shoots puree, along with stewed abalone served in luxurious golden chicken broth exemplify the blend of heritage and creativity found at Yong Fu.
Although many high-end restaurant chefs aspire to utilize premium ingredients and serve an array of dishes packed with top-notch produce, a critical yet increasingly stressful part of crafting menus for them is managing costs.
“Today, in the world of commerce, menu pricing has grown significantly more crucial because of shifts in consumer behavior,” according to Portalier.
Flexibility is crucial for restaurant staff, mainly due to chefs mentioning that securing dependable suppliers—particularly for premium, specialized items—can be difficult. Additionally, customers often make reservations spontaneously these days.
“Experience, adaptability and flexibility are essential; that’s why we make sure we can modify recipes using different available ingredients. There are times when we have to reach out to fellow chefs to borrow ingredients until our next delivery arrives,” reveals Portalier. “However, we aim to plan to the best of our availabilities to avoid such situations, as frequent changes lead to inconsistencies.”
Unpredictable supplies of ingredients can lead to wastage, which Ms. Li aims to reduce: “From an environmental perspective, we focus on managing waste by keeping track of our inventory levels and predicting requirements; we consistently strive to minimize wastage and maintain freshness.”
The ongoing problem with staffing levels also implies that chefs must create menus which can be efficiently handled by the whole kitchen crew.
The difficulties chefs now encounter while crafting menus are truly significant. Liu suggests keeping the end objective in focus.
The essence of our menu revolves around the guests. Each exceptional dish ought to evoke memories or astonishment, forging a personal bond,” he explains. “Through active listening and adjustment, we enhance the menu, always mindful of evolving preferences and fashions.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source of news covering China and Asia.
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