Former model's culinary career written in the scars

Model turned chef Esther Sham has drawn much acclaim for the witty, pretty food she serves up as Chef Tata in her private kitchen, Ta Pantry - including much talked about Shanghainese foie gras wontons. Sham shut down her kitchen for a stint in France, training at Le Relais Louis XIII in Paris and Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier. Here the exuberant chef, who has just turned 30, recalls the toils and terrors of 15-hour days, tells us why scars do matter, and reveals how her journey into one of the world's gastronomic centres will affect a Hong Kong snack staple, at least in her hands.

You already run your own restaurant - why go to France?

I got the idea one day while I was working at Amber. (Sham interned under executive chef Richard Ekkebus). The connection came through the sous chef at the time, Pierre Altobelli. He helped me set it up. I wanted to experience how real French kitchens operated and how they handled their products, and also to work with ingredients we don't see in Asia.

Such as?

The first thing I was handed at Le Jardin was a courgette flower - I had never even touched one before. I was excited because until then I thought courgette flowers were like myths. They told me to pull out the stems. It's such a common thing in the south of France they assumed I'd know it. The moment I pulled out one side, the other side would stick and break. I knew they were going to stuff it, so I couldn't give them broken petals. I was so embarrassed. I was trying to hide my mistakes, but then I just had to ask how to do it.

What was the secret?

Actually, you approach it from the top. You blow it and it inflates so you can poke in your pinky and pull out the stem.