While merry-makers crowded into trendy Lan Kwai Fong to ring in the New Year, behind the scenes restaurateurs were busy putting the finishing touches to their 1997 plans. First up is the Va Bene group, which has rescheduled the opening of a Sichuan restaurant in the space currently occupied by Supatra's. The move had been planned for the end of December, but Supatra's lease was extended into 1997. As a result, the restaurant will now open in March. Supatra's is looking for a new venue. Cooking classes at The Pen Amateur cooks will find things simmering along nicely at The Peninsula, where the executive chef of Spring Moon, Ho Pui-yung, is running a series of day-long Chinese cooking classes from January 22 to 25. Classes on January 22 and 23 will be in Cantonese, and an English interpreter will be present on January 24 and 25. Each class costs $880 per person and space is limited to 15 people. Reservations on 2315-3142. London hotel gets Hong Kong touch The Bar is all deep-green elegance, dull-gold fringes, impeccable service and as fabulous a pit stop as The Clipper Lounge has ever been. Now, along with other outlets in the Hyde Park Hotel in London, it is coming under the auspices of the Mandarin Oriental Group. The acquisition includes The Restaurant, where celebrity chef Marco Pierre White reigns. There are bound to be changes, but new general manager Brian Williams has yet to reveal his plans for the hotel's two restaurants. Williams, who has been with the group for 13 years, opened the revamped Bela Vista. Conran aims high with low-priced chain It seems all diners' paths in London cross at least once one of Sir Terence Conran's culinary phenomena. Now, the British design guru-turned restaurateur is about to launch a new restaurant on an adoring international public. Following the success of Quaglino's and mega-restaurant, Mezzo, Conran plans to open a low-priced French-style chain called Zinc Bar & Grill. Sticking to tradition, decor will be minimalist, as will the prices. Main courses will be under $120. Conran's current restaurants in London serve about 30,000 meals a week.