Café Deco chef Martin Kniss gets nostalgic about pioneering oyster craze in Hong Kong
Executive chef Martin Kniss is proud of the restaurant being a household name not only for Hong Kong residents but for overseas visitors too
After Café Deco announced on May 30 it was moving from its current location on The Peak to The One in Tsim Sha Tsui, reception manager Laida Caagbay has received numerous calls from regular customers expressing their sadness that the restaurant will shut its doors on July 24.
The two-storey dining establishment with stunning views of Victoria Harbour and beyond, is the place where many have celebrated birthdays, marriage proposals and wedding anniversaries for the past 22 years.
However, Hang Lung Properties, the owner of Peak Galleria, plans to renovate the entire mall, and despite months of negotiations, no agreement was reached, and Café Deco had to move.
A statement from Hang Lung Properties says it is “committed to increase the appeal and attractiveness of The Peak Galleria through asset enhancement initiatives” that will “give a facelift to The Peak as the most popular tourism destination in Hong Kong”. It adds the project is expected to be completed in phases from 2018 onwards.
Caagbay has worked at the restaurant since the day it opened and considers the place more than her home, as she says her co-workers have been very nice and accommodating. “When I first started working here, I was single, then married and then had kids,” she says with a laugh.