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Hong Kong Michelin chefs talk about why they chase stars

As acclaimed Singapore-based André Chiang becomes the latest celebrated chef to quit the restaurant rankings, Bo Innovation’s Alvin Leung, Vicky Lau of Tate and Shang Palace’s Mok Kit-keung explain what keeps them motivated

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Wagyu Beef from the three-Michelin-star Bo Innovation in Hong Kong. Photo: Paul Yeung
Bernice Chanin Vancouver
Michelin-garlanded chef André Chiang will happily talk about his childhood food memories, and serve warm foie gras jelly with black truffle coulis during this week’s Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, but he won’t discuss his breaking news.

The Taiwan-born chef made the shock announcement last week that he will close his Restaurant André in Singapore on February 14 next year, and that he wanted to return its two Michelin stars.

Chef André Chiang’s secrets to running a top restaurant in Asia

Chiang, who has also asked not to be included in next year’s Michelin Guide Singapore, says he will concentrate on his restaurant Raw in Taipei, where he “can focus on educating, developing others, and cooking”. He doesn’t want to be included in Taiwan’s upcoming debut guide.

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Chef André Chiang. Photo: David Wong
Chef André Chiang. Photo: David Wong

Other chefs have given up the quest for Michelin-rated perfection.

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It started with culinary enfant terrible Marco Pierre White in 1999, and last month, French chef Sébastien Bras announced he was taking his and his father’s restaurant Le Suquet à Laguiole out of the guide.

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