Mouthing Off | Like Sting with Roxanne and Daniel Craig with 007, Michelin-star Hong Kong chef wants a change
- After 14 years of success, culinary director Richard Ekkebus has closed Amber restaurant to create a new concept
- I can’t wait to see what surprises he comes up with; if you want someone to compete at the highest level, they need to constantly up their game
Richard Ekkebus’ remarkable Hong Kong restaurant, Amber, has closed. It’s just temporary, though: after 14 years, the Dutchman decided he wanted a change, and it has shut for four months as he and the Landmark Mandarin Oriental revamp the space and create a new concept. In my opinion, it’s about time.
Ekkebus is one of the more artistic chefs in the city, always looking to push himself and come up with new ideas, so it’s a surprise it’s taken this long. Talk to any creative person and they’ll tell you the biggest problem with success is people wanting them to do the same thing over and over.
This is why Daniel Craig wants to quit James Bond, why Jon Stewart left The Daily Show, and why Sting has had it with The Police reunions.
Singapore’s André Chiang hit a similar wall this year, turning his back on his two-Michelin-star Restaurant André after eight years. Rene Redzepi also closed Noma when it reached 14, before relaunching this summer.
Astute culinary observers know Ekkebus has been itching for new challenges. He has hosted a lot of four-handed collaborations with visiting chef in recent years, suggesting he wants some fresh oxygen in the kitchen. Flying in top chefs from around the world just for one or two dinners makes no economic sense otherwise.