Great Chefs of Hong Kong cook, talk and show diners their skills to raise funds for children with special needs
- Chefs from nearly 50 restaurants across the city will gather at the Grand Hyatt in Wan Chai with the aim of raising HK$2 million to help local children
- As well as cooking a wide choice of dishes, chefs will explain their signature dishes and demonstrate their culinary talents
Do you fancy an evening where you can be wined and dined by some of Hong Kong’s top chefs?
Next month you can, when chefs from nearly 50 leading restaurants and hotels across the city gather to raise funds for children in Hong Kong who have special needs.
Organised by Heep Hong Society, a leading non-profit organisation that specialises in childhood education and rehabilitation in the city, the 26th Great Chefs of Hong Kong event offers diners the rare opportunity to speak with star chefs, watch them prepare and cook dishes on the spot, and sample fine wine from around the world.
The charity dinner will be held at the Grand Hyatt hotel, in Wan Chai, on May 6.
“People come back year after year, supporting us because they find this event to be very meaningful,” says Peter Au Yeung, the chief executive of Heep Hong Society. “At the same time, they can taste signature dishes from the top hotels and restaurants. So they just come along [and enjoy the evening with] old friends.”
The mouth-watering evening menu will include pork aspic with aged black vinegar from Club East’s Kong Fu Zi; chilled sago cream with mango juice and pomelo from Summer Place at the Island Shangri-La; and sticky toffee pudding from Bread Street Kitchen & Bar.
The Grand Hyatt will serve vegan Impossible cheeseburgers with a sweet potato rösti, parsley sauce and chipotle mayo from its executive sous chef Marc Briol.
Unlike traditional charity dinners where people are usually served one dish after another, guests can choose whatever they like and have the same dish more than once. The chefs will also be available to talk about their cooking techniques and the philosophy behind their signature dishes.
In the past, the Great Chefs event used to showcase only chefs working in hotels, as there were very few high-end independent restaurants around. But thanks to the diverse local culinary scene today, more chefs from different backgrounds have come to the city to work in independent kitchens, says Kim Murphy, chairman of the Great Chefs Working Group.
This year, there are 12 new restaurants taking part, including the newly opened Chinese restaurant Sichuan Lab in Wan Chai. Its chef Kenny Chan will be bringing his signature dish – baked Sichuan cured pork patties with Kampot pepper – to the table.
Heep Hong Society aims to raise HK$2 million (US$250,000) from this year’s event for its Parents Resource Centres, Au Yeung says.
“Parents of special needs children face tremendous pressure in bringing up their kids … and handling the children’s learning difficulties and behavioural problems,” he says. “They need support [like that given at the centre].” Only three of its seven centres are funded by the government.
Prices for a standard ticket, great chefs ticket and star chef ticket are HK$880, HK$1,780 and HK$2,380, respectively. May 6, from 6pm to 10pm. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Call to buy tickets: 2776 3111.
