Frenchman Guillaume Gallas is the complex general manager of the Novotel Citygate hotel in Hong Kong and the soon to be opened The Silveri MGallery, both part of AccorHotels. My career somehow began in the food and beverage industry around my hometown of Saint-Malo in Brittany. I’ve worked for legendary chef Alain Ducasse . [In Hong Kong] I was part of the opening team of Amber [by chef Richard Ekkebus]. Despite these years of fine dining, I find myself enjoying more the classics of any sort of cuisine – where simplicity and authenticity of products and techniques are key. On weekdays, I usually stick to eating healthy, mostly proteins with some vegetables or salad. But on weekends, I make it a point to experience new and not so new restaurants to support the hospitality community. Neighborhood (61-63 Hollywood Road, Central, tel: 2617 0891) is by David Lai, who is a prodigy I met when I helped open Spoon by Alain Ducasse [now closed]. His food is simple, yet complex, using locally sourced products and usually presenting it family-style to share. I usually call in advance and have David do a menu as he likes. I’m always surprised with his new dishes, but we always gravitate to iconic salt-baked local chicken with vin jaune. Such an unforgettable dish. Why a European in Asia rarely eats Chinese food I love hotpot and the city has a plethora from which to choose. I was introduced to Fong Wing Kee Hot Pot (85-87 Hau Wong Road, Kowloon City, tel: 2382 1788) by a friend. The whole experience, from the atmosphere to staff to the food, was awesome. The satay broth soup base with hand-sliced local beef, home-made crispy fish skin and fresh seafood is a local favourite and stands the test of time. If I’m not hiking, at the weekend I enjoy going to Fleur de Sel (Shop 2J, Po Foo Building, 1 Foo Ming Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2805 6678) for my galette and crepe fix. Being a Brittany native, I can tell everything there is authentic and certainly the best in Hong Kong. If I have visitors, I would take them to Tung Po (2/F, Java Road Municipal Services Building, 99 Java Road, North Point, tel: 2880 5224) or to any local classic cha chaan teng to experience the real Hong Kong. For indulgent French cuisine, I would go for L’Envol (3/F, The St Regis Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Drive, Wan Chai, tel: 2138 6818), headed by chef Olivier Elzer, who is also classically trained and has worked for chefs Joël Robuchon and Pierre Gagnaire. I have followed his career in Hong Kong and his cuisine has always been exceptional. Not being able to travel, what I miss most from home is my mother’s cooking, of course. But I also miss walking through Saint-Malo’s open-air market, picking up the daily seafood catch or enjoying a classic plateau de fruits de mer with a bottle of Muscadet de Sevre or rosé de Provence. The other dish I would want to eat is a pissaladière. It’s like a pizza but not a pizza. It’s a tart with caramelised onions, anchovies and olives that can be eaten warm or cold while wandering the markets. But Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse (l’Hotel de Paris, Place du Casino, 98000 Monte Carlo, tel: +377 98 06 88 64) would be my ultimate indulgence. Having worked in this iconic establishment, the amount of detail and exceptional products used is second to none.