One of Beijing’s best Peking ducks, Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong, a French touch in Taiwan: an Italian’s dining picks

Italian native Gabriele Falcone is marketing development manager of Nestle water products including San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. He speaks to Andrew Sun.

For me, food is connected to love for my family and friends. Food tastes better when shared with people you love. If I am cooking for myself I stick to dishes with minimal preparation. If I’m cooking for family, I might be like the father character in the movie Eat Drink Man Woman and spend two days in the kitchen.

Hong Kong is a wonderland for a food lover. I recently fell in love with the South American chefs Agustin Balbi of restaurant Ando (1/F, Somptueux Central, 52 Wellington Street, Central) and Ricardo Chaneton of Mono (5/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central).

Both of them guide their guests through a culinary experience to discover their South American heritage and their professional background and inspiration – Japanese for Agustin and French for Ricardo. Every element on their plates is to enhance the sensory enjoyment, with no fluff added.

As an Italian, chef Umberto Bombana’s restaurants 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Shop 202, 2/F Alexandra House, 16-20 Chater Road, Central, tel: 2537 8859) and Octavium (8/F, One Chinachem Central, 22 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, tel: 2111 9395) are always among my favourites. He is an icon for Italian cuisine in the world.

For new visitors, I usually take them to Tsim Sha Tsui to experience Cantonese cuisine at its finest in Cuisine Cuisine (3/F, The Mira, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2315 5222). I especially love their char siu which I can’t get enough of, and the Saturday all-you-can-eat dim sum is a real treat.