International guest chef pop-up pioneer in Hong Kong, Test Kitchen, gets a bigger platform in BaseHall 2 gourmet food court expansion

Hong Kong gourmet food court BaseHall 2 includes a second space for Test Kitchen, Vincent Mui’s venture that brings in international chefs for pop-ups

Mui talks about the new space and the possibilities it opens, and some of the guest chefs he’s lining up for pop-ups at the space in Jardine House, Central

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Entrepreneur Vincent Mui (left) and Polish guest chef Aleksander Baron at the new Test Kitchen in Basehall 2, in Jardine House, Central, Hong Kong. Photo: Test Kitchen

Published: 12:45pm, 16 Dec 2022Updated: 12:38pm, 9 Mar 2023

Following the success of BaseHall, a gourmet food court in the basement of Jardine House in Central, developer Hongkong Land has revamped the rest of the floor to create BaseHall 2, featuring more sophisticated culinary offerings such as an 18-seat chef’s counter, a speakeasy and Japanese and Korean food outlets.

One of the highlights is a new branch of Test Kitchen led by entrepreneur Vincent Mui, who brings in a diverse line-up of guest chefs from around the world to host culinary pop-ups.

Mui opened the original Test Kitchen seven years ago in Sai Ying Pun, in the Western district of Hong Kong Island. The two-storey space seats up to 45 diners who, over the years, have been able to experience creative dishes by chefs from the United States, Finland, the Philippines, Bali and the UK among many other countries.

The new Test Kitchen at BaseHall 2 in Jardine House is several times bigger, and raises the quality of the food and service several notches with a large industrial kitchen, sleek dining room – even a stage, sound system and large projection screen to elevate the dining experience.

The new Test Kitchen at BaseHall 2 in Jardine House is several times bigger, and raises the quality of the food and service several notches. Photo: Test Kitchen

“We can even hold a disco in here,” Mui says. He has been running on caffeine for the past few months, since Hongkong Land approached him about collaborating on the project.