Information technology consultant Gary Suen was born in Hong Kong and studied in the United States. As a food blogger, he has his own site and is on various channels using the handle @g4gary. My “culinary epiphany” came during university, where many friends were big foodies or cooks, and I just kept sharing my eating, drinking and cooking adventures with them. I enjoy cooking as much as eating. I tend to focus on how dishes are prepared and hearing how chefs come up with ingredient combinations. I take them as inspiration for my dishes at home. I go to Hopers’ Base (6-8 Fort Street, North Point, tel: 2570 8616), a small neighbourhood Chinese restaurant with a simple menu, once or twice a month for the famous roast goose and, in winter, the lamb stew Cantonese-style with fatty and gamy belly meat served in a clay casserole. The owner and I have been mates since secondary school and he shares the same passion for food. Shau Kei Wan is the neighbourhood I go to for casual eats. Wong Lam Kee Chiu Chow Fish Ball Noodles (Shop A, 10 Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan, tel: 2886 0068) serves the best Chiu Chow fish balls. Just a few shops down, On Lee Noodles (22 Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan, tel: 2513 8398) specialises in Cantonese beef brisket soup noodles. There is also a stall owner who calls himself Master Low-Key (Shop B3, 76A Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan) making the town’s best egg waffles. Be prepared to line up on the weekends, though. For a splurge, Ando (1/G, Somptueux Central, 52 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 9161 8697) and Caprice (Podium 6, Four Seasons Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, tel: 3196 8860) are my top choices. I have known chefs Agustin Balbi (of Ando) and Guillaume Galliot (of Caprice) since before their current posts. I love how their cooking has evolved and improved over the years, and their restaurants bear their strong identities. For casual bistro-style dining, I head to Neighborhood (61-63 Hollywood Road, Soho, tel: 2617 0891). Chef David Lai does the best job combining local seasonal ingredients with classic French-style cooking. I would take visitors to Wing (29/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central. Tel: 2711 0063) as a showcase of the finest dishes Hong Kong offers. Chef Vicky Cheng made his name at VEA, but with Wing he pays tribute to classic Chinese cooking with a modern touch. His signature crispy chicken and Alaskan king crab with cheung fun are both exquisite. Japan has always been my favourite destination. I go there three or four times a year and eating is always a big part of the itinerary. I’ve been going to Tempura Fukamachi (2-5-2 Kyobashi, Chuo 104-0031 Tokyo, tel: +81 3 5250 8777) for 10 years. Tempura, like baking, requires precision and attention to detail and owner-chef Masao Fukamachi is one of the best, with over three decades’ experience. Other than the outstanding fried seafood and vegetables, I enjoy his family-run restaurant’s cosy atmosphere in a quiet neighbourhood. On my most recent visit, his son Kazuma-san had a more prominent kitchen role, while dad Masao has taken a back seat. I can’t wait to go back again soon.