Culinary ambassador Benjamin Ford explains how US cuisine has matured

Although Benjamin Ford has travelled extensively, the California-based chef and restaurateur, and son of Hollywood actor Harrison Ford, has never seen a city like Hong Kong. "It's overwhelming," he says. "I have to re-evaluate what I think of as a city. Here it's very vertical. It has interesting architecture and design, and the reasons for it."

Ford, 48, was recently in Hong Kong as part of the US Department of State's Diplomatic Culinary Partnership Programme, founded last year, that includes more than 100 American celebrity chefs.

This is Ford's first trip abroad promoting American cuisine and products. He created a special menu at The Salted Pig, which is available until Sunday, and presided over the grill last Saturday at the annual Great American Texas Barbecue at The Asia Society. The next day, he cooked brunch at the Conrad Hong Kong, and his dishes were part of the Garden Café's Thanksgiving dinner menu.

Just before he began his official duties as an American culinary ambassador, Ford managed to sample a taste of Hong Kong with a bowl of snake soup. (He enjoyed it, and has eaten rattlesnake before.) "I like to walk around the city and get lost - that's how I discover new towns," he says.

Watch: Harrison Ford's son, Ben Ford, sizzles in Hong Kong