Hong Kong chef’s dream of a scalable plant-based fast food concept takes root at Treehouse
- He co-founded Mana! Fast Slow Food, then opened Home – Eat to Live. Now Christian Mongendre hopes Treehouse will be the start of a plant-based restaurant chain
- The menu includes flatbreads, raw vegan cakes and customisable grain bowls; diners will be able to order by tablet or QR code and AI will suggest dishes to them
Chef and entrepreneur Christian Mongendre is back with a new venue to whet people’s appetites for plant-based food.
“I always wanted to do one product and do it well and make it scalable, which has always been my dream,” the 34-year-old explains. “[At Treehouse] we’re not labelling ourselves as a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, we’re focusing on quality.”
Tucked in an alley behind Nojo just below Hollywood Road, Treehouse helps people to reconnect with nature, Mongendre explains. There’s even a miniature tree house with a very long ladder that hangs from the ceiling. “Whether you have been in a tree house or not, you understand the feeling of being lifted and supported by nature,” he says.
The long, narrow restaurant has an airy feeling thanks to the high ceiling, and there is a long open kitchen so customers can see their food being prepared. They can take it away in minimal packaging and compostable bowls made of sugar cane, or sit at one of the bamboo tables with chairs made from recycled plastic.