Yenn Wong adds Duddell's London to list of successful restaurants

When it comes to restaurants, Yenn Wong cannot put a foot wrong. From the opening of her first restaurant in the city, 208 Duecento Otto, in 2010 - still going strong - to Potato Head/Kaum, Rhoda, and her most recent pursuit - the opening of a second Duddell's in London this autumn - the magic formula goes from strength to strength. Wong puts it down to creative collaborations and enjoying what they do.

"What drives us is our creative collaborations and we really enjoy what we do and we can stay creative and relevant to the market," she says. "I think Hong Kong is already a stressful city and to be able to develop a business that allows people to wind down and enjoy the space and have a good time is what really motivates me a lot."

Her collaborations include British Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton with 22 Ships, Ham & Sherry and Aberdeen Street Social; Cantonese fine dining and art space Duddell's, with husband and restaurateur Alan Lo; and Potato Head and Indonesian restaurant Kaum Hong Kong, with PTT Family, the group behind the Potato Head Beach Club in Bali and Potato Head Folk in Singapore. Her most recent collaboration with Nate Green, previously executive chef at Ham & Sherry and 22 Ships, was driven by a gut feeling.

"Rhoda came about because we got to know Nathan when we hired him for 22 Ships," says Wong, who came to Hong Kong at the age of 13, from Singapore. "He did a fantastic job at 22 Ships. I got to know the way he manages, his character and after 18 months I felt like we were ready to work together and that Nathan was ready to have his own restaurant."

The farm-to-table concept of Rhoda, where the dishes are inspired by Green's grandmother of the same name, is far removed from the modern-tapas cooking of 22 Ships - and there has not been an empty table since the restaurant opened in late June.

Wong also collaborated with congee and noodle experts when opening Meen & Rice at The Pulse, Repulse Bay. It is very different from her other Chinese restaurant, Duddell's.

"It's very casual dining. We thought the area was lacking something straight forward in local Cantonese cuisine. We collaborated with a well-known restaurateur because we had no access to congee cooks and they are also famous for their suckling pig and barbecue meat," Wong says. "There is a difference between the style of cooking needed for Duddell's and those who cook congee and noodles. You can't get the Duddell's chef to do it for you.

"It's a group of chefs who have always worked in wonton noodle places, congee places and barbecue meat places. Those chefs are a different group altogether, that's why collaborations work well for us as a restaurant group. We collaborate with people who are really experienced in delivering really solid food."

She adds that "it's not about having a big bang opening and it's great because that's what happens in Hong Kong, you have this opening and everyone wants to go there for the first six months and then not".