Why Hong Kong is always hungry for the world’s top celebrity chefs

Sep 6 , 2018

‘I was once told that Hong Kong is where the big boys play,’ says chef Theo Randall at Theo Mistral, in the InterContinental Grand Stanford hotel.

First to the city was Alain Ducasse, who opened Spoon in 2003, then a host of other big-name chefs followed in his steps – from Jason Atherton and Gordon Ramsay, to Jamie Oliver

It has only b een 15 years since world-renowned master chefs first paid attention to Hong Kong, opening restaurants and revolutionising the local fine dining scene, often with lighter dishes, seasonal ingredients and creamless sauces.

Alain Ducasse arrived in 2003 with his contemporary French fine dining brand, Spoon, at the InterContinental Hong Kong. Three years later, Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa checked into the same hotel with the city’s first Peruvian-Japanese concept – and the first Nobu to open in Asia, outside Japan. In 2007, French culinary master, Pierre Gagnaire, opened Pierre at the Mandarin Oriental.

Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa at the Nobu restaurant in the InterContinental Hong Kong hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Dickson Lee

However, it was Joël Robuchon who first focused the international culinary-world’s attention on southern China, in 2001, when he was invited to open Macau’s Robuchon a Galera at the Lisboa Hotel by Alan Ho, the then-executive director of Lisboa Hotels and nephew of casino magnate Stanley Ho Hung-sun.

The Nobu Sushi assortment at Nobu, at the InterContinental Hong Kong hotel. Photo: Chen Xiaomei

Robuchon told me: “At the time, I could not find Macau on the map, but I knew it was part of China, so I came to have a look.” His restaurant, now called Robuchon au Dôme, is at the Grand Lisboa and is still one of the best fine-dining outlets in Macau.

Over the past 10 years, many other big names flocked to Hong Kong with casual and fine-dining concepts, including: Jason Atherton, Gordon Ramsay, Tom Aikens, Alvin Leung, Michael White, Akrame Benallal, Jamie Oliver, Judy Juu, Mario Carbone, and, more recently, Yannick Alléno, Takashi Saito, and Theo Randall. Also, look out this month for David Thompson and Raphael Duntoye with his newly opened French restaurant La Petite Maison.

Chef Theo Randall at Theo Mistral Hong Kong, at the InterContinental Grand Stanford hotel. Photo: Alex Chan

“I was once told that Hong Kong is where the big boys play,” says Randall, who arrived in Hong Kong this year to reinvent long-time local favourite The Mistral with his take on simple Italian fare, and renaming the eatery at the InterContinental Grand Stanford to Theo Mistral.

A beautifully decorated veal chop dish at Theo Mistral Hong Kong. Photo: Alex Chan

“Hong Kong is one of the most iconic places in the world for restaurants. It’s a bit like making it in America – if you’ve got a restaurant in Hong Kong, it’s a sign [you have arrived].” continued Randall, who made his name as head chef and silent partner at the famed River Café, which helped put London’s culinary scene on the map in the 1990s.

British food critic Jay Rayner once said: “Randall is the most famous chef you have never heard of.” But not any more, as the restaurateur and chef has expanded his brands, with two restaurants in London, one in Zurich and Geneva, as well as Bangkok and now Hong Kong. He has also made television appearances on the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, and he has opened his kitchens to Masterchef (UK) finalists.