Feast at these 4 private kitchens in Shanghai – if you can get a reservation
Numerous private kitchens have sprung up in the city, and their addresses are often secret
Food is probably the one thing that matters most to Chinese people. In Shanghai, foodies and the rising middle class are getting more difficult to please despite so many high-end eateries, and they are demanding more exclusive and intimate experiences on top of the food.
Numerous private kitchens have sprung up in the city, where the addresses are often secret; and reservations need to be made months ahead. Menus are updated on a daily basis. These kitchens offer a range of options, from a luxurious dining experience with top ingredients and ex-Michelin star chefs costing more than 5,000 yuan (US$743) per head, to hearty family-style cuisine at 200 yuan per head in a Shanghainese mother’s living room. Being passionate about great quality food is the only requirement.
Apps such as Yin Shi Jia, which has been described as the “Airbnb of kitchens”, allow you to book a private meal in someone’s home.
Here are 5 of the hottest private kitchens that we recommend trying out next time you are in Shanghai.
One of the most high-end private dining options in Shanghai right now, this house in the former French concession with full English butler service, offers an aristocratic dining experience. With a minimum charge of 5,000 yuan per head and only serving two tables a day, Prince Huang uses the finest materials from around the globe to create a balanced Chinese-based fusion recipe. Every detail in the space is designed to impress wealthy Shanghai diners, with Skultuna vases, Bang & Olufsen sound system, Studio William cutlery and Spiegelau glassware. Recent dishes include a soup made with seahorse and deer antlers as well as a drunken hairy crab marinated with 15-year-old Mao-tai wine.
+86 173 0186 1187 (booking is recommended at least a month in advance)
No 21, OASIS Hengshan Fang, 320 Nong, Tianping Road, Xuhui District
5,000 yuan upwards