Hotpot, dim sum, pineapple buns: a German chef in Hong Kong on his favourite places to eat

From the small town of Bersrod in Germany, chef Peter Find has come along way. He first came to Hong Kong in 1995 to work at Pierre at the Mandarin Oriental, then joined the Ritz-Carlton Hotel group in Singapore and Bahrain, before going to the Wynn in Macau. He is now the executive chef of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.

I love spicy food. So Vietnamese, Sichuan and Hunan food are some of my favourites. But I don’t really like raw oysters or sashimi, and I still can’t appreciate chicken feet because of the chewy texture.

Quirky restaurants, entertaining chefs, real value

I do enjoy local haunts very much. They reflect the true flavours and culture of Hong Kong.

One of my favourite noodle places is Wah Lam Noodle Restaurant (5-11 Thomson Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2527 2478).

I often take guest chefs there after the evening shift. I enjoy the beef brisket noodle, wonton noodle as well as the squid balls. The ingredients are fresh so the noodles are really flavourful.

I regularly take my kids for Sunday brunch at Cheung Hing Coffee Shop (9-11 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley, tel: 2572 5097).

I love the ambience – it’s very typical Hong Kong. The atmosphere and the energy are very welcoming.

It’s also a busy place so I get a real taste of the city’s hustle and bustle. They make one of my favourite pineapple buns. I also like the lunch meat sandwich. It’s not cut too thin, so it’s very satisfying. The scrambled egg is flavourful as well.

I also like the pineapple bun in King’s Bakery (2 Min Fat Street, Happy Valley, tel: 2893 6722). They have very authentic flavours and somewhat retro look.

In winter, spicy hotpot is my go-to meal. I love the dining culture. We can really chit-chat, eat at our own pace and enjoy good food. Hot In A Pot (two locations including Sing Kung Lau, 80-86 Electric Road, Tin Hau, tel: 2929 4999) is one of my favourites. I think the sauce and the condiments are very important for the whole experience.

I always have garlic, shallots and lots of coriander with my soy sauce. I also love the crispy fish skin. I end my hotpot meal with a sweet egg waffle cone in the small dessert house next door.

Visiting Hong Kong, you must try at least one Cantonese meal. If you fancy a more casual yum cha experience than the Michelin-starred Tin Lung Heen (102/F, Ritz-Carlton, ICC, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2263 2270), Yum Cha (three locations including Shop 1-2, 2/F, Nan Fung Place, 173 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, tel: 3708 8081) has colourful dim sum in a casual and modern ambience.

I also like Second Draft (98 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang, tel: 2656 0232). Chef May Chow puts a contemporary spin on Chinese classics in a casual and hip environment.

One of my favourites is the jer jer chicken wings using fresh yellow chicken, Chinese celery and blue cheese.

ABC Kitchen (Shop 7, 1/F Queen Street Cooked Food Market, 1 Queen Street, Sheung Wan, tel: 9278 8227) is also one of my favourites. The dai pai dong-style western food stall has a fantastic suckling pig, tender and flavourful. It’s a unique dining experience and value for money.