The food and drink happenings that you should know about this week
Fears surrounding a coronavirus cluster centred around a Sai Ying Pun gym growing into a fifth wave thankfully seem to have been misplaced, as the vaccine rollout across Hong Kong ramps up into full gear—especially among frontline hospitality staff. With this weekend's equinox marking the official start of spring, you can expect the requisite seasonal menus to come into being as we look forward to new beginnings, in food, drink and beyond.
See also: Belon 2.0: Head Chef Matthew Kirkley On Keeping The Restaurant 'Fancy, Not Formal'
Roganic And Landmark Mandarin Oriental Switch Off The Lights For Earth Hour
Known for its exacting approach to farm-to-table cuisine, Roganic stays true to its commitment towards food sustainability with plans to mark Earth Hour 2021 in traditional fashion, by switching off the lights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on March 27. During that time, guests will eat by the glow of candlelight, and at the end of their meal will receive a nasturtium plant from Common Farms housed in a pot made of recycled coffee grounds from Eco-Greenergy.
Over in Central, the Landmark Mandarin Oriental's many F&B venues—including Amber, Somm, MO Bar, PDT and The Oriental Spa—will switch to candlelight during the hour in much the same manner. Over the course of the night, the luxury hotel will renew its pledge towards the WWF's 'Let Oceans Shine' initiative—which raises awareness of the many threats facing our oceans, from plastic marine litter to unsustainable fishing—and diners will be encouraged to donate to the cause.
"We hope that during this hour we can inspire guests to collectively commit towards changes in creating a more sustainable future and to protect our amazing planet earth," says chef Richard Ekkebus, director of culinary operations at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental.
See also: LMO Freshly-Baked by Richard Ekkebus Returns To Landmark This April