The movies include In the Mood for Love, A Better Tomorrow and Infernal Affairs
Where did the idea to blend food and art come from?
Cooking itself is an art: between the preparation, methods and presentation, there are thousands of ways to play with [food]. Both food and art are forms of communication and they link people together. It felt natural to combine both to create a comprehensive dining experience.
Why movies?
I love Hong Kong movies, especially the ones from the golden age [the 1980s and 1990s]. There are so many famous local movies that represent different ideologies and [ways of] life in Hong Kong. That’s why I wanted to link my food with Hong Kong’s unique cultural [history], as a reflection of the roots and core values of the city I live in.
When building the menu, which came first: the idea for the dish or the movie?
I built my initial idea around the films that reflected my thinking and hobbies, and the authenticity of the daily life of Hong Kong people. I designed the menu around these central ideas, using mostly local ingredients to recreate famous local dishes in my own way. Then I narrowed down my movie choices to fit my dishes. The whole process was delightful, as I had so many ideas for the menu design and the movie selection. It took me two months to finalise the menu.
Were there any films that didn’t make the cut?
Definitely. There are so many great movies and filmmakers from Hong Kong that I wanted to pay respect to through my menu. Sadly, I could only select so many, and the rest will have to be saved for the future. For example, I also considered An Autumn’s Tale for the hairy crab dish [which ended up being linked to Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love].
One of the dishes on the menu is cheung fun, inspired by the opening scene of A Better Tomorrow. What was the rationale behind choosing specific movie scenes like this?
These movie scenes naturally came to mind when I created each dish. I related [these scenes] with what I wanted to display in the dishes: sometimes it was a vivid image, sometimes it was about the mood, other times it was about the message.
What do these movies represent to you?
This collection of movies is diverse, with different genres and from different eras, yet they’re all classics and have made their mark on the history of Hong Kong. They represent the creativity and originality of Hong Kong and the city being a melting pot of different cultures.
My cooking is heavily influenced by different cultures, yet it is authentically Hong Kong, and I hope that [fine dining based on Hong Kong cuisine] leaves a mark on the culinary history of this city. I hope to send positive vibes with my food while promoting Hong Kong cuisine.
