Restaurateur and business magnate Michelle Ma-Chan speaks about her love for fine food and the guest chef she’s bringing to Hong Kong
As the executive director of skincare brand Fancl and founder of Gourmet Dining Group, Michelle Ma-Chan has a penchant for the finer things in life. With her restaurant group—which includes Michelin-starred Épure, French contemporary hotspot Arbor and pastry brand Dalloyau—she has become a power player on the city’s dining scene in just a few short years.
Now, Michelle has her sights set on new horizons—in particular, an exclusive guest chef programme that brings some of the culinary world’s most illustrious names to Hong Kong for exciting collaborations. One of the coming highlights is Sushi Umi’s Ryujiro Nakamura, who has been invited to collaborate with Arbor’s Eric Räty on a four-hand showcase on October 9 and 10. Here, over bubbles and Épure’s famous desserts, Michelle discusses her culinary ambitions and what makes a good meal.
What made you decide to open restaurants?
A few years ago I realised our top-tier culinary destinations were limited compared to cities like Japan, Paris, New York and London, partly because of Hong Kong’s high rents, which meant restaurants sacrificed quality to cut costs. My goal was to open restaurants offering the same elite quality with exceptional value, and Épure was born. Although the cost of running top-quality restaurants is substantial and they may take longer to break even, it’s worth the effort to inspire customers with a truly gourmet dining experience.
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