Meet the chef who's putting sustainability on the hotel's menu and find out how you can dine more sustainably too
"In my late teens, I was a competitive BMX freestyler and needed to make some money on the side—good quality bicycle parts are expensive!", says the Bombay-born chef who grew up in the UK and became a waiter at banqueting events before falling in love with food and cooking.
Sheldon Fonseca's culinary career, which spans 25 years, was spent at the likes of London's Langham Hotel as well as Connaught Hotel with Gordon Ramsay restaurants, Italian restaurant Murano with Angela Hartnett, and Wolfgang Puck's restaurant at the Dorchester. After stints in Switzerland and Seychelles, Fonseca moved to Hong Kong to work with Gaia Restaurant Group, La Petite Maison and The Mira, as their culinary director.
Today, Fonseca is a part of the Fellowship-Advisory Board alongside chefs Shane Osborn of Arcane and The Landmark Mandarin Oriental's Richard Ekkebus at Food Made Good HK and shares insights as a chef with the local F&B industry and community to strive for a more sustainable future. Ahead, he shares more about his journey as a chef, how to dine more sustainably and his favourite foodie destinations.
See also: On the Pass with Lexine Hepworth, the New Chef de Cuisine at Popinjays
What does sustainability in the kitchen mean for you as a chef?
At The Mira Hong Kong, we know our responsibilities go beyond serving our guests delicious tasting, nourishing food. It’s also about sourcing responsibly and supporting our communities—starting with local growers and minimising food waste.
And, in your opinion, how can we be dining more sustainably?
Know the source of your product. Support local, eat more vegetables, look out for better quality meat and certified seafood, choose organic where possible, and pay attention to animal welfare. For The Mira, I recently curated a menu called the Detox Detour, a monthly weekend wellness retreat inclusive of plant-based meals made from organic and sustainably sourced, local produce.
Who has been the biggest influence on you professionally to date?
I’ve been very lucky to work with incredibly talented chefs and sommeliers on my path. Chefs Rory Duncan and Angela Hartnett MBE have been my mentors and shaped who I am today both personally and professionally throughout the different phases of my career.
Which book or TV show do you think every chef should read or watch?
There are two books on the science of food: Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor by Hervé This and The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter. As for TV shows, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown and Massimo Capra's Gourmet Escapes (Switzerland).
