As a child, Pearl Shek fell in love with the authentic flavours served up at her favourite restaurants in Thailand. Today, she shares her childhood culinary memories with diners in Hong Kong. The London Imperial College Business School graduate is the driving force behind both Apinara and Nara Hong Kong, two Thai restaurants that adapt traditional recipes for the modern palate. Pearl made her debut in the restaurant world with Isono and Vasco, then launched Apinara in 2016, followed by Nara in 2018. The venture feeds her desire to work with strong women—in this case Yuki Srikarhchana, the Thai entrepreneur behind Nara Group. Proud to continue the legacy of female empowerment in her Hong Kong branches, Pearl aims to take authentic Thai cuisine across more borders, no doubt with the same air and conviction.