Celebrity Life

There's something about seeing the sheer drive and passion in someone’s eyes that can really bring you into submission. This is exactly what happened when I met plant-based pioneer Peggy Chan, the chef-founder of Grassroots Pantry which recently transformed into Nectar. Meeting her didn’t quite convert me into a vegetarian, but it certainly compelled me to reconsider my meaty lunch options. So read on to find out more about her mission, if meat really is that bad for your health, and what her new restaurant is all about.

Tell us about Nectar, your new restaurant.

Some people may call it fine dining, but we want to call it ‘elevated experiential dining’. It’s an extension of Grassroots [Pantry] and a reflection of how much we have grown in our craft of cooking plant-based and nutrient-dense foods.

We want to use this opportunity to connect with our diners too. Slow down and deliver a real experience, as well as educate. So that’s why we’re switching to a tasting menu with interactive elements and eye-opening ingredients. It’s linking the health benefits of ingredients that don’t get used that much, or ones that are more biodiverse, and showcasing them through our menu.

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Why do you think a plant-based diet is important?

The number one reason is for environmental purposes. The meat industry, together with dairy, contributes to almost 15% of carbon emissions in the world -- that’s more than any other transportation combined. So we need to be mindful and accountable for our decisions. Secondly for health reasons, it’s already well-known that any form of highly processed foods are the number one causes for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or what we call ‘first-world illnesses’. Hence we really have to, or should at least consider, consuming less meat.

Also, we aren’t just a plant-based restaurant, we’re using techniques from raw food methods such as soaking, sprouting, activating. We’re using TCM [traditional Chinese medicine] to make tonic broths with healing properties such as our Bak Kut Teh, served with a wonton and summer truffles. We will also incorporate Ayurvedic cuisine elements to heal different body types.

So eating meat is bad for health?

We’re not saying meat is bad. How meat is produced now, has made it unhealthy. The growth hormones and antibiotics, how animals suffer before they’re slaughtered, how meat is stored in unhygienic situations, this is all public information. It’s not about a piecemeal solution to eat less meat, it’s more about why we should eliminate the consumption of processed foods, additives, preservatives and chemicals. And if we do eat meat, then we want the most sustainable and without all that crap in it.

[caption id="attachment_157370" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Chef-founder Peggy Chan has transformed Grassroots Pantry into Nectar[/caption]

What else will be on your produce-driven and locally-sourced menu?

We’re using local eggplants in a dish called Shimeji mushroom bisque, with eggplant en papillote [or baked in a paper pouch or parcel]. The eggplants came from Zen Organic [a certified organic farm in Fanling in the New Territories]. Another is a cheese course. Over the years we’ve learnt more about culturing and fermentation, so we created a line of homemade ‘cheeses’ made with nuts, seeds, beans or tofu. There’s a ricotta-style, slightly firmer goat's cheese texture, a hard cheese that we age for 7 days and then dehydrate for 2–3 weeks to get the texture and saltiness. It’s not just about the origins of the cheese, it’s about the alternative ingredients that are dairy free and propose a way to consume cheese without losing that ‘cheesy’ experience.

Do you have any favourite ingredients to use in your cooking?

I love using mushrooms. We source directly from Yunnan [where there are over 800 types of edible mushrooms] . Everything from chanterelles, to matsutakes, to trumpet and termite mushrooms. I love using termite mushrooms! There’s so much variety and each one has different volumes of water content which dictate the cooking process and therefore flavours. It’s as if you're cooking meat.

Any other superfoods or trends that we should take note of?

I’m always on the search for new ingredients that are rarely used or known. I mean, over 90% of what the world consumes is derived from four main crops: palm oil, corn, wheat and soy, with the fifth being rice. But there are over 30,000 species of plants in the world. Still, the world continues to capitalise on those crops to the detriment of biodiversity, the ecosystem and our planet.

That’s why we try to source lesser-known or rarely used ingredients as much as possible. For example, we use teff [a fine grain]. We were one of the first people in Hong Kong to bring it over and use it in multiple ways -- in our pizza bases, brownies, breads, porridge and replaced whole wheat or wheat.

The trend now is alternative meats. We don’t use it ourselves, as it’s a different stream of food. Kudos to them as their goal is to disrupt the meat industry. But vegans have to understand that eating more alternative meats doesn’t necessary mean you are eating healthier. And it also doesn’t make the planet healthier either -- because of packaging and logistics etc. So we need to look at everything in a much bigger picture.

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What sparked this plant-based mission of yours?

I stopped eating red meat in 2000, before I turned 16. I was on a school trip to Foshan and when we were on the school bus driving past these farms, I remember looking at the cows, and they looked right back at me. Then it dawned on me. Why do we eat animals? I decided overnight that I would cut out red meat. After a couple more years, I cut out poultry, and then I cut out fish and seafood. But I didn’t do it cold turkey, I did it within a 6–7 year period.

What keeps you going?

I feel like it’s my duty. What drives me is this duty to create change. I get emotional about it [her eyes water]. I want to show people the positive side to all of this. I prefer to be a solutionist. We face negative things everyday, but over and above all of that, I want to move us towards the solutions.

I hear that you’ve converted people into vegetarians -- is that true?

I didn’t do it on purpose! My stepfather and my mom were the first people but I didn’t tell them to eat less meat. It just happened naturally. I was just eating it at home and they were curious. They would ask “what is this quinoa?” and soon they realised that their own solution was to not eat meat. One of our chefs has become vegetarian too. I guess like attracts like. We’re not preachers, we’re not like “do this!” That would just backlash. Cutting out meat helped her with her eczema and it was the answer for her. No one can tell you, you have to experience it yourself.

[caption id="attachment_157369" align="alignnone" width="1238"] Peggy Chan leads Hong Kong's green-eating and plant-based movement[/caption]

Have you felt the benefits yourself?

I haven’t been to a doctor -- touch wood! -- for check ups or any form of illness for 16 years. If it’s a minor flu, I can quickly fix it with some turmeric and lemon; if it’s a cough, I can fix it with some honey and ginger, or blanched almonds to help stop the cough. There are certain things I can fix using food to heal.

The spotlight is also on the staggering amount of plastic waste the world produces. How will Nectar be tackling this?

Even when it comes to sourcing, our suppliers sometimes use plastics or styrofoam. So that’s where we begin to tackle it. We tell them we don’t need the plastic, so that’s the first step -- refuse. The next is to reduce what we use. Then we go into recycling -- we partner with Hong Kong Recycles who is extremely helpful and transparent with where they bring the recyclables, as well as how much we recycle each month. The goal is to reduce that every month.

What about your other initiatives Pollen Lab and The Collective’s Table? Can you tell us more?

Pollen Lab will be our hub for everything about holistic nutrition, environmental sustainability, plant-based and raw foods. It will help accelerate the changes that we know can happen through education. We will bring people together to do this, so they can take it away and as a result, create change.

The Collective Table table is an initiative we started about three years ago. The idea is to engage chefs to start thinking about ways to reduce meat and dairy in the kitchen and create tasting menus together that are completely plant-based. One of the first challenges we did was with Chef Richard Ekkebus [from Amber], as well as Chef Margarita Forés [voted Asia’s 50 Best Female Chef in 2016]. It’s really exciting to collaborate as not only are we igniting the conversation, we are exchanging skills and possibilities.

The post Chef Peggy Chan, Hong Kong’s Plant-Based Pioneer, on Her New Restaurant Nectar and Healthy Eating appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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Hong Kong is one of the world’s most exciting culinary capitals, where good food is more than abundant. In that light, we’ve put together a few of our tastiest tidbits and most memorable morsels that are worth tracking down to try.

Bedu

[caption id="attachment_156361" align="alignnone" width="5760"] Crispy salmon pita[/caption]

A lunchtime favourite of ours, Bedu is a charming little spot tucked away in the quieter corner of Central on Gough Street. A light summery meal that fills you up without bringing you down is the grilled salmon with salad. Slightly charred cubes of medium-cooked fish lie on top of zesty, vinaigrette-coated greens drizzled with yoghurt dressing. In between bites, you’ll find surprising flavours and textures like the pomegranate seeds and walnut bits. Alternatively, you can also enjoy this over a bed of rice or tucked into a warm pita pocket. Wash all that down with an ice-cold spiced pineapple and ginger beer and you’re set to tackle the rest of the day.

Bedu, 40 Gough Street, Central; +852 2320 4450

Cé La Vi

[caption id="attachment_155978" align="alignnone" width="1308"] Beef rendang[/caption]

American chef Conor Beach worked at several Hong Kong restaurants, including Repulse Bay's Balinese restaurant TRi (now closed), before arriving at modern Asian restaurant Cé La Vi. Lucky for us, it means he brings some of the most vivid Indonesian flavours to the forefront of their menu. Our favourite was the incredibly tender and slightly charred beef rendang, made with prime Wagyu meat slow-cooked in spicy coconut sauce, pickled vegetables, lemongrass and fried shallots.

Cé La Vi, 24/F California Tower, 30-32 D'Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 3700 2300

Cornerstone

[caption id="attachment_155996" align="alignnone" width="1245"] Tagliatelle with mushrooms, smoked sausage and fresh green peas[/caption]

If you haven't checked out the new restaurant Cornerstone, by Netflix's favourite Australian chef, Shane Osborn, they you need to do it soon. The casual dining spot isn't all that spacious and fills up quickly in the evenings. But if you do manage to grab yourself a table (lunchtime is less crowded), make sure you order yourself the impeccably executed al dente tagliatelle with mushrooms, smoked sausage and fresh green peas. It's the comfort food of dreams: hearty, creamy and dusted in cheese -- you can thank us later.

Cornerstone, G/F Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Road, Soho, Central, Hong Kong

Fumi

[caption id="attachment_156004" align="alignnone" width="1377"] Brunch at Fumi[/caption]

So, Fumi's bigger and better sushi brunch isn't exactly one dish, but if it's high-quality fresh fish and meats from Japan you're after -- then you'll be more than happy here. Think Kuroge Wagyu tartare, charcoal-grilled Kagoshima Kurobuta Pork, Nangoku Genki chicken, sea prawn tempura, seasonal sashimi and as many sweet and meaty Hokkaido red king crab legs as you can crack into. Plus, more premium main course dishes to choose from and a shared Japanese dessert platter that will surely mean you need to be rolled home.

Fumi, 6/F, California Tower, Lan Kwai Fong, 30 - 36 D'Aguilar Street, Central Hong Kong; +852 2328 3302

Kashiwaya

[caption id="attachment_155991" align="alignnone" width="1340"] Shrimp and vegetable jelly with stewed octopus and sea urchin[/caption]

As the only overseas branch of the Michelin three-starred restaurant Kashiwaya in Osaka, Kashiwaya Hong Kong is something of a gem. They, too, have received two stars from the Michelin Guide since 2017 and continue to offer Japan's haute cuisine -- otherwise known as kaiseki -- to its guests. In a recent tasting, we were lucky enough to try a seasonal tasting menu that featured a beautiful sakizuke (or appetiser) of shrimp and vegetable jelly with stewed octopus topped with sea urchin, Japanese gourd and okura.

Kashiwaya, 8/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2520 5218

La Petite Maison

[caption id="attachment_155970" align="alignnone" width="2362"] Warm prawns with olive oil[/caption]

La Petite Maison has been open for almost a year in Hong Kong, but there's one classic dish we keep going back for: warm prawns with olive oil. One bite of this simple dish instantly transports you to summery Niçe, basking in the sun and dining alfresco with these fresh prawns, halved and dressed in lemon, basil, sea salt and of course quality olive oil -- the ultimate representation of Niçoise cuisine in summer, if ever there was one.

La Petite Maison, 1/F H Queen's, 23-29 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2887 1113

La Rambla

[caption id="attachment_156317" align="alignnone" width="533"] Carabineros & jamon[/caption]

With sweeping views of the harbour, La Rambla serves up modern interpretations of Spanish dishes. Recently, executive chef Ferran Tadeo has introduced a new dining concept where guests can get up close and personal with the rare premium ingredients and watch as each dish is prepared before their eyes at the chef's table. The star of the show from the seven-course menu is the carabineros & jamon. Freshly flown in are the Josper-grilled 3XL carabineros with Iberico fat roasted in garlic purée and parsley oil; the supersize crustacean boasts the sweet flavours of the sea, and the juicy prawn head tomalley is a true umami treat.

La Rambla, Level 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central; +852 2661 1161

Ramen Cubism

[caption id="attachment_156328" align="alignnone" width="6101"] Twin Shio ramen[/caption]

What’s better than a bowl of ramen? Two bowls. That’s why Ramen Cubism’s Twin Shio limited ramen bowl is sold out daily in Hong Kong and Osaka. The figure-8 bowl holds its famous hot noodles on one side and a cold version on the other. The broth is blended from shellfish, scallops, clams, Hokkaido squid and scallops, and is topped with a 10cm-thick slab of roast pork belly. Single hot or cold servings are also available, but of course, two bowls are better than one.

Ramen Cubism, 27 Wellington Street, Central; +852 2399 0811

Somm

[caption id="attachment_156331" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Grilled Japanese pork BBQ sauce with Hakata cabbage salad[/caption]

The Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s new French neo-bistro is good for any time of day, be it breakfast or dinner, and it's best enjoyed with a tipple on the side. Led by the hotel’s team of sommeliers, the menu lends itself to complement the wine-driven dining experience with over 1,000 bottles to choose from and 100 wines and sake available by glass. It's hard to single out one favourite dish here as all are equally tasty. For meat lovers, we recommend the grilled Japanese pork with BBQ sauce and Hakata cabbage salad, which is lusciously rich in flavour with just the right amount of acidity in the greens and sauce to balance out the fat.

Somm, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2132 0055

Zuma

[caption id="attachment_156330" align="alignnone" width="2720"] Tomato salad with roasted eggplant and ginger dressing[/caption]

When it comes to brunch, contemporary izakaya Zuma is almost an institution, but there’s more to just unlimited food and free-flow booze here. We tried their new summer menu and found that their à la carte dishes are just as impressive as the buffet they’re known for. The simple tomato salad with roasted eggplant and ginger dressing is a refreshing start to the meal to whet your appetite for what’s to come. The tangy dressing gives way to really showcase the sweetness of the slightly char-grilled fruit.

Zuma, Level 5 & 6, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 3657 6388

The post The Top 10 Dishes We Ate in July 2019 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.