Celebrity Life

The Hari Hong Kong hotel is home to the dining concepts Lucciola and Zoku, which embody their respective cuisines with finesse and interesting flavours. We recently talked to the chefs behind the two restaurants.

A defining aspect of Hong Kong is the passion of its residents for food. There aren’t many other places in the world where urbanities enjoy eating out as much as they do here, to the point where, when a new restaurant opens its door, a sort of collective joy pervades the community. For chef Francesco Gava of Lucciola, the newly opened Italian restaurant at The Hari Hong Kong hotel in Wanchai, this passion and the locals’ knowledge of good food are at the core of its menu and vision.

“In Hong Kong, people travel a lot, and there’s so much great food available from all over the world that their palates are very refined,” Gava tells me in his unmistakably Piedmontese accent, while we converse in Italian. “We shouldn’t change our dishes to make them more similar to local flavours. If a Hong Konger has been to Italy and liked those authentic dishes, I want to be able to recreate exactly that; not adjust them. I think that would be a big mistake.”

This principle particularly applies to Lucciola, which is, first and foremost, a classic Italian restaurant that serves seasonal dishes from all over the peninsula. In many ways, the restaurant’s menu and elegant decor remind me of some Milanese establishments that define that city’s dining culture and soul: honest and delicious food served in an effortlessly chic and yet familiar environment.

“We don’t do traditional food with a modern twist. No, we cook traditional classic dishes sometimes using new techniques,” Gava continues. “For example, the veal of our Vitello Tonnato is cooked sous vide and not in milk, an evolution of the way it’s usually cooked to elevate the main ingredient, but the sauce is the same and so are the flavours.”

The menu features comfort dishes, such as Cotoletta alla Milanese, the breaded and pan-fried veal cutlet nicknamed orecchia di elefante (elephant’s ear) in Lombardy because of its hefty size; Torta Caprese Bianca, originally from the Island of Capri and made with white chocolate, lemon and limoncello; and Spaghettini alle Vongole Veraci e Bottarga, a quintessential pasta dish found in pretty much every coastal restaurant in Italy.

Through these timeless recipes, Gava and his team celebrate the Italian terrain with fresh and diverse ingredients and earthy flavours. While most of the items on Lucciola’s menu would definitely be familiar to anyone who regularly eats Italian food, there’s a section of unexpected offerings.

“I honestly don’t believe in signature dishes, but the My Favourites section on the à la carte menu truly reflects what I love eating and my heritage,” Gava explains. “I grew up eating the Spaghetti Acciughe e Tomino Fresco, with anchovies and fresh local cheese – it’s a family favourite that most people outside Piedmont have never tried, much like the Acquerello Risotto Porri e Luganega, with sausage and rice from Vercelli, a city in my native region that’s famous for rice.”

Gava is right. I am among the Italians who’d never tried the creamy pasta dish before, which instantly became a favourite after a few bites. A simple and yet elegant spaghetti recipe like this proves that traditional doesn’t equal clichéd or predictable. Perhaps this is particularly true for a country like Italy, where regionalism and a long gastronomic history make its cuisine impressively diverse and interesting for locals and foreigners alike.

“My first memory in the kitchen is about being turbulent. I was a very agitated young man at 17, and I was not a good student … I learned everything on the job,” Gava tells me as we discuss the professional journey that brought him to Lucciola. “There’s a sort of structure in professional kitchens, which I needed, but also a lot of craziness. From a young age, you have the opportunity to create something from scratch and put yourself in it.”

From local trattorias to luxury hotels in Saint Moritz and around Switzerland, and then on to cosmopolitan kitchens in Dubai, his passion to create something delicious that stays true to its origins has always been a priority and mission. “Being a chef is a very hard and physical job, where you’re constantly judged,” Gava continues. “I loved the energy in the kitchen from the very beginning and it’s where I feel best.”

One floor above Lucciola, on the second level of The Hari, Phillip Pak, chef de cuisine at Zoku Restaurant and Terrace, had a similar start to his career. “It began when I was 17 through a friend of my mum in the US who was a sushi chef,” he tells me. “I used to work part-time, washing dishes, like they do in Japan and Europe – I learned everything from this chef and didn’t go to culinary school. Honestly, no one knows what they want to do as a teenager, but this job truly is my passion and because these days many young people aren’t trained like that any more, I feel very fortunate.”

From watching chefs stretch homemade noodles at the back of the Korean restaurants his parents opened when they moved to Colorado, to learning the basics of the complex art of sushi-making as a humble dishwasher, Pak eventually landed in some of the most prestigious kitchens in America.

“Years ago, I moved to California and worked for Gordon Ramsey. Then I went to Vail, in Colorado, where I worked in the best sushi restaurants in the city, Matsuhisa by Nobu Matsuhisa,” Pak tells me as he enthusiastically talks about his mentor and culinary hero. “In the end, I was chef the cuisine at Matsuhisa in Aspen for three years.”

Pak talks very fondly of his time working with the Japanese celebrity chef and restaurateur, whom he describes as “genuine” and “someone that always encourages you to cook with your heart”.

The expertise and nuanced culinary approach learned under the leadership of Nobu, who effectively popularised modern and innovative takes on Japanese cuisine, have been instrumental to Pak, who designed Zoku’s concept and created an ingredient-focused menu.

“There are so many Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong, so we don’t aspire to provide an authentic experience but something refreshing that keeps changing,” Pak explains. “Each dish is based on bold flavours and their development through different techniques.”

The sharing-style seasonal menu is truly reflective of Zoku’s Instagram-perfect dccor of pastel shades and velvet touches, retro-chic, tasselled lampshades, and its asymmetric origami ceiling. Dishes such as the Chilean Seabass with yuzu herb butter, sautéed brussels sprouts and oyster cream, and the Yellowtail Sashimi with yuzu, soy and sashimi, which are both delicate and bold at the same time, are representative of the restaurant’s heterogeneous interpretation of what contemporary Japanese food is.

For Zoku’s trendy terrace, set to open soon, Pak, his team and Sabrina Cantini Budden, beverage manager at The Hari Hong Kong, have come up with a selection of decadent hand rolls, like the mouth-watering Toro, uni and caviar temaki, and creative cocktails like the impeccably presented Suzie Wong with Japanese whisky, rose syrup, cucumber and yuzu soda.

“In Japanese, Zoku means clan, and, in many ways, we’re trying to build a family both with our clients and in terms of food and atmosphere” Pak explains. “I think that Hong Kong is a very tough crowd, which is great, but it makes you want to be better. It’s also very close to Japan. For me, the most important thing is to bring memorable flavours together.”

Albeit in different ways, Lucciola and Zoku both deliver the type of convivial and yet elegant experience that you’d want to come back for. This, combined with memorable flavours and an enviable setting, makes The Hari the newest dining mecca in town.

(Here shot: Lucciola's Lucciola’s Amberjack Carpaccio with Braised Tropea Red Onions)

The post A Foodie’s Dream: Inside The Hari’s Lucciola and Zoku Restaurants appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

While Valentine's Day might look a bit different this year, there are still plenty of options in Hong Kong to celebrate with a decadent and sumptuous meal that conveys love and appreciation. We explored the culinary offerings at two of the city’s most romantic restaurants.

Angelo Aglianó, Director of Tosca Di Angelo, the Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong

Located on the 102nd floor of The Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong, Tosca di Angelo has long been considered one of the most romantic restaurants in the city. The dining room, commanding a panoramic view of the harbour, boasts high ceilings and majestic baroque chandeliers, which make for an elegant and celebration-perfect setting. The one-Michelin-star restaurant, of course, is mostly celebrated for its Mediterranean interpretation of Italian fine dining.

“The inspiration behind this menu is love,” chef Angelo Aglianó tells me – the love I have for my job and for the people I serve. When you cook, you always have to think that you’re serving your family. For Valentine’s Day, I always like to use luxurious and so-called aphrodisiacal ingredients, things that you wouldn’t normally eat.”

For this special menu, Aglianó, who’s originally from Sicily and joined Tosca in 2019 after years of working in prestigious kitchens around the world, including L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, put together a selection of dishes that are an ode to elegant indulgence. They range from the Hamaci and Gillardeau Oysters Tartare, to the Roasted Mediterranean John Dory with Hokkaido Sea Urchin.

“One of the most important parts of a Valentine’s Day menu, of course, is the dessert. This year we made a heart with red-currant coulis, white-chocolate mousse and strawberries, a classic pairing that’s quintessentially romantic,” Aglianó explains. “Being Sicilian, my biggest inspiration when I create a new menu is the sea. When I have to come up with new ideas, I sit in front of Tosca’s open view and I start thinking, always starting from the ingredients.”

Uwe Opocensky, Executive Chef at Petrus Restaurant, Island Shangri-la

Following chef Uwe Opocensky’s philosophy, at Restaurant Petrus food is an experience rather than just a meal, with interactive dishes and personal introductions at each table. The intimate atmosphere and approach, as well as the contemporary and scenic take on classic French cuisine, make the one- Michelin-star establishment a favourite among local lovers.

“Valentine’s Day is about indulgence, abundance and enjoying the best things in life,” says German-born Opocensky, “especially during these difficult times that we’re living in. It’s time for us to really celebrate. I based this selection on the ingredients traditionally associated with this celebration – for example, foie gras and strawberries, which for me are synonyms of romanticism.”

The menu includes an unconventionally presented appetiser of foie gras with pear, honey and gingerbread, the perfect start to a meal that takes diners on a gastronomic journey through some of the most excellent products and traditions of Europe – with a short detour to Japan.

Valentine’s Day is about indulgence, abundance and enjoying the best things in life

Uwe Opocensky

“As a chef, your cooking style constantly evolves, but when it comes to Valentine’s Day’s menus, the one thing that remains constant throughout the years is that the dishes have to be good to be shared with your other half,” explains Opocensky, who took over Petrus in 2019 and introduced the style that garnered a first Michelin star for the restaurant. “If I could pick a couple of dishes from this year’s menu to personally cook for a loved person, they would definitely be the sole with crust, parsley and mussels, and the organic venison from the UK, with salsify, vanilla and coffee jus.”

The finale of Restaurant Petrus’ romantic banquet is a showstopping Saint Honoré cake with chestnut and truffles.

(Here shot: Saint Honoré, the grand finale of Opocensky's menu at Petrus)

The post Chefs Angelo Aglianó of Tosca and Uwe Opocensky of Petrus on Their Sumptuous Valentine’s Day Meals appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Whether you are celebrating with your better half, with friends or want to treat yourself to a great meal, there are plenty of Valentine’s Day menus in Hong Kong to honour the season of love.

From lunches, to afternoon teas and take away Michelin-star dinners, here are our top picks for 2021.

The Ritz Carlton

This February, The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong and Chinese fine jewellery brand Qeelin are joining forces to present an exclusive afternoon tea for Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year. Housed in an gourd-shaped tea set that pays homage to the jeweler’s Wulu Collection or in a longevity lock-shaped stand inspired by the brand’s signature Yu Yi Collection, the set features gourmet items like the Marinated Abalone and Mushroom Tartlet and the Lychee and Red Date Cake.

St Regis

L'Énvol, the St Regis' French restaurant which was recently awarded two Michelin stars, will be offering two exclusive Valentine’s Day menus featuring delicacies like the Poached Brittany Langoustine with Jerusalem Artichoke Broth and Oscietra Caviar Terrine and Blinis Toast. To celebrate the season of love, the St Regis Bar will also offer a limited edition Valentine’s special cocktail: La Vie En Rose.

The Diplomat x Yardbird

This February, The Diplomat is joining forces with Yardbird to present The Broken Hearts Club, a Kushiage free-flow menu by Chef Matt Abergel, along with Sunday’s Whisky and flagrant Hot Sauce. The popular modern Japanese izakaya recently awarded with one Michelin star, will be taking over The Diplomat for one day only on February 14.

Kerry Hotel

Hong Kong’s popular alfresco cocktail lounge Red Sugar at the Kerry Hotel has launched a cocktail pairing menu to celebrate the most romantic day of the year. The decadent selection features six courses, including the Pearl of Turnip with Lobster Mousse and Carabineros Sauce, along with specially crafted his-and-her cocktails, like the Sweetheart Margarita and Rose Spritz.

Date by TATE

Date by TATE, Chef Vicky Lau's lifestyle concept, has prepared a takeaway and delivery experience fully tailored to the unique needs of one person. The 8-Course Gastronomy Box is a sophisticated - and impeccably presented - option to treat yourself at home. For lovers, Date by TATE has also fashioned a Michelin-worthy takeaway meal for two, which starts with TATE Dining Room’s famous bread basket and followed by refined starters of Caviar & Obsiblue Prawn and Honey Passion Fruit Entremet.

The post Love on a Plate: Best Valentine’s Day Menus in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

This Valentine's Day, treat your date to one of the top NJ restaurants.

The post Top NJ Restaurants For Valentine’s Day 2021 appeared first on VUE magazine.

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The post What comes after the rock-star chef? appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

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