How Hong Kong chef Oliver Li subtly combines Chinese and French styles in his complex menus
Li talks about his dedication to perfection, French restaurant history and his work with mentor Siu Hin-chi on menus at new restaurant Jee
Oliver Li does not take the easy route, you could say. While most fine-dining chefs and restaurateurs might ease into a new opening by introducing one dinner service, Li’s restaurant Jee in Hong Kong’s Central district launched right into opening six days a week, serving lunch and dinner.
On top of this, Li is serving a highly complex arrangement of courses that are laboriously constructed and above all require a lot of time to prepare.
His dinner menus – diners can choose between eight courses or 1o – cover a lot of ground in terms of Chinese culinary techniques; there are slow braises, double boiling, stuffing and many, many things made from scratch.
It’s an accomplished résumé considering Li did not initially set out to pursue French gastronomy, although he always knew he was going to be a chef.
