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Charmaine Mok

The best restaurant in the US state of Texas is purported to be one called Ethos. Its Instagram account has 81,000 followers and features a highly curated feed of elaborate dishes peppered with trending hashtags.
Its website is crafted with the haughty minimalism common among contemporary restaurants, and there are quite a few words on there about its point of view.
“Our carefully curated menus are a testament to our commitment to sustainability, showcasing the vibrant flavours of locally sourced ingredients from nearby farms and producers,” it says. “Every dish tells a story of ethical sourcing and conscious dining.
“We take pride in supporting local communities and celebrating the abundance of nature’s bounty, creating a dining experience that harmonises taste, conscience and the true essence of farm-to-table cuisine.”

Sound familiar? In an era of greenwashing, virtue signalling and Michelin Green Stars, of course it does.
But this time it is funny, because Ethos does not actually exist. It is a fake restaurant with a real account, built on an AI dream, spewing out all the SEO-friendly catchphrases that have saturated the conversations around restaurants since the beginning of the internet.
The feed, when you look closer, is obviously made up of fantastical dishes and impossible situations, such as a detailed croissant dinosaur standing on its hind legs and a sushi chef serving food while partially submerged in a hot tub.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Ethos (@ethos_atx)



For all its hilarity – journalists have attempted to reach out to Ethos, only to be told it is “preparing for a Michelin guide review” and does not have time to respond to questions – the account represents a very real problem with the way restaurants today talk about themselves and are talked about by others.
I see it as a manifestation of how out-of-control storytelling has come to undermine the real work of people making great food.
Recently, I was on a panel with an experienced marketer and a veteran food editor, speaking about the value of storytelling when it comes to driving awareness and demand for restaurants.

While we all agreed that chefs have a responsibility to be ambassadors and generate interest in their restaurants, it is still important to keep it simple and honest.
We do not need a five-minute monologue about the olive oil you are serving with the bread course or the winding journey you took through the woods to discover a particular fungus.
If you are going to talk about the wizened grandma who supplies your kitchen with a very rare heirloom rice, then please at least give her a name so she is not just another prop in your self-centred narrative.
And if you have to emphasise that you are cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients – a bare-minimum expectation for fine-dining restaurants – it really is not the flex you think it is.

For a restaurant that came to social media relatively late, Hong Kong’s The Chairman does an exceptional job when it comes to crafting posts that offer a glimpse into its life and soul.
I keep thinking back to a recent bittersweet post celebrating the retirement of a server called Arta, better known as Tak Gor, who was with the restaurant for more than a decade.
Written in both English and Chinese, the captions tell a moving story of a man who dedicated his career to caring for others; who noticed the small details, such as whether a diner seemed hungry for rice with which to enjoy the last dregs of sauce, or whether they were left-handed.
This is the kind of storytelling that speaks volumes, more so than flashy buzzwords or ChatGPT-generated captions.
It is about being human. As Tak Gor says, “However advanced AI is, it cannot read faces.”


Meet the ‘Bourdain of China’, why Jeff Goldblum loves Pocky, what a record-breaking white truffle sells for and more

A bar owner’s go-to places in Hong Kong and Macau for fresh pasta, momos and tapas

Chef of Singapore’s 2-Michelin-star Jaan opens British comfort food restaurant in Vietnam

Uncovering Hanoi, Vietnam’s rich culture and cuisine

Food and Drinks

Cut the spiel, diners eat out for the meal. If chefs must tell a story, keep it simple

Ethos’ “Wagyu Beef Sloppy Joe”. Photo: Instagram / @ethos_atx

A heartwarming social media post by Hong Kong’s The Chairman restaurant recently honoured Tak Gor, a server who retired after 10 years of service. More posts like this, not AI-generated and conceited spiel, are what the food industry needs. Photo: Instagram/ thechairmanrestauranthk 

Ethos’ “Wagyu Beef Sloppy Joe”. Photo: Instagram/@ethos_atx

Ethos’ “Pizzachu”. Photo: Instagram/@ethos_atx

Ethos’ “Beekeeper’s Lemon Lavender Cheesecake”. Photo: Instagram/@ethos_atx

5 new coffee shops in Hong Kong to try in November 2024

A cafe mocha from Common Man Coffee Roasters. Photo: Common Man Coffee Roasters

Singapore brand Common Man Coffee Roasters’ new branch in Hong Kong’s K11 Art Mall is just one of the new openings coffee lovers can enjoy this November. Photo: Common Man Coffee Roasters

Dishes and drinks at Tozzo in Hong Kong. Photo: Instagram/foodiary.hk

A cafe mocha at Common Man Coffee Roasters. Photo: Common Man Coffee Roasters

From milk tea to noodles, the history and influence of Chinese food culture

A girl poses with Milk Tea Flavours installation at HKIA Arts & Culture Festival in Hong Kong Airport. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong-style milk tea is served with popular Hong Kong fare at the HOKO Cafe, a pop-up cafe in the trendy London neighborhood of Shoreditch. Photo: AP

Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Photo: Hector Amezcua

Photo: Bloomsbury Publishing

Photo: Jennifer Wong

Photo: Kong Tea

Photo: Jonathan Wong

Photo: Alexander Brunacci

Photo: Rice Service

What are the ‘wow’ dishes at third Samsen Thai restaurant in Hong Kong? We find out

One of chef Adam Cliff’s favourites is the pork and glass noodles stir-fried with fermented tofu, a take on the Thai dish called suki haeng. Photo: Nicholas Wong/Sixteen Photography

Samsen’s third location in Hong Kong, in Central’s On Lan Street, will serve chef Adam Cliff’s takes on some classic Thai street food dishes. Photo: Nicholas Wong/Sixteen Photography

Samsen co-founder Adam Cliff at the new restaurant in Central. The chef is taking stock of which dish might define the new location. Photo: Jonathan Wong

One of Cliff’s favourite dishes is pork and glass noodles stir-fried with fermented tofu, a take on the Thai dish called suki haeng. Photo: Nicholas Wong/Sixteen Photography

New on the menu at Samsen’s third location is a Chinese olive fried rice with pork, cashews, coriander and lime. Photo: Nicholas Wong/Sixteen Photography

For Samsen co-founder Bella Kong, the Central branch has presented the opportunity to introduce her favourite dishes. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Details on the walls at Samsen’s third branch include vintage Thai menus, photos and advertisements. Photo: Nicholas Wong/Sixteen Photography

Hong Kong noodle history and the different noodle styles explained

Shrimp roe thick noodle lo mien from Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle in Hong Kong. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Roast goose with lai fun rice noodles from Yung Kee in Hong Kong. Learn about the different kinds of noodles served in the city, how they are traditionally made, and the foods they are typically paired with. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Wheat noodles originate in Northern China, while rice noodles have Southern Chinese origins, says Dr Siu Yan-ho, a lecturer in Chinese language and literature at Baptist University. 

Marco Li Ka-chi of Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle balancing on a bamboo pole to make noodles. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Shrimp roe thick noodle lo mien at Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

 Cheung Wing Kee started making noodles in the 1950s, producing small quantities using labour-intensive methods.

Roast goose with lai fun rice noodles. The thicker, neutral-tasting noodles are perfect for absorbing the flavours from the roast goose and broth. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Lifestyle

Food & Drink

Farm-to-table this, locally sourced that. Virtuous monologues stick in the throat, especially AI-generated ones, so focus on people


Farm-to-table this, locally sourced that. Virtuous monologues stick in the throat, especially AI-generated ones, so focus on people.


Artificial intelligence

Social media

ChatGPT and other generative AIs

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

On the Menu

On The Menu | Cut the spiel, diners eat out for the meal. If chefs must tell a story, keep it simple

Farm-to-table this, locally sourced that. Virtuous monologues stick in the throat, especially AI-generated ones, so focus on people