Best Ambience – Amber: When fine dining is all about the finest details

When Richard Ekkebus, executive chef at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, and culinary director at Amber, contacted Adam D. Tihany, founder and principal of Tihany Design about the redesign of the two-Michelin starred restaurant, he sent him a 12-page brief.

This speaks to the importance of not only the new overall dining experience at Amber that Ekkebus wanted, but also the ambience that he had in mind, something that he was absolutely clear about. This highly detailed vision has been acknowledged by 100 Top Tables, with Amber being awarded the Best Ambience 2021 award.

Ekkebus says: “If I were to condense this detailed vision for the ambience into a few keywords I would say, modern, informal, unassuming luxury.”

The design also had to be “striking, with a strong ceiling feature and, for this level of dining, a touch of bling”, and needed to reflect the new lighter cuisine philosophy, focus on sustainability and a modern fine-dining approach.

For Ekkebus and Tihany, who designed the original interiors, this has been achieved. “The new Amber is light, curvaceous and less formal compared to its original design, which conveyed masculine elegance. It embraces the evolution of fine dining to portray a more personal experience,” explains Tihany.

 The interior of the restaurant is refined, relaxing, warm and inviting, with neutral colours and organic forms. For example, the golden rods that were formerly suspended from the ceiling have been replaced with gorgeous bronze ring crystal chandeliers that retain a sense of intimacy while showcasing the architectural volume of the restaurant.