How chef Hung Chi-kwong of Michelin-starred Rùn revives and renews forgotten Cantonese cuisine
- The veteran chef at The St. Regis Hong Kong says the flavours of traditional Cantonese cuisine are slowly fading
- Hung is determined to breathe new life into the fare through the artful presentation of dishes, and tea pairings with dim sum
Chef Hung Chi-kwong says many of Cantonese cuisine’s traditional flavours are slowly waning. Hung has observed this personally over his 32-year culinary career, which he started by working as a kitchen assistant at a Cantonese restaurant in Causeway Bay at age 15.
“Produce and ingredients have changed over time, so of course some of those flavors are now lost,” says Hung, who today helms one-Michelin-starred Rùn at The St. Regis Hong Kong. “They are difficult to replicate.”
But Hung is undeterred as he continually works to not only bring back, but also update these familiar yet forgotten flavours. He says one of his strategies involves “combining classic dishes with new cooking techniques”.
The chef also focuses on artistic plating and presentation, so that guests are smitten with the dishes at first sight, before even taking a bite.
“In Asia, the camera eats first,” Hung says with a chuckle. “So my team and I make sure what we serve creates a lasting and memorable impression.”
