How culinary icon dim sum connects Hong Kong people and reflects city’s dynamic ability for reinvention
- Swiss chef Nicolas Elalouf, founder of Man Mo Dim Sum, and Larry Tang, owner of Sohofama, add creative twists to traditional savoury dumplings
- Comfort food also inspires work of world-renowned magician Louis Yan and artisanal candle maker Xavier Tsang, founder of BeCandle
Dim sum is a Chinese dish that has long been bringing Hong Kong people together and helping them to connect with each other.
The culinary icon, which features small steamed or fried savoury dumplings containing various fillings, remains one of the most recognisable parts of the city’s local culture.
Traditionally eaten for breakfast and lunch, dim sum is most commonly prepared and consumed outside the home and is best enjoyed in a group setting.
Restaurants serving dim sum are typically packed at weekends or during holidays as families and groups of friends share the dishes – typically served from trolleys that slowly wind their way between tables – while chatting and sipping Chinese tea.
Swiss chef and dim sum devotee Nicolas Elalouf, who has lived in Hong Kong for more than a decade, says: “Dim sum is not just a meal – it’s a connection, relationship and communication.”
