About James Roy Oakley, Chef at Armani Aqua
I wonder, how many are there Chefs in the world, who don’t think their dishes are the best and the most interesting, and restaurant they work at is the only one which is worth of visiting? Oh no, I’m more modest. My name is James Roy Oakley. I am an Executive Chef at the Armani/Aqua Restaurant in Hong Kong. Our customers are beautiful people with zest for life. As you might guess, I was born not in Asia, but in windy England. If you want to send me a postcard on occasion of my birthday, please do it on 16 April, I’ll be 30. I was born a Chef. Well, almost. Since I was a child, when I had problems reaching a sink and a stove, I told to my granny: ‘I want to be a chef!’ We used to cook together quite often. And my real work in the kitchen started when I was 14 (I had already become good at reaching different kitchen worktops then). I washed plates, cups and forks. So one can say I started from the bottom, and I had to gnaw my way through with labour and persistence.
