Chefs in Hong Kong

Actually, cooking is my job as well as my hobby. I love to create new recipes and improvise with anything that I have, no matter they are Asian or Western ingredients. My favorite ingredients are beef and seafood.

My spanish roots will always influence the style I live and create food. I am Alejandro Sanchez, a true spanish chef. I am lucky to be born in a cooking funs. My family is involved into a restaurant business. Thus I was percepting all the peculiarities and secrets of the kitchen life since I was a child. After graduating from school, I moved to Madrid to attend a sommelier course. I wanted a real experience and got a position of a waiter in a restaurant. That was my first real step into a long way to chef cliff.

I am Philippe Duc and I enjoy my profession as a real part of my inner space. It is no wonder I’ve become a chef as my childhood was tightly connected with gardening. My grandparents lived in Ruan and I helped them with planting, selecting and watering all the possible kinds of grocery, vegetables and even fruits. To tell the truth, my mother was surprised by my desire to step into a kitchen path. She even tried to persuade me in an architecture’s better future, but failed.

My name is Tamara Mattii. And currently I am an executive chef in La Piola restaurant. Even when I repeat this for several times, I could hardly believe it. I was born in Pisa, Italy. This country is well-known for its passion to gastronomy, high-quality products and eating culture. Since I recall myself, I was always dreaming about feeding my family with the dishes I made. My young years could be simply called “fiesta”. As I adored parties, especially the moment of welcoming people to try the meals. I was absolutely happy when all the faces were shining with satisfied smiles and souse.

I’m a descendant of the cooking dynasty, adherer of the traditions and simply an enthusiastic person. My life, like a kite balloon, brightly vibrates above the ground, visits different countries and regions, but meanwhile is tightly linked with my homeland with almost invisible thread. I’m Kenny Chan Kai-tak, chef of Yun Yan restaurant in Hong Kong.

I was born and raised in the cosmopolitan Hong Kong. So maybe that was the reason why I didn’t have a clear vision of my professional perspectives until I was 18 years old. I was just simply searching for a job, saw an ad and started working as a kitchen assistant. And, as the saying goes, the appetite came to me with the eating. I realized that I loved not only to eat, but also to create food. Already being an assistant to the chief in the LA Café, I started to attend cooking classes. My primitive knowledge were so not enough for me. That was the birth of my culinary ambitions. And since then, there is not a single day when I’m calmed down. I always learn, explore and take interest. My natural passion and dedication has played a very positive role for my career.

When a hobby becomes the profession it is commonly treated as life success. I do not feel like I am the most successful man in the world. But one of the happiest I should say. My name is Alvin Leung and I am a happy chef. I was born in foggy London. Rather known for its grey weather and grumpy people. Where the most elegant dish is a porcelain plate of oat porridge. It is only half truth, of course. Although my dearest mother did not cook thus I was climbing the kitchen mountains all by myself.

My name is Francisco Pazos. I am in charge of Le Chef Restaurant kitchen in Metropark Hotel, Wanchai Hong Kong. And although I was born quite far away from here – in beautiful Spain in 1975 – my heart was stolen by the East. Passion for cooking wasn't a sudden discovery or sign for me. I steadily developed sincere love, respect and curiosity. As a child, I was always with my grandma. I followed her to the market, participated in the conversations about products, dishes and recipes. Together we created lunches and dinners, made semi-products and collected necessary herbs. Unwittingly, I started not only to know but also to feel. This motivated me to connect my fortune with kitchen.

Is bread the staff of life? Bread is a gift and essence of nature. My name is Gregoire Michaud, I'm a master of brown crusts and aromatic pastry. I was born in 1975, and was surrounded by nature from my very childhood. And not with a garden, but with original beautiful and mighty trees, flowers and smells. My family still keeps a prosperous farm in Switzerland and grows products and grapes there. My mother became my teacher in cooking. I was inspired by her example, followed her advice and kept breaking conventional rules. I'm sure she was secretly proud of my freethinking. Although proper doughing, choice of flour and the magic of bread crafting in general is a very conservative business.

My name is Pino Lavarra and I am happy to do the things I do. I lead the kitchen in the legendary Ritz-Carlton in wonderful Hong-Kong. My family comes from the Southern Italy. It is a sunny piece of Earth with hospitable people and bright colors. I was surrounded by friends, family and nature. This cocktail taught me to love life, enjoy its treasures and share my inner world with them. My mom was a true Italian mom you might have seen in old films. She cooked as if sang an amazing song. And each time it was a new story. I percepted every single move she made, every ingredient she used and even the prayers she whispered. Probably that is why I am a chef of a super restaurant. Who knows.