Hong Kong’s private kitchens have taken a turn for the upscale and inventive in recent years, but are tour operators able to grate a bite of this growing culinary concept?
Private kitchens first emerged in Hong Kong in the 1990s, but the trend has grown even stronger in recent years with such establishments clustering in industrial districts like Wong Chuk Hang, Chai Wan and Kwun Tong. Despite their unlikely settings, what sets these private kitchens apart from traditional restaurants are their refined dining experience and lifestyle approach with food at its core, with most venues operated by chefs keen to share their culinary passion and philosophies.
Last October, Xi Yan Penthouse opened to much fanfare in Wong Chuk Hang industrial district. The showpiece project of celebrity chef Jacky Yu, the 557m2 venue features a show kitchen cum chef’s table, plus four spacious dining rooms that can be transformed into a 100-seat banquet space or a cocktail party for 180 guests.
Also in the same district, the 186m2 M Cuisine serves seasonal menus created by chef Michael Erlik, who specialises in contemporary Mediterranean cuisine using traditional cooking methods.
Opened last December, the 139m2 Shuigechufan in Chai Wan is the brainchild of Walter Kei, a travel journalist, designer and tour guide. The venue offers tailor-made cooking classes, including a market tour to pick seasonal ingredients, for groups of 12 to 16 pax.
As private tables typically have limited seats, spots are premium and advance reservations are recommended.
Locals and in-the-know visitors have warmed up to private kitchens, and Hong Kong’s tour operators are also keen to grab a slice of this burgeoning trend.
PC Tours and Travel, general manager, said: “The private kitchen concept is very helpful because this means more choices for itinerary planning. Visitors look for creative and exclusive experiences so we will specially work with venues that also feature cooking classes.”
Associated Tours, vice president, Ken Chang, said: “These private kitchens can be packaged into evening activities, which have been lacking for a long time in Hong Kong…We only do it on an ad-hoc basis for clients with (time, budget and interest for gourmet dining), but (consultants) with a smaller number of (clients) can spend more time on product design and development with private kitchens.
“I can also see problems with getting the private kitchens interested and committed to work with travel (consultants) on a long-term basis. These private kitchens are already very popular among younger locals or visitors who usually will not use the service of a local tour operator.”
For Lightfoot Travel, private kitchens are popular among its UK and US clients as the phenomenon is already established in these countries. Co-founder & director, Lucy Jackson, shared: “Demand has been growing steadily over the past few years as the number of private kitchens in Hong Kong has expanded and become more well known outside of the city.
“We’ve added a number of private kitchens to our restaurant list, so that clients are aware that there are options outside of the main restaurants they have likely heard about. Each of our itineraries is tailor-made, so if a client requests a particular cuisine and is looking for an off-the-beaten-track (experience), then we recommend a restaurant that fits the description to the client.”
Private kitchens have also gathered steam among the city’s MICE operators.
Said Destination Management Company, managing director, Jenny May: “It’s absolutely something different and the clients love it. Cooking classes are very popular with our clients. We steer away from Western food and go with traditional Chinese or dim sum classes. Smaller-size classes of up to 10 people are the best, so if we’re handling a large group we generally split them up into different sessions. Since the clients love to choose the best cook in each session, it’s a good idea to stage a cook-off and present a prize to the winner.
“The only drawback is that sometimes the venue is in a location that’s difficult to get to and find,” she added.
Momentous Asia Travel & Events, general manager, Doris Lam, cautioned: “There are many establishments but our concern is whether they are properly licensed and whether their hygiene and fire service standards are up to par. If there is any accident or, say, a case of food poisoning, the organiser would have to bear the responsibility.”
This article was first published in TTG Asia, March 13, 2015 issue, on page 20. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe
