Hong Kong teahouses cherish their dim sum trolleys, but how long can they last?

Emblems of tradition and nostalgia, classic dim sum restaurants face economic pressures and retirement of older generation of chefs

Hong Kong’s beloved dim sum carts on the verge of disappearing

As a cloud of steam billows from the kitchen of Hoi Lin Restaurant, Chung King-pui, 56, places a large bamboo steamer stacked with colourful and fragrant dim sum on her silver trolley.

“Pretty girls and boys, har gow and siu mai are out!” Chung, who has worked as a waiter in the traditional Chinese teahouse for 13 years, shouts as she pushes the trolley around the tables.

Dim sum trolleys are a decades-old tradition and hallmark at Chinese restaurants where servers move around with carts laden with freshly made dishes, allowing customers to select and enjoy their food right away.