Has “fusion” ceased to be a dirty word among chefs?For many years, gimmicky creations such as Korean-Mexican tacos, sushi burritos and Peking duck pizza defined the genre-bending food trend. To serious chefs, such dishes mostly inspired an eye roll and a shrug.But a new generation of Hong Kong chefs is happy to utter this “F” word as they dabble in elevated East-West culinary crossover.Their bold melding of disparate ingredients and techniques has resulted in ambitious “third-culture” restaurants that are neither Chinese nor Western but a tasty mash-up of influences.One such restaurant is Amalgamate, by chef Kasey Chan. The Hong Kong native has over 20 years of fine-dining experience, including in Michelin-star restaurants Amber, L’Envol and VEA. Most recently, he was the head of Cafe Bau, a modern Chinese venue opened by Bo Innovation’s Alvin Leung.Chef Kasey Chan at Amalgamate in Causeway Bay. Photo: Jonathan WongAt Amalgamate, in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay neighbourhood, Chan crosses culinary boundaries.
The Hong Kong chefs serving up East-West fusion food without the stigma
We meet three Hong Kong restaurant pioneers who are elevating the maligned food trend by serving French and Nordic dishes with Asian accents.
156 words~1 min read
