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The Chairman

Hong Kong

• The Best Restaurant in Hong Kong 2023

Unmatched Cantonese cooking in a fresh location

On the Pass

Kwok Keung Tung

Why it’s special: The Chairman is revered for its signature dishes, but the combination of deep research, original conception and precise execution that goes into each dish is evident across the extensive menu. Led by free-spirited chef-restaurateur Danny Yip and super-talented head chef Kwok Keung Tung, the team follows an ingredient-driven philosophy grounded in Cantonese traditions but with subtly original results.

Recent relocation: After slowly building its stellar reputation from an unassuming first-floor spot in Hong Kong’s Central district, The Chairman finally relocated to nearby The Wellington in September 2022. The new space is both more stylish and more welcoming, bedecked with nature-inspired custom artwork, calligraphy, leafy plants and historical cookbooks. While the dining room actually houses fewer covers than previously, the kitchen area and equipment have been significantly upgraded from the somewhat cramped original.

What to order: The dish preparations – and the extraordinary sauces in particular – are so complex and time-consuming that diners are contacted days ahead of their reservation slot to discuss their preferred choices with the knowledgeable team. The long-time favourite is Chef Tung’s steamed flowery crab, a prized delicacy from the South China Sea renowned for its sweet taste. In The Chairman’s recipe, it is steamed with 15-year-old Chinese wine, chicken fat and clam juice, and served alongside fragrant chicken oil and flat rice noodles. Coinciding with the new location, new dishes have also been added to the roster: try the Sichuan peppercorn stewed oxtail, or the whole pig’s head that was inspired by a collaboration with Korean restaurant Hansik Goo.

On forgotten ingredients: Over the last few years, Tung and Yip have been developing a fresh range of seasonal dishes inspired by forgotten luxury ingredients from southern China. After making pilgrimages to remote villages, the team procured unsung products like 20-year-pickled lemon, sugar-roasted chrysanthemum and elusive fresh mini water crabs.

Trophy cabinet: In 2021, The Chairman earned the No.1 spot in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, becoming the first Hong Kong restaurant to do so. It remains The Best Restaurant in Hong Kong in the 2023 ranking.

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