The Seven Sins of Tong Chee Hwee |
Executive Head Chef, Hakkasan |
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Born in 1963, Tong Chee Hwee started his career at the age of 18 at the Happy Valley Chinese restaurant in Singapore before moving to their Kuala Lumpur restaurant.
Having returned to Singapore he was discovered by Alan Yau, overseeing the kitchens at the highly regarded Chinese restaurant at the Ritz Carlton hotel. Tong was persuaded to move to London in 2001 to become head chef at the soon to be opened Hakkasan. Within a year of its launch, Hakkasan won a Michelin star, an accolade which it holds today.
In March 2005, Tong was given another extraordinary accolade at London’s foremost restaurant ceremony, the Tio Pepe ITV Restaurant Awards when he was awarded the “London Chef of the Year”, the only Chinese chef to have won such an award.
Tong’s skill is presenting complex flavoured Chinese dishes with a modern flair and bringing a freshness and vitality to Chinese food. In 2010, Tong took on the role of Executive Head Chef for the Hakkasan group. |
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| Wrath - What makes you angry about the hospitality industry?
It angers me to think that there could be restaurants out there that do not abide by the simple ethics of what we do. We are here to provide quality, whether it is quality ingredients or service, it is the foundation of why the industry exists in the first place and to hear on the news that there are places that use subpar or false substitutes of certain things to be cost efficient just saddens me.
Greed - If all your food fantasies came true what would be on your Plate?
A new and different species of fungi perhaps, and when it’s eaten, I could live forever or go back in time ten or twenty years, because how many decades are there in a person’s life?
Sloth - What do you do to unwind?
By going to the spa for sauna and exercise.
Pride - What are you most proud of?
2003, when we gained our first Michelin-star at Hakkasan Hanway Place
2005, when I won London Chef of the Year at the Tio Pepe ITV Restaurant Award.
Lust - Is there anything that you are still lusting to achieve?
My chef’s career took flight with I joined our group in 2001 and together we gained our first Michelin-star in 2003 and leading up till now Hakkasan, Yauatcha and HKK which all have a star under our belts. I am thankful of our team and wishing that we could strive forward toward gaining a second star of each.
Envy - who are you most envious of?
Ferran Adrià – I consider him the founding father of molecular gastronomy, his work has revolutionized the culinary world, and have so much respect for him being the pioneer of our industry. Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay.
Gluttony - have you ever over indulged?
Yes! A very memorable experience at elBulli, halfway through the meal I was full already but I just cannot stop eating because I am just so excited to see the creativity behind every single courses!
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| We put the spotlight on the industry's most recognisable faces in our new interview segment "Seven Sins". If you want to know what inspires the industry's movers and shakers or what your favourite food loving celebrity likes to indulge in then you'll find it in their Seven Sins. |
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