ON THE PASS
How did you get into cooking? I can honestly say the food scene in Sydney got me into cooking. I remember coming here from Hong Kong to study at university and falling in love with the eclectic food culture here instead. Everything about the Australian food scene was so exciting that I decided I wanted to become a professional chef.
Following the closure of Hartsyard, you’ll be opening a new venture in the Old Clare Hotel in Sydney this year. What can you tell us about it? Our plan is to build the whole menu around the coastline of Australia. The menu will be heavily seafood focused with lots of ingredients you wouldn’t normally see in restaurants, plus a minimal waste approach. There’s talk of the Hartsyard fish burger making an appearance in the new space, as well as our famous grilled marron with bisque sauce. So, watch this space.
This is our Lunar New Year issue. Do you have any fond memories of spending time with family over the Lunar New Year? Absolutely! My family always celebrated together when I was still living in Hong Kong. It’s the biggest celebration of the year in our culture. I remember there are a few markets in Hong Kong that I would visit with my family in preparation for the Lunar New Year. They’re similar to Christmas markets all over the world, and are decorated in such a fun and festive way. They sell all sorts of things; from flowers and plants to food and general goods. It’s always so much fun to explore and try different things there.
Do you have any specific or cherished food memories of Lunar New Year? There’s a staple dish called treasure pot or poon choy in Chinese. It’s basically a traditional one-pot dish, composed of premium ingredients including abalone, sea cucumber, prawns, roasted duck, chicken, black moss, vegetables all in a rich broth. It’s believed to bring abundance and prosperity to those who consume it. All the ingredients are usually pre-organised and placed nicely in the pot so all you need to do is cook it. Lunar New Year is usually very cold where I come from so this steamy dish is perfect to celebrate with a bigger family as it requires minimal work and cooking time, so you get to really spend time with your family.
The Old Clare Hotel, theoldclarehotel.com.au