VICKY CHENG, VEA

His desire to explore more of what this city has to offer, combined with a tireless work ethic and sound business acumen, are just some of the reasons why Vicky Cheng is our chef of the year. In 2017, we spoke to Cheng about the evolution of his cuisine—a mix of modern French and Chinese—and found a passionate chef eager to learn more about the

natural bounty found within our borders. And in the past year, Cheng has consistently played the champion for local produce, updating his feed (@chefvickycheng) with images

of Hong Kong’s finest ingredients, from fish such as wild spotted tail morwong and leatherjacket to dramatic tendrils of fresh night blooming cereus. And he’s committed to inspiring his team through this constant learning and insatiable curiosity—and the occasional quickfire kitchen challenge. “Good food is not just about a food anymore,” he told us in an interview earlier this year. “To be a trendsetter, to be a world leader, it’s about the whole experience. It’s about stories you tell and how you tell them. And it’s most effective when you’re telling them from the heart—like how a movie based on a

true story is always more emotional.”

VEA, 29-30/F, 198 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong

RUNNER-UP By spearheading Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s sustainability initiatives when it comes to zero waste and plasticfree kitchens, Richard Ekkebus is setting the standard for how chefs should aim to operate in the future.