Hong Kong’s dining scene is a vibrant, ever-evolving world characterised by a vast array of cuisines and an exciting influx of rising talents who are constantly pushing culinary boundaries. From reinventing traditional recipes to championing local food culture, these three chefs are redefining what it means to dine in our city.
Zinc Leung, Sushi Zinc
Nestled in a quiet street that runs along the side of a small temple in Shau Kei Wan is Sushi Zinc, an eight-seater omakase restaurant led by 27-year-old chef Zinc Leung. Harbouring a love for food since he was young, Leung kicked off his culinary journey at the Hong Kong Culinary Academy before honing his skills in the Italian kitchens of Gaia Ristorante and Octavium. It wasn’t until 2020 that Leung began learning the ways of Japanese cuisine under the mentorship of chef Mori Tomoaki and discovered his true calling. At Sushi Zinc, Leung brings something rare to the table: a heartfelt mission fuelled by a chance encounter with local seafood supplier Davey Wong.
“I am passionate about providing an omakase experience that diners can’t find anywhere else, whether in Hong Kong or Japan,” says Leung. “At Sushi Zinc, we offer a contemporary Japanese omakase infused with Italian culinary influences, whilst showcasing locally caught seafood. Our goal is to demonstrate the versatility of local seafood in our dishes and to highlight how the region of the catch and its treatment impact quality and flavour.”
Guided by the Japanese philosophy of subtraction, Leung’s creations champion a ‘less is more’ ethos and highlights the natural excellence of high quality ingredients. His take on kobakogani is an intricate scallop ravioli stuffed with succulent crab meat, crab roe, diced okra, and fennel—all of which sits atop a 1-month aged dollop of Japanese sweet potato and a velvety moat of Japanese pumpkin purée sauce enriched with crab meat.
This year, Sushi Zinc will be celebrating its first anniversary and Leung is gearing up for an exciting year ahead. “In 2025, we plan to collaborate with various chefs and local suppliers to further explore the diverse uses of local catches and produce. Our first anniversary menu in February will feature a selection that utilises 90% local ingredients—stay tuned!”
Unit A1, G/F, Pak Ling Mansion, 5-7 Miu Tung Street, Shau Kei Wan; @sushi_zinc
Ardy Ferguson, Belon
Chef Ardy Ferguson first discovered the joys of cooking during a year off from his university studies in Canada. “I did electrical engineering for three years and the whole time I just didn’t enjoy it. So I took some time off and got a job at a bakery near where I was living,” he explains. “During that year I was supposed to ‘figure out’ my life, but I realised I enjoyed working in that bakery a lot—working with my hands, working on my feet, and being a bit more active. I thought, ‘Oh, maybe this is something I could really pursue.’ So during my days off, I would volunteer at restaurants around the city and that’s kind of what got it rolling.”
Now, the 29-year-old Canadian-Indonesian chef is not only cooking up a storm in the Belon kitchen, but will be representing Asia at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award Grand Finale in Milan. His competition dish is a celebration of his Indonesian heritage. Scaled down from its usual large sharing portion, Ferguson’s rendition of nasi tumpeng incorporates a portion of roasted duck breast as a nod to Hong Kong cuisine. Produced completely from scratch, the other elements of the dish adhere closely to the original whilst showcasing Ferguson’s innovative flair: a charming turmeric coconut rice tower, red rice crackers, satay padang made with duck leg and bones, fresh sambal, calamansi-pickled cucumbers with cucumber jelly, and sayur lodeh reinvented with a spiced butter sabayon on top.
“I really want to be the kind of chef that inspires the future generation. I’m still in the ‘getting inspired’ stage of my career but I would love to be a chef that helps nurture talent—especially in Indonesia since that’s the food that I grew up with and love. It’s also a growing market in fine dining; chefs are more focused on the local ingredients in the market, and the people in Indonesia are willing to support that as well.”
Choi Ming Fai, Mora
“My culinary journey is quite an unusual one. I was originally studying civil engineering at the University of Hong Kong, but everything changed during a bicycle trip from Hong Kong to India with my schoolmate. One morning, I realised I didn’t even know how to cook an egg properly.” Chef Choi Ming Fai’s culinary origin story is a far cry from the award-winning career he now leads. Since he joined Mora as head chef in 2023, Choi earned the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award, and the soy-focused restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star.
“Mora represents everything I believe in as a chef. After working in several Michelin-starred Western restaurants in Hong Kong and London, I realised I wanted to create food that reflected my identity as a person born and raised in Hong Kong,” says Choi. “Mora gave me the perfect platform to do that. The opportunity to work with soy—an ingredient so deeply rooted in our culinary culture—felt both meaningful and exciting. It felt like the right place to combine my skills, my heritage, and my passion for sustainability.”
Choi’s work at Mora perfectly mirrors his steadfast dedication to his role as head chef. A dish inspired by agedashi tofu boasts a rich interplay of flavours and texture that showcases a profound respect for the ingredients in use. A deep-fried cube of tofu is accompanied by an umami-rich sesame sauce made with vegetable stock and a dash of vinegar. Pickled grated daikon cuts through the depth of the sesame and mustard green oil brings a herbal kick, whilst roasted pine nuts and a perfectly spherical preserved radish introduces bold flavours and crunch. The nasturtium garnish too is not merely decorative, its peppery taste rounding off the complex dish. “Each ingredient serves a purpose, working together to create a dish that is balanced, multi-dimensional, and satisfying.”
40 Upper Lascaw Road, Sheung Wan; @mora_hongkong
Photography: Samantha Sin
Styling: Ella Wong
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. Payos
