My recent QingMing festival travels led me to a 5 day residence in Seoul. Over the course of the trip, I munched, binged, guzzled, and chugged my way through a number of restaurants, bars, and street-side stalls. While the vacation ...[read full review]
When I first moved to China, one of the experiences that stood out was the prevalence of people taking pictures of their food. Nowadays, the abundance of smartphones means that, more often than not, diners are taking out their iPhone ...[read full review]
You’ve got quite the resume, with over 20 years of experience working in bars, restaurants and hotels. What is it about the hospitality industry which keeps you drawn?
23 years actually! The main reason why I love this industry is its ...[read full review]
Local sentiments for Shark’s Fin soup, a popular food product in China, seems to be at a turning point. What makes this interesting is that global consumer outcry against this product has already been evident for several decades, but outright ...[read full review]
In exchange for living in one of the most prominent cities in the world, expats have to accept that certain hometown conveniences turn into luxuries. Case in point, foods that could easily be bought at your local market back home ...[read full review]
Quite the storm was stirred on City Weekend’s website last week, when a poster, writing on 'behalf' of Malone’s restaurant under the handle malonesgroup, posted a stunning example of PR incompetence. The responses generated by this post were so heated ...[read full review]
It is that time of year where heaters and electric blankets are turned up to 11. The Sherpas website looks extremely convenient compared to trudging outside to eat in the dreary Shanghai weather. In case the occasion calls for a ...[read full review]
It is an open secret that the Shanghai dining scene thrives on mediocrity. For every Tavola that opens up, it seems like 5 ho-hum Italian restaurants tend to lurk behind. Whenever a dining trend arises (Pho, Tapas, etc.), the city ...[read full review]
While working and living in Shanghai, the accelerated lifestyle is a given. The workweek consists of constant movement from point A to point B while juggling a myriad of deadlines. Given the hustle and bustle within Shanghai, it can ...[read full review]
A month and a half ago, a run-of the-mill mid-market Cantonese restaurant on Yanping Lu quietly turned off their lights and took their sign off the hook. Within a few days, a massive banner was wallpapered across the old ...[read full review]
Pasha has been around for a while, and seems to have lost its touch recently. What made you want to come in and renovate it?
It was great when they opened it, close to Turkish standards. After that they lost their ...[read full review]
You’ve been here for a while. What do you think are some of the biggest changes in the F&B industry in Shanghai?
If you went back in time, you would realize that when I first came, there were so few concepts ...[read full review]
Gastronomy, which is the intelligent knowledge of nourishment, extends across a wide variety of academic fields that you are likely familiar with: natural history, physics, chemistry, cookery, business and, surprisingly, psychology.
Keeping the psychological aspect in mind, your brain tends to ...[read full review]
Over the past year and a half, YongKang Rd in the former French Concession has slowly transformed from a sleepy vegetable market into a bustling creative hub. Enough high-quality F&B establishments have set up shop to alter the identity ...[read full review]
So tell me a little bit about PiRO. You took it over, you turned it around. Before you came in charge, what was the restaurant like?
They also made American food, but it was really bad. Honestly it was bad food, ...[read full review]
Odds are rarely on my side when entering contests. Yet, this weekend, I lucked out and scored two seats at the private dining restaurant 12 Chairs, run by David Laris. The contest specifics involved online comments on actions you would ...[read full review]
Could you tell us a little bit about why Duvel has been so successful in the last couple of years in Shanghai?
We have a really great team of guys, and the success has come from a group effort, hitting the ...[read full review]
During my stateside travels last week I happened to sit in a chat with one of my restaurateur idols, El Bulli founder Ferran Adria. Over the course of an hour, one idea he reiterated was that the food is only ...[read full review]
F&B endeavors tend to operate on a rapidly accelerated timeline in comparison to other brick and mortar businesses. It is difficult for restaurants to corner a segment of the market when barriers to entry are relatively low. Hence, ...[read full review]
Decent vegetarian places are few and far between in Shanghai. Traditionally, meat was considered a display of wealth in China, hence, most restaurants place either tidbits of meat or a meat-based stock somewhere in the cooking process for their vegetable ...[read full review]
Food courts, those glorious odes to sprawling mediocrity, tend to have the same planning efficiency as a toddler playing with their first Lego set. There is a general lack of sectioning dedicated to specific F&B areas. A drink shop may ...[read full review]
Words are one thing Top Chef's Jacky doesn't mince. The name he chose for his restaurant reflects his self-confidence and his overall sentiments towards this project. This might also be a case of deceiving first impressions. While the outside ...[read full review]
Private boutique hotels are seemingly in fashion these days, popping up around Shanghai and providing a more exclusive alternative for guests wary of other hotels' glitzy over-abundance. One such newcomer is the 168 room Bund-side les suites orient; with ...[read full review]
Can you talk a little bit about the changes on the menu?
The thing about Shanghai is the seasons are so short. Not in terms of weather, but more about the food available at certain times of the year. For ...[read full review]
It's about that time. For the last 10 months, I have regaled, impressed, educated and probably irritated most of you with my tales of the good, the bad and the ugly in the Shanghai F&B scene. Now that my ...[read full review]
Foie Gras. Like caviar or truffles, its mere mention elevates the status of a particular dish. An astute chef will subtly incorporate it into his cooking, well aware of the powerful effects of the rich and delicate product. ...[read full review]
How long have you been cooking, and what made you want to become a chef?
I've been in China 10 years already. When I started at the Jingmao in Pudong, there was nothing there. It amazes me to see it now. ...[read full review]
With the 4th edition of Shanghai's restaurant week running from the 5th to the 11th of September, now would be a good time to delve a little deeper into this recurring worldwide event that has been picking up steam since ...[read full review]
Why did you open a bar solely for noodles?
A lot of people like noodles. If you ask Chinese people, lots of them will say that noodles are their favorite. Lots of places usually just make one type of noodle, ...[read full review]
One of Japan's most successful pop groups, SMAP are playing their first international concert in China. The band's name translates as "Do your best Japan, thank you China, Asia is one", showcasing gratitude towards the Chinese for their contributions towards ...[read full review]
