Chinese diners’ taste for spice is blurring regional cuisines, says Macau chef
‘In Hong Kong, there is a big trend in marrying luxurious ingredients with Sichuan cooking techniques,’ says Charles Cheung, executive Chinese chef at the Four Seasons Macao and its Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Zi Yat Heen
How has growing up in Shanghai influenced your interpretation of Cantonese cuisine? “Shanghainese are open-minded and their culture has received influences from all over the world. As a kid, I tried Western food as well as dishes from various regions in China, particularly Cantonese and Huaiyang cuisine. These memories fuel my creativity.
“When I started working in Hong Kong, I had customers from Shanghai who gave me suggestions for enhancing our Cantonese dishes. The essence of Cantonese cuisine is to appreciate original tastes whereas Shanghainese cuisine has many sauces and tends to be sweet and oily.
“Shanghainese sauces are dark due to the heavy use of soy sauce. But I always managed to improvise and make my Shanghainese customers happy.”
How did your career begin? “I began my career at the age of 17, at East Ocean Gourmet Group, in Hong Kong, where I met my mentor, master of Cantonese cuisine, chef Chung Kam. I had a great platform to showcase my skills because I was given a huge amount of freedom. If I found interesting ingredients at the market, I just had to tell my manager and we could present new dishes right away.
“Other chefs also had this freedom, so our creativity and skills flourished. We also learned from each other. This was back in the 1990s, and the popularity of your dish would determine if it remained on the menu or not. It is a different story now in Hong Kong.”