Dim sum at Duddell’s
“I recently helped to renovate Duddell’s in Central, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant with a really fun dim-sum brunch. We took cues from Lingnan architecture for the design, reflecting Hong Kong as a place where different cultures are juxtaposed together. It’s part of an art and culture that is very unique to Cantonese heritage.”
Architectural inspiration
“I love the colours of the Haw Par Mansion, built by the Tiger Balm tycoon, and the way it captures a specific period of Hong Kong. It’s a hybrid of east and west in a surprising way, and you won’t find anything like it anywhere else in the world. The Kadoorie Estate in Kowloon is also really interesting architecturally – a neighbourhood of buildings ranging from Bauhaus to post-modernist and contemporary architecture that captures the spectrum of eras that Hong Kong has gone through.”
First impressions from The Upper House
“Views from the Green Room bar and lounge at The Upper House, the first major hotel I designed, are spectacular, with the urbanity of Victoria Harbour on one side and the greenery of the Peak on the other. It naturally navigates the duality of the city in ways people might not immediately think of. I think it’s a great first encounter with Hong Kong for visitors.”
A word-of-mounth only restaurant
“Fu Rong Wu Shuang in Central can only be booked through word of mouth, or a well-connected concierge. The cuisine is Hunanese, so a little bit spicy, and the owner has an ecosystem of amazing suppliers. If you’re served tea, it will be from a specific plantation that he works closely with. The restaurant opened in early 2025 and even though it’s in a commercial building, the interiors are inspired by the spirit of old houses in Hunan.”
