Hilda LEUNG, whose family is in the restaurant business, has been well versed in the art of eating since she was very young.

When signing up for the Miss Hong Kong Pageant, Hilda stated on the application form that her ambition was “to promote a healthy eating culture”. Three years later, Hilda began to make her dream come true. She said, “My grandmother, a native of Chaozhou (Chiu Chow), is very good at making traditional Chaozhou dishes. She taught me how to cook, and shaped my interest in food and cooking. Yet my parents, who know that being a professional chef is really hard work, did not approve of my aspiration. Nevertheless, I was so fond of cooking that I watched a lot of TV food programmes and read many cookbooks while living in Canada. I also tried out my skills and made a few cooking videos, which were uploaded to video sharing sites. After graduation, I completed a baking course in Hong Kong and worked in a few local restaurants to learn about the restaurant industry. Just like my colleagues, I started with the basics: washing dishes, mopping the floor and making coffee.”