CookSmart (12th Issue) Page37

Celebrity Pick

Becoming a Restaurateur

“I believe that food quality should always come first. Quality dishes start with quality ingredients. There is no need to add too much flavour enhancers. We also try to adjust the flavour of our dishes to fit the taste of Hong Kong restaurant-goers, who prefer lightly flavoured cuisines. An Italian chef uses, for instance, 10 fresh tomatoes to make one serving of tomato sauce, but we’ll make up to three or four servings.”

"European home-style cooking is my favourite. Though home-style dishes may be less elegant than those served at fine dining restaurants, they give you a distinctive flavour and unique charm. I like to add some fine and exotic ingredients in traditional recipes. An example is ‘Black Truffle with Home-made Egg Bean Curds’, which combines the culinary delights of the East and West.”

Tony’s Advice - "Learn More about What You are Going to Eat”

“Many Americans are very careful with their food choices and have a good understanding of where and how the food is produced. I think that Hong Kong people should also need to be more vigilant about what they are going to eat.”

"By using high quality ingredients and appropriate cooking methods, you are probably very close to healthy eating. When cooking pasta, for example, you can add olive oil, garlic and a little bit of pepper instead of butter and heavy cream. It is equally delicious.”