CookSmart (15th Issue) Page10

EatSmart Restaurants Snaps

Club Chelsea

Getting a Taste of Tranquil Flavour

Club Chelsea, comfy and elegantly furnished, offers a variety of delicious and healthy dishes. It is a cosy place for a nice relaxing dinner with family.

An Unusual Residents' Club

Ms Jodi CHOW and Ms Maggie PANG, Assistant Club Supervisors of the residents' club, say that the residents of the housing estate are mostly young couples with kids, who are more aware of the importance of healthy eating, and tend to eat less meat and more vegetables. The club restaurant, while serving western food, offers special Chinese dishes for dinner on Fridays and weekends. Special menus are also offered during festivals.

With veteran chef Mr. LEE Chung-lai at the helm, the club restaurant serves quality food. He adopts a healthy cooking method, for instance, using less cream and butter but more fruit. He is particularly fond of pumpkin, which goes well with many ingredients. More importantly, the restaurant is dedicated to serving good food at reasonable prices. A rich and nutritious Chinese-style soup, for instance, only costs around seventy dollars.

Serving Healthier Options to Customers

Club Chelsea, which does not have a broad customer base, has been trying to compete with restaurants in the neighbourhood by providing quality food and services. Mr. LEE always purchases fresh and healthy ingredients in nearby wet markets. He also likes to exchange food ideas with customers to understand their preferences.

Moreover, Club Chelsea has implemented a number of energy saving measures. For example, the restaurant uses induction cookers and non-stick cookware, while the kitchen staff use healthy cooking methods such as blanching and grilling to capture the original flavours of fresh foods. The restaurant has been a member of the "Eatsmart@restaurant.hk" campaign since 2008, and is committed to providing healthy dishes for customers.

Mr. LEE Chung-lai, head chef of Club Chelsea, began his culinary career as dessert chef. He has worked in several hotels and private clubs over the past 40 years. Mr. LEE always pays special attention to food presentation, even to the point of what kind of a plate should be used.