HONG KONG: One-Michelin-starred Relais & Châteaux member TATE Dining Room has announced a series of exclusive chef collaborations for 2020. Chef-patron Vicky Lau will host exclusive dinner events with three of the world’s most pioneering female chefs, including Ana Ros (Hisa Franko, Slovenia), Manu Buffara (Restaurante Manu, Brazil) and Leonor Espinosa (Restaurant Leo, Colombia) from January till May 2020.
TATE Dining Room’s all-female chefs’ residence program launches in tandem with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ “50-50” initiative to support gender parity in the restaurant industry. 50 Best has pledged to contribute towards fostering a more inclusive environment in which expert female voices can thrive.
“It is my honour to welcome these incredible female chefs from all corners of the globe to my home, TATE Dining Room, for a special culinary and cultural exchange with the guests of Hong Kong. It is particularly exciting to have some of the finest in the world to join us here in Hong Kong to showcase their talent and cuisine to our city,” said Vicky Lau.
Guest Chef Ana Ros – Founder of Hisa Franko, Slovenia (16-17 January)
Chef Vicky Lau will kick off the guest chef series at TATE Dining Room with Ana Ros of Hisa Franko on 16-17 January 2020. Ana is a self-taught cook who put restaurant Hisa Franko on the map when she received the World’s Best Female Chef award back in 2017, and starred in her own episode of popular Netflix series, Chef’s Table. Chef Ana runs Hisa Franko alongside life partner Valter Kramar, focusing on seasonal produce from the surrounds of the stunning countryside restaurant located in the Soca Valley of Kobarid, Slovenia. In 2018, Hisa Franko was listed in the no.48 position on the World’s Best Restaurants list, and subsequently rose to no.38 in 2019.
Guest Chef Manu Buffara – Founder of Restaurante Manu, Brazil (18-19 March)
The second exclusive collaboration between Vicky Lau and Miele’s One to Watch 2018 winner Manu Buffara will take place on 18-19 March 2020. Manu Buffara is the Executive Chef and Owner of Restaurante Manu located in Curitiba, Brazil, which received critical acclaim for its farm-to-table tasting menu as recognized World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Paving the way for gastronomy in Brazil, Manu celebrates the culture and produce unique to the region of Paraná. At Manu, she uses organic ingredients from carefully selected suppliers including artisanal fishermen, and her own garden. Currently, Manu stands at no.42 on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019. Manu Buffara will also be opening her 2nd new restaurant, Ella, in New York City next year.
Guest Chef Leonor Espinosa De La Ossa – Founder of Leo, Colombia (13-14 May) TATE Dining Room’s third collaboration of the year will take place on 13-14 May 2020 between Vicky Lau and Leonor Espinosa. Also known by her nickname ‘Leo’, the Colombian celebrity chef and TV personality rose to international acclaim with the opening of Leo Cocina y Cava in Bogota in 2007. Leo won the title of Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2017 and her flagship restaurant stands at no.8 on the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 and no.49 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019. Restaurant Leo showcases little-known Colombian ingredients such as corozo (a tangy red berry), arrechón (an aphrodisiac drink) and bijao (a banana-like plant), while championing local communities.
Vicky Lau is the undisputed queen of innovative French Chinese fine dining in Hong Kong, She takes pride in her talent for visual artistry from her previous life as a graphic designer. Her innate creativity is evident in the seasonally evolving tasting menu of “Edible Stories”, each course designed by Chef Vicky Lau to evoke emotions and stir the imagination with an intriguing play on flavours and textures.
About Tate Dining Room
Established in 2012, TATE Dining Room is a fine dining restaurant serving an eclectic mix of French and Chinese cuisine presented in what they call, Edible Stories – an exploration into culinary expressionism. The restaurant was founded by Vicky Lau, chef and owner of TATE. Having been a creative director for a number of years, she was inspired to tap into an extra dimension to her creative vision – and her lifelong passion for food – and enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu to obtain her Grand Diplome.
Following her stint at Le Cordon Bleu, Chef Lau officially made her maverick move from design to embark on her culinary career and was working at one of the most acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant in Hong Kong. Having gained invaluable firsthand experience, Chef Lau realized her vision by combining the best of her instincts and talents in design and food into a space where guests are invited to share and experience her passion — at TATE Dining Room & Bar. In 2015, Chef Lau has been named Veuve Clicquot Asia’s Best Female Chef and the restaurant has also been consecutively awarded 1 Michelin star since 2013.
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