Kelvin Au Yeung recently took over the helm of three-Michelin-starred Jade Dragon from erstwhile executive chef Tam Kwok Fung, but he is no stranger to the restaurant. Au Yeung has been on the team since the restaurant’s inception and has played a pivotal role in helping the restaurant gain its first Michelin star in 2014 and the coveted second star in 2016, an honour which the restaurant has retained every year since. This year, Jade Dragon entered the three Michelin star echelon.
To commemorate this career milestone, he created a dish of Fish Maw In Rabbitfish Soup With Crab Meat Roll for The MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2019 Gala Dinner, which represents the metamorphosis of a humble ingredient into a refined dish that exudes luxury and quality.
To commemorate this career milestone, he created a dish of Fish Maw In Rabbitfish Soup With Crab Meat Roll for The MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2019 Gala Dinner, which represents the metamorphosis of a humble ingredient into a refined dish that exudes luxury and quality.
What was the inspiration behind the dish?
I worked for many years under the guidance of chef Tam Kwok Fung and recently took over the helm from him. This is the biggest turning point in my career, my pinnacle so far and a real opportunity for metamorphosis for me. This dish, which takes an ordinary ingredient and changes it into something more, reflects that change.
I worked for many years under the guidance of chef Tam Kwok Fung and recently took over the helm from him. This is the biggest turning point in my career, my pinnacle so far and a real opportunity for metamorphosis for me. This dish, which takes an ordinary ingredient and changes it into something more, reflects that change.
What goes into this dish?
Traditionally, this dish is made with abalone sauce, but I am using a fish soup base instead to create something new. Aside from the sweetness and freshness, there is also a tiny bit of bitterness after the fish is cooked. That and the dried mandarin peel give it a unique flavour that, when mixed with the fish, makes a perfect combination. The most difficult part of this dish is the freshness of the fish. Because the fish is wild caught, we can’t stock up on it beforehand. The fish must be caught in the days leading up to the dinner, and of course, we need a large amount of it.
Traditionally, this dish is made with abalone sauce, but I am using a fish soup base instead to create something new. Aside from the sweetness and freshness, there is also a tiny bit of bitterness after the fish is cooked. That and the dried mandarin peel give it a unique flavour that, when mixed with the fish, makes a perfect combination. The most difficult part of this dish is the freshness of the fish. Because the fish is wild caught, we can’t stock up on it beforehand. The fish must be caught in the days leading up to the dinner, and of course, we need a large amount of it.
The theme of this year’s MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau Gala Dinner is Metamorphosis. What does that mean to you?
A metamorphosis is an evolution, a change within yourself and an effort to improve every day.
A metamorphosis is an evolution, a change within yourself and an effort to improve every day.
