Cheng Kwok-Hung of one-MICHELIN-starred restaurant Ya Ge insists on creating dishes with a sense of time, place, and evolution.
To demonstrate his philosophy, Cheng served Wok-fried Penghu Lobster with Ya Ge Signature Sauce at the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony Taiwan 2023 gala dinner, which took place at MICHELIN-recommended hotel Mandarin Oriental Taipei. For this dish, Cheng selected fresh lobster from Penghu and fried it to lock in the crustacean’s succulent texture and moisture. Then, a mixture of scallions, minced garlic, and red and yellow bell peppers was stir-fried before the lobster was added in, simmered with handmade X.O. sauce, and then garnished with white and purple yams, as well as bok choy.
The sweetness from the lobster creates a perfect harmony with the flavor of the sauce — a combination that delivers a strong impression on the palate. “The key flavor of this dish lies in using the most traditional Cantonese X.O. sauce to simmer the Penghu lobster in, enhancing its flavor without overpowering it with saltiness.”
Cheng was born in 1979 in Hong Kong. His love for Cantonese cuisine started when he was 16 and helped at his family-run Chinese restaurant in Canada. He started out as an apprentice, and then progressed to working at several famous establishments such as Lei Garden in Hong Kong, Crystal Jade Golden Palace in Singapore, and at one-MICHELIN-starred restaurant Spring Moon at MICHELIN-recommended hotel The Peninsula Hong Kong.
With 25 years of experience, Cheng is extremely dedicated to cooking and pays great attention in honing his knife skills and mastery of fire. There are burning scars everywhere on his arms, and he quips that a good chef must not be afraid of fire; but instead, a good chef needs to always focus on bringing out the best taste and wok hei of a dish. If the lobster is not fried at the right temperature, the lobster won’t get the right fragrance and aromas.
He also emphasizes using seasoning and local ingredients. Cheng also loves checking out local markets, even during his days off. His mobile phone is also packed with notes containing guests’ preferences, as well as the menus and dishes he created, hoping to constantly innovate and deliver something new for Ya Ge’s guests to enjoy.
Cheng also shares that he chose to use lobster from Penghu to highlight that Taiwan is an island surrounded by the sea. This geographical detail of Taiwan is also incorporated into the unique homemade X.O. sauce that is crafted with dried scallops, Jinhua ham, and dried tiger shrimps. When put together, the dish evokes the beauty of local ingredients and Cantonese flavors, while the elegant and lavish plating echoes the gala theme perfectly.
The key to this dish’s success, Cheng shares, not only depends on the freshness of the lobster, but also on the mastery of frying temperature and simmering time. “If the oil’s temperature is not high enough, you will lose the moisture and texture of the meat; but the lobster cannot be overcooked either by over-frying or simmering for too long.” That’s why he not only set a standard for the oil’s temperature and frying time for this dish, but also, he insisted on doing all the simmering and frying that day by himself with two woks. “In an important event such as this one, nothing can go wrong,” he says.
A Perfect Pairing with Whisky
Cheng’s dish of Wok-fried Penghu Lobster with Ya Ge Signature Sauce was paired with Mortlach 16 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Apart from partnering with the MICHELIN Guide for the gala dinner and presenting MICHELIN-starred restaurant chefs with an impressive dish and whisky pairing, Mortlach has also supported this year’s MICHELIN Guide Service Award, a recognition that aims to highlight talented individuals who contribute to enhancing the gastronomic dining experience.
Cheng shares that the dried scallops, garlic, and Jinhua ham in the sauce, when paired with the natural sweetness of the lobster, goes perfectly with the delicate fruitiness and toasted nutty aromas of the Mortlach whisky. “A bite of lobster with the spicy sauce, followed by a sip of the rich and aromatic Mortlach 16-year-old whisky, creates the perfect harmony,” he says.
