Page 33 - Sphere No.20 (Nov 2007)

SPHERE 31
given me room to be creative in my job and
my dream is to rise to the next big challenge.”
Alex Brand
Executive Chef, Harbour Plaza Metropolis
Swiss chef Alex Brand is a busy man. If he’s
not ensuring that the “best buffet in Hong
Kong” lives up to its name, then he and his
staff of 32 are preparing dishes for 500 people
at another of the restaurants at the Harbour
Plaza Metropolis, the Promenade and Patio.
“I make everything”, he says. “As a chef, you
have to know all aspects of the kitchen.”
He has called the Harbour Plaza Metropolis home for the
past five years. He’s won so many awards that he’s lost track.
Favourite dishes? “I could talk about the Lobster with Mango
Tropical Sauce, or the French Duck with Goose Liver,” he says.
“I mean, we have so many things. It’s great when guests compli-
ment us but if they are complaining, what’s important is that we
figure out how to solve the problem.”
Having worked at some of the greatest hotels in the world,
Chef Brand believes that what he’s helped
to accomplish at the Metropolis is already
an achievement in itself. “It’s good to see
this place growing up,” he says. “It’s great
to see what this hotel can achieve.”
Cesare Romani
Executive Chef, Harbour Plaza
Hong Kong
Cesare Romani has travelled the world of
five-star hotels, often working under the tu-
telage of Michelin star chefs. He was recently
handed his biggest ever challenge – running
the kitchens of the Harbour Plaza Hong Kong six restaurants, the
Harbour Grill,Waterfront Bar &Terrace,The Promenade,Wham-
poa Lounge, Robatayaki, and Corner Café.
“I’ve worked in Italy, the West Indies, Dubai, the United Arab
Emirates and even Albania, so I know a thing or two about dif-
ferent tastes and palates,” he says. “Hong Kong is a great place
to work as standards are very high. I’m really looking forward
to the challenge.”
Whether it is with superb
seafood, delicious desserts
or delightful hors d’oeuvres,
Hutchison chefs aim to
keep diners coming back
time and time again.
THE ICE SCULPTURES at the Harbour Plaza Hong Kong always look breathtaking
but only the artist who created them, Lau Kam-cho, knows how much care
and precision is involved.
“Each ice block weighs 300 pounds (about 136 kg),” says Mr Lau who tips the
scales at less than half the weight of the ice. “The most challenging aspect is cutting
off the right pieces to prevent the ice sculpture from breaking apart.” Ten years
after he started learning the craft from his teacher Tam Wai-bong, he has won a
gold medal at the prestigious HOFEX event in Hong Kong. Once, he took six days
to create an elaborate pair of fish at an elite, invitation-only gathering in Korea.
“Every time I complete one I feel a sense of fulfillment, but since I do it every
day, I’d like to be even more creative,” he says. He creates his designs using a
small tool on the ice that shaves through the surface in the initial stages. That’s
before the chainsaw comes out for the heavy work.
The simple designs for weddings take about half an hour, but special requests
for hearts and swans can take several hours – that’s in addition to his other
work preparing food in the kitchen. “It’s extremely demanding but prestigious at
the same time,” he says. “It’s an honour to sculpt ice.”
THE ICE MAN
PHOTOS: DEBBY HUNG
FOOD FACTS
Every year, Hutchison
hotels in Hong Kong
serve up around
• 4,000,000 oysters
• 2,500 kg lobsters
• 8,000 kg potatoes