::Can you tell us a little about your background and past experiences that led to you becoming a Chef?
My first experience in a professional kitchen came when I was a teenager, washing pots and pans in an Italian family restaurant. It wasn’t at all glamorous, but I remember thinking it was cool at the time. Inspired, I decided to take culinary classes at a trade vocational school. I furthered my training at the Culinary Institute of America in New York and went onto work in Boston and San Francisco, before coming to Hong Kong.

::You work at Staunton’s group as Group Executive Chef, what exactly does that entail?
This means that I oversee each of the kitchens and menus belonging to the group and split my time between them accordingly. We’ve recently opened a new venue [SoHo 8] so a lot of my time was recently taken up crafting the menu there.

::How do you usually go about creating new dishes?
There are so many factors involved, particularly when adding to an existing menu. Concept, price range, customer base and flavour combinations are just a few that really spring to mind. I do a lot of research and very often fall back on past experiences too. For example, whilst working for a Vietnamese restaurant some time ago I went to Hanoi and whilst there happened upon a small market store. Finding a bag of dried apricots mixed with shredded ginger that tasted incredible, I was knew I had to give it a try myself. Upon returning to my kitchen I experimented with the flavours and eventually made apricot and ginger ice cream to be served with hot crepes.

::Of the menus you’ve built, which are you most proud and why?
Definitely the Scirocco menu. It’s the first menu that I’d really call my own and it also receives more compliments than any of my other menus, with particular focus on falling graciously on ‘Spice crusted yellow fin tuna with avocado and citrus vinaigrette’. (let it be known that the interviewer has been fortunate enough to sample this dish and can gladly contribute to the compliment count)

::Would you say that you have a sweet or a savoury tooth?
Savoury. Although I do enjoy desserts - but nothing sickly sweet. The Gelato featured on the new SoHo 8 menu is quite delicious come to think of it…

::Can you tell us a little more about that menu?
Sure. It’s Pacific Rim style cuisine, utilising Asian ingredients. Its best described as steakhouse dining with a surf n’ turf variety and our own very unique blend of seasoning. We created our own blends of spices for each dish, experimenting a great deal along the way. The desserts are all homemade and international in the sense that there is something for every taste.  For instance Black Forest cake is a staple for any American steakhouse. but this is my own original recipe with massive focus on the generous helping of sauce – a must for all good desserts.

::You mention that it’s ‘International’ going one step further, what are your thoughts on fusion cuisine?
The problem with fusion cuisine is that too many people attempt it without taking it seriously. It’s not impossible. You know it when you see it, but can’t describe it. Of course, everyone will have their own interpretation of what it is, but a chef must be careful not to cross-contaminate flavours, first considering the integrity of the food. This is perhaps most crucial when crossing cultural barriers in the way that an Italian/Japanese restaurant might... after all, nobody wants oregano wasabi. Really.

::Finally, if you were only able to eat the cuisine of one country for the rest of your life, which one would it be and why?
Haha! Vietnamese. French would be a close second simply because it isn’t as healthy. Vietnamese is just as tasty but far healthier.