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Chef's Profile
Group Executive Chef – LEE KIN PONG
Chef Lee Kin Pong and food go a long way back. Though he fell into the restaurant industry by accident, he thinks becoming a chef was his destiny. He fondly recalls eating out as a child with his large family (his grandmother had 8 children!), particularly the weekly ritual of Sunday dim sum that involved 2-3 tables and a few hours spent at Man Shau Kung on Jordan Road, one of their favourite and most frequented restaurants at the time.
Pong has been Group Executive Chef at RED Bar + Restaurant since it opened in September 2004.
Childhood ambition…
Restaurant manager. Only because I saw them in uniform and thought, “Wow…they get to wear suits!” They always looked so tall, put-together, smart and very cool.
Favourite food…
Seafood. But especially fish. It’s so versatile – swordfish and tuna can be eaten raw, and have a much meatier texture. Halibut is softer, almost creamy. Some fish are naturally sweeter, while something like cod is inherently salty. The variety of textures and flavours is what I love most about fish.
How you de-stress…
Drinks after work with friends or people from work. It’s the best way to get out of the work mode. Having a chat about the workday outside of work brings it into a much friendlier zone and it’s also more constructive.
The best thing someone’s said about your cooking…
When I was about 20 and still relatively new to the industry, one of my mentors pointed out my naturally keen sense of taste and how I used it to my advantage when cooking. It reinforced my belief that I was born to cook.
If you weren’t a chef, you’d be…
A salesman. (But I don’t know what I’d be selling!) I think I’m a pretty good communicator and quite a good judge of character just through initial conversation with someone.
Sous Chef, Pure Bar + Restaurant – CHETAN KOHLI
Like many great chefs, Chet’s culinary journey began at home. Helping his mum around the kitchen at the tender age of 12, he had the first revelation and realisation of his love for cooking. From making a humble first dish of home-style cheese croutons, Chet’s passion flourished.
He naturally gravitated towards traditional Indian cuisine. Its array of vibrant spices was like an artist's colourful palette that inspired him to dabble in food experimentation. During this time of discovery, Chet came to Hong Kong and his first impression of the city in 1998 was love at first sight.
A few years later in 2001, he began as a trainee at Bayside Braissere in Stanley and felt like he had found his calling. As one of the city's biggest local attractions, Stanley afforded Chet the chance to meet various people of different cultures and from all walks of life. It made for a memorable and most enjoyable first step into the world of F&B.
Chet's career continued to expand into more exciting environments and roles, leading him to the Sheraton hotel where he was the Demi Chef de Partie. There, he was not just exposed to the day-to-day responsibilities of food presentation and quality control. He also gained insight into what constitutes being a great chef – good management skills. That's when Chet decided to learn Cantonese in order to better communicate with the team.
Shortly thereafter, he resigned from the Sheraton to pursue a greater opportunity for knowledge and to satisfy his enthusiasm for cooking in yet another different environment. As Junior Sous Chef at Wooloomooloo Steak House, he honed his existing skills, acquired a repertoire of new ones, and explored another area of specialty in his craft.
Today, Chet's personal style rides on using basic ingredients to create unique dishes that fuse different cultural influences as well as his individual flair. His hobbies include all kinds of sports, researching cookbooks, and experiencing new cultures. He enjoys Korean food, loves the kick of chillies, and would love to learn Spanish and travel to South America.
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| Discounts / Joint Promotions |
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| Pure Cardholder |
| 10% off at Pure Bar + Restaurant |
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