Bernard Dance is chef of champagne house Moet & Chandon's Chateau de Saran in Epernay, France. He was at the InterContinental in Tsim Sha Tsui recently to lead a pairing of champagne and Chinese cuisine.
What restaurants have you tried in Hong Kong?
I've been to Hong Kong many times but always for work, so I haven' really had the chance to explore, but the restaurants in all the hotels I've stayed in have been impressive. Last night I tried Yan Toh Heen (in the InterContinental) and it was wonderful. I wanted to see how the chefs approach their craft and in this massive kitchen I saw how creatively they work together. The food was excellent.
It must be very different from a French kitchen.
For a French chef in a Chinese kitchen, it's lie being on another planet, but it was fascinating. Cuisine is a reflection of a culture and, with China's rich history, I see it as a country of many stories. Though our worlds are opposite, I can see the enrichment of the culture and tradition when I see the food being prepared.
Did you get any ideas that you can use?
Yes of course. As a chef, you need to be constantly learning and exploring and I liked the way the food was prepared here. In France, we don't see live fish in the kitchen. Here it is really fresh. The way the food is made is also different: short and fast, quickly and efficiently.
Have any Asian techniques made it to France?
Yes, you can find woks in kitchens there now. They are very popular in France. The concept is wonderful: you cook quickly, don't use a lot of fat. This has spread across London and the rest of Europe.
Have you eaten anything unusual in Hong Kong?
I've tried everything - snake, shark and all that you read about. The snake was not bad, it was like eel. I have trouble with foods if the aroma is disagreeable, but that is a matter of conditioning. Once I get used to it, then I try it. You eat with all your senses, not just taste, so it has to look good, smell good and even feel good. The texture should not be offensive.
What is always in your refrigerator at home?
Fish, lots of fruits and vegetables, yoghurt, eggs and butter. I have two daughters and they eat only salads and light things because they are so conscious of their figures. I also have spices from around the world.
What countries have you enjoyed eating in the most?All have been good - Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, all across Europe. But when I went to Argentina 20 years ago, no one spoke English or French where I was staying and I couldn't communicate with the head chef. He brought his friend over to help - this beautiful Argentinian woman. Now we're married and have two daughters! So that's my most memorable trip - but for different reasons of course.
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