In the spring of 2023, Hong Kong had just opened to tourism after three years of restrictions linked to the pandemic. Thus, for the third season of his PBS travel show “Field Trip”, the Australian-born chef Peter Curtis has put together a giant episode highlighting the culture and cuisine of the coastal, cosmopolitan city, from martial arts to seaside seafood stands.
Stone had previously visited Hong Kong, but the “Field Trip” spotlight is a closer look at a unique place that most travelers haven't been able to experience since late 2019. The hour highlights a full range of dishes of Hong Kong, from street vendors to trendy bistros to Michelin-starred gastronomy – all through Stone's perspective as a chef and restaurateur.
Variety spoke with Stone at the episode's premiere, hosted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board at his Hollywood restaurant Gwen.
What was your relationship with Hong Kong before that?
Well, what's interesting is I opened an office there because we make kitchenware. We had an office there on the Kowloon side. But it's not one I've been to often. I go there because of course in Australia, Hong Kong is quite close. It's a bad analogy to say it's like Mexico, but Australians vacation in Hong Kong and Bali and Singapore, those kinds of cities. And then of course, as you become an adult, you have friends who have become expats working in the financial districts, those kinds of places. Plus, when I lived in London, it was an ideal stopover. You can spend the night or a few nights there. So I went there a lot when I was 20, because it's such a cool place.
I hadn't come back. It's so interesting to go as a tourist, but when I started the show I really wanted to scratch beneath the surface. It was truly an exploration of culture through food.
What was the most novel or surprising experience this time?
What I really learned during my time there was that a lot of Hong Kong is built on this generational knowledge – businesses passed down from generation to generation. I hadn't really thought about it. Like those little dumpling shops you pass by – that was someone’s grandfather’s grandfather. And it stayed in the family like that.
We went to a tofu factory, a tofu factory. He was an old guy and he worked really hard. Because it's hard work, isn't it? They boil the soy milk, they temper it. Then the curd begins to rest. Then they have to work it. They lift these things all day long. I met his daughter, who was an investment banker, successful by Chinese standards. And then she said: “But I’m unhappy!” And my dad makes tofu and he's happy. So she left the bank, came back and invested with him. Now they have expanded the factory into another small store across the street. And she is so happy to work there. There is this incredible respect.
Is there anything you missed that’s at the top of your list for next time?
Yes, there are so many big markets. And in a short time, we can't do much. There are some things that are very seasonal. I mean, God, imagine being there now for the new year. And the Year of the Dragon is so much fun. They do festivals incredibly well.
I mean, there are some of the best restaurants in the world. The one we went to, Vea – he actually took Chinese medicine and then made it edible. Everything is like a sea cucumber. People will normally look for this for medicinal purposes. But he took it and found a culinary use for it. He was a Hong Konger born in Canada. He learned to cook in Canada, then returned to Hong Kong. You find all these really fascinating stories of people who have very diverse backgrounds, but are connected to Hong Kong in one way or another. He told me: “I learned to cook French dishes. So I'm going to apply this to Chinese medicine.
Is there a particular ingredient or technique that you have brought back with you and incorporated into your cooking here?
Actually, that spring roll we served tonight was a bit of a mash because we made an XO sauce. XO sauce is everywhere. People are really proud of it. It's a bit like French chicken broth; everyone has their own. And duck is a very important part of Cantonese cuisine. When you're there, you really see that there are so many uses. So we made this confit duck leg. We cook it very slowly in its own fat, which is what they do there, which I was surprised to see. There are attitudes that you bring back.
What I've never really tried to do is recreate this food, because I can't do it. I do not know how. To become a brilliant Cantonese chef, it takes decades of learning. Getting a little masterclass from the guy who's been doing Shumai his whole life: your hands just don't move the same way. You ask yourself: “How can I do this?” The crew literally had to remove me.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
