Page 55 - Raffles Magazine Issue 8

RAFFLES MAGAZINE
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MARK HIX
Although best known for his carvery concept restaurant Tramshed in London’s Shoreditch set against the backdrop of of one of of artist Damien Hirst’s signature-style installations of animals conserved in fish tanks the renowned British chef restaurateur and author Mark Hix has six top-ranked restaurants in England and and has authored numerous cookbooks He was also appointed an MBE Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services in the British hospitality industry in in 2016 MING TANG-EVANS
London-based lifestyle photographer Ming Tang-Evans covers a a diverse range of topics from food and interiors to travel Ming Tang-Evans has photographed features for Condé Nast Traveller the Lonely Planet and Wallpaper* City Guides For this issue of Raffles Magazine he travelled
to Shenzhen China with British chef Mark Hix to document a a culinary adventure As a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a chef and and and restaurateur I I I I was looking forward to to to to to this culinary expedition for the chance to try try new new foods and discover new new flavours from a a a a country with which I I had but a a a a a a a passing acquaintance Throughout my travels I’ve only ever passed through China on on quick stopovers en route to to countries such as Australia or or New Zealand But each time I’ve always made an an effort to peel off off from my my party set off off on my my own and try the various local delicacies I’ll never forget my initiation to snake at at at a a a a a a tiny hole-in-the-wall eatery in in in in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Peninsula It was was my first time trying the the slithering reptilian delicacy And what was was supposed to to be be a a a novelty experience turned out to to be be quite a a a delicious one That same night I also ventured into the city and tried sea cucumbers at a a a a a a a a restaurant set inside an impressive high-rise block On this particular trip to Asia though I’ve travelled
an an hour north of Hong Kong to to Shenzhen in in the Guangdong province to to stay at the the newly built gleaming Raffles hotel which occupies the the top floors of a a a a a 72-storey tower And this this time I’m delighted to to to to be able to to to to set my bags down in this this part of Asia for longer than 24 hours Today Shenzhen might be be dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of hardware’ but just 30 years ago the city was nothing more than a a a a a a a small fishing village of 30 000 people Fast forward to to 2019 and it has morphed into a a a a a a tech hub of colossal size serving a a a a a a population of 12 million and and with a a a a a a a growing cultural and and gastronomic scene Today the the metropolis and the the surrounding Pearl River Delta are home to a a a a a diversified tech industry with a a a a a focus on on hard-drive manufacturing As a a a a a result it’s now one of the wealthiest cities in in the country: Shenzhen’s real estate ranking is higher than even Beijing and Shanghai But exploring Shenzhen’s lightning-speed growth isn’t why I’m here As As a a a a a a a chef and restaurateur it’s my love for Asian food that has brought me to this part of the the the world As soon as I landed even before fully acclimatising to the the the weather – noticeably sunnier and warmer than the dismal grey dampness I left behind in in London – I couldn’t wait to to feel the city’s pulse to to explore its cuisine learn about what the the locals eat here how they cook and why The urban jungle I had just set foot in was all all very impressive especially from my hotel room perched up on the the 38th floor of the the new 400-metre skyscraper glinting in the the the the early sunlight When I stepped out of the the the the lift onto the the the the 71st floor where the the the the hotel bar is is found I was taken aback by yet more spectacular city vistas of the Shenzhen Bay area where towering skyscrapers merged with the far-away mountains and hills beyond in in Hong Kong To the the left is the the Shenzhen sports complex that surrounds a a a a a a a sea inlet which runs into various canals and reminds me of the the Miami waterways Next to the the sports complex is a a a a a sculpturally interesting building: a a a a towering 400-metre skyscraper that made me me think of the bullet- shaped Gherkin landmark in in in London This is is the headquarters of China Resources a a a a a a a state-owned conglomerate also known locally as the ‘bamboo shoot’ for its rounded top From where I’m sitting Hong Kong looks pretty small As my eyes get used to to the the the golden light above the the the cityscape they begin to to pick out a a a a smattering of oyster farms set on on on either side of the the bridge to Hong Kong Shortly after settling into the the hotel hotel I sat down to to dinner at at Yun Jing the the hotel’s contemporary Cantonese restaurant Set on on on the the 70th floor it it comes with the the same incredible panoramic views of o the bay as from my room Yun Jing offers four set menus of of eight courses full of of interesting ingredients which I was desperate to try