Bo Innovation

Alvin Leung, BO Innovation

THE DEMON CHEF & THE X-treme CHINESE CUISINE 

This great Chef, is born in London and raised in Toronto. He now has his own restaurant in Hong Kong called BO Innovation. Leung never went to a culinary institute but did his degree in engineering! That training adds a very interesting specificity to his aesthetics. Over the years, he received his training from the greatest chefs: Adria, Blumenthal and Robuchon. It has been said of him that he is young and iconoclast. He himself has described his dishes as X-Treme Chinese cuisine. Another way of saying it is that Tradition + New Products + Great Technical + Innovation = Alvin Leung! I could go on and on but instead I invite you to see the Q & A and his recipe… 

Q+A WITH ALVIN LEUNG (www.boinnovation.com): 

1-(Scoffier) How do you explain the philosophy behind your cuisine and what is it main characteristics? 

ALeung- I am trying to challenge people’s expectations, to surprise and excite them. My aim is to have people say ‘That was the best meal I’ve ever had’ and I just work backwards from that. In Chinese, Bo means treasure, and we take the treasure, the essence of traditional Chinese cuisine to create dishes that push the boundaries of expectations so that our customers leave having tasted the familiar in ways they could never imagine. At the same time we are trying to bring Chinese food to the world fine dining table.  

2-(Scoffier) You have study in environment and engineering, this background bring you a different way to see the foods and cuisine? 

ALeung- Yes, my engineering backgrounds have taught me to think logically from composing the dishes and running the kitchen. The environmental part influences my use of renewable food sources. 

3-(Scoffier) Do you have a particular foods (or products) that you often use in your recipes? 

ALeung- You should use all ingredients so that your menu isn’t stagnant. 

4-(Scoffier) Do you have a mentor (chefs or anybody else) that inspires you in your cuisine? 

Being brought up in Canada, I watched a lot of Graham Kerr – the Galloping Gourmet on TV and he, in a way, inspired me to cook.  My other inspirations include Alain Ducasse for his brains, Joel Robuchon for his heart, and Ferran Adria for his courage. 

5-(Scoffier) Do you have a particular flavour or taste from your childhood that is again memorable? 

ALeung- My mother made us instant noodles all the time so I can always recall that from my childhood but it is not a pleasant memory. I still enjoy the taste of real maple syrup from Canada. 

6-(Scoffier) What do you eat when you are at home? 

ALeung- I like very simple food at home, especially after a very long day in the kitchen – I often just eat rice or congee or whatever my wife cooks for me. The kitchen at home is her forte. 

7-(Scoffier) I seen your menu at BO Innovation, do you often change your tasting menu? And what’s the principal difference between the chef menu and tasting menu? 

ALeung- I try to change the menus once every month. The tasting menu generally consists of dishes that has been successful in the previous chefs menu and is recommended for people who are dining with us for the first time. The chef’s menu contains more dishes which allow me to be a lot more courageous and also presents all the newest dishes. It is the most popular menu. 

Molecular Action/Photo: BO Innovation

 8-(Scoffier) You realized a Foie gras lap mei with peas, what’s the technique to cook the foie gras? 

ALeung- It is marinated for two (2) days in a Chinese special marinade for dried meats which consists of soya sauce, spices, gingers, rose essence wine. 

9-(Scoffier) You have participated at an event around the vegetables in Spain last year (2008). What’s the importance of the vegetables in your cuisine and is there any vegetable from your cuisine that is typical from Hong Kong (Japan or China)? 

ALeung- Vegetables are important to the menu, aside from balancing it with important fibres, often vegetables provide a fresh and lighter taste from the meats and fishes. With the ease of trade nowadays, you will often find Chinese vegetables such as bok choy and choy sum in Western countries just as you’ll find artichoke and lettuce in Asian countries so I’d say there are no “typical” vegetables in HK. 

10-(Scoffier) I know that the chef Pascal Barbot (L’Astrance) take a lot of time (40 % and more) choosing and picking his products at the market. Do you spend as much of time to choose and pick your produces? 

ALeung- No, I depend on my suppliers to provide me with their best products consistently. My menus last only around one month so the products I use need to be consistent for the whole duration. Therefore I cannot afford to be at the market picking ingredients which I can only use for the day. However, I do regularly go to the market for inspiration and to look for new products. 

11-(Scoffier) Almost all the young creative chefs from Spain worked or were influenced by Ferran Adria. You work with molecular gastronomy products and you make deconstruction in your cuisine. How you been influenced by Ferran Adria and El Bulli? 

ALeung- I was influenced by Ferran Adria when I first visited El Bulli 6 years ago. I was amazed by his ingenuity and creative spirit, which gave me the courage to do what I do today.   

12-(Scoffier) Which elements you use from the molecular gastronomy (nitrogen, xanthan, methycellulose etc.) or new technology in your cuisine? 

ALeung- I like to use nitrogen because it is natural and aside from changing the temperature and texture of the product, it doesn’t affect the taste. 

13-(Scoffier) What is your goal (ambitions) as a chef or for the restaurant? Do you think about write a book, a television show? 

ALeung- My objective is to introduce Chinese flavours to the whole world. I want to change people’s perceptions of what Chinese food is and what Chinese food could be and I think I am doing that with X-treme Chinese.  Regarding a book or a TV show – I would very much like to do both. 

RECIPE: Scallop, Sugarsnap Peas, Jolo Sichuan Sauce Woba

Recipes Scallop, A.Leung/Photo: BO Innovation

INGREDIENTS 

-4 scallops 

-100g Chinese woba 

-80g fresh peas 

-Sichuan jolo sauce 

PROGRESSION RECIPE 

Sichuan jolo sauce: 

-50 gr.  jolo (Chinese pickle sauce) 

-30 gr. butter 

-20 gr. Chinese vinegar 

-20 ml Chinese shao hsing hua tiao chiew 

-3 gr. chilli powder 

-3 gr. paprika powder 

1. Make jolo sauce by mixing up all ingredients and emulsify with butter 

2. Pan fry scallop 

3. Pan fry slightly the fresh peas and add approx 5 tsp jolo sauce, pour mixture over pan fried scallop 

4. Decorate with broken up woba