As Hong Kong grew into an affluent trading port, it developed a more decadent cuisine which exploited both the finest local ingredients - barbecued meats and shark's fin - together with exciting new imports. Chefs developed a distinctive range of banquet dishes and dim sum (Interactive dim sum guide).

Steamed Minced Meat and Cuttlefish in a copper pot - One of older Hong Kong people's favourite traditional dishes

“Canton was always a wealthy area of China, so we have developed a very delicate dining culture. It’s as complicated as the French. Some of our dishes take three days and hundreds of hours to prepare.” says Chun Lau, whose family serves traditional food in their a private kitchen, a type of unlicensed, appointment only restaurant which has played an important part in Hong Kong's food culture. 

The stories behind the dishes Lau says the heritage value of Cantonese cuisine is added to by the stories behind the food. Listen to him describing the origins of one of the dishes served in his restaurant.

“We have a regional cuisine. Even down to a single village famous for making such and such noodles, or a village famous for certain ingredients.” Lau says. He describes a number of “classic Cantonese dishes” such as braised pomelo with shrimp roe, roast pigeon, and salt-pepper squid. Many of the dishes have stories behind them which closely connect them to the region’s broader culture (See ‘The Story behind the dishes’). Lau emphasises the sense of pride and connection many older local people feel to food which they see as “part of their home” and their collective memories of Hong Kong. According to Lau, the system of apprenticeships which passed on traditional cooking styles is now being broken and the techniques are vanishing. “People don’t have very much regard for Cantonese chefs now,” he says. Lau connects this with a broader decline in people’s enthusiasm for traditional food. “I can tell the Cantonese food culture is kind of fading away,” he says. “Nowadays the younger generation has more favour for a Japanese or western diet. It seems to forget the cultural identity.”

Those going to restaurants like Kin’s Terrace kitchen tend to be older or foreign, seeking a taste of Hong Kong’s past. Younger locals want international food or cheaper food. Even if they do seek local food, Lau says they usually go to cha chaan tengs, or tea restaurants, instead.