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South China Morning Post

This week in PostMag: HK's underground ballroom scene and Chinese fine dining

Over the decade I lived in mainland China, one of the most exciting things was witnessing the rise of a new generation of Chinese chefs. In 2013 Beijing, contemporary fine dining meant course after course generously showered in black truffle, accompanied by thick medallions of foie gras or, should the kitchen be quite forward-thinking, perhaps there would be hints of molecular gastronomy present on the plate. It was almost definitely Western or perhaps it was Dong Zhenxiang at Da Dong – most known for his roast duck but also one of the first Chinese chefs to weave in Western culinary influence. Advertisement Chinese cooking, as delicious, fascinating and boundless as I found it, seemed frozen in time. Masterful in its technique, complexity and artistry? Yes. 'Authentic'? Yes. But where was the young energy looking to innovate, evolve and push the limits, especially in the world of high-end dining? This changed over the years – and at 'China speed', no less. By 2017 and 2018, up-and-coming talent across the country was beginning to experiment with what a new way of Chinese cooking might look like. I found this thrilling. So for me, it was exciting to read about Lin Zihan at Wild Yeast in Hangzhou, where Hei Kiu Au discovers his ever-evolving, nuanced approach to what it means to be a young Chinese chef in the fine-dining world. It's a restaurant for the bucket list. I'll tell you, the ginger brown sugar soufflé inspired by a snack from his hometown of Taizhou looks absolutely scrumptious. Exploration of identity courses through this issue. In our cover feature, Hsiuwen Liu experiences Hong Kong's underground ballroom scene. It's a subculture I knew little about – a platform for queer self-expression grown out of 1970s New York – and I'm glad to see it blossoming in its own way here. The photos of the evening capture a fearlessness and pride that are inspiring. Advertisement In some way – though a very different time, place and context – I was reminded of this same level of fearlessness in physicist Wu Chien-shiung, whose story Samuel Porteous tells. Facing all odds in mid-century America, she changed our understanding of a fundamental rule of modern physics.