Hong Kongers love "live sea cucumber" – banquet dishes bursting with fresh seafood flavors

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Taipei

Taiwanese love sea cucumber, but Hong Kongers prefer "live sea cucumber" even more. Chef Yip Pok Wah, the "god of live seafood cuisine" from the Grand Hotel Taipei, incorporates Indonesian live sea cucumber and Australian prawns into his dishes, filling entire banquet tables with the freshest "sea flavors."


▲Live sea cucumber has a firmer texture than regular sea cucumber, which Hong Kongers love. (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-yin)

Formerly the head chef at Hong Kong’s Fu Lin Men Restaurant,Yip Pok Wahis actually the Grand Hotel Taipei’s new “secret weapon” in 2014. With 30 years of experience in Chinese cuisine, Yip Pok Wah excels at bringing out the natural umami of ingredients. After taking charge of the Grand Hotel Taipei’s Chinese restaurant menu, he infused Cantonese cuisine with elements of Taiwanese and Hakka dishes, creating innovative classic dishes that include flavors beloved by Taiwanese. The slightly fusion-style multi-course meals are surprisingly delicious.

"Hong Kongers love live sea cucumber because it has a firmer texture than regular sea cucumber," says Yip Pok Wah, who especially recommends the "Emerald Sea Cucumber with Abalone," made with Indonesian live sea cucumber. For the "Cheese Butter Jumbo Prawns," where Hong Kong-style dishes traditionally use pasta, Yip Pok Wah uses richly aromatic cheese and selects Australian jumbo prawns, ensuring guests feel fully satisfied. The "Imperial Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" features ginseng, red dates, and a small amount of angelica, resulting in a uniquely flavorful taste.

 
 
▲Yip Pok Wah excels at extracting the natural umami of ingredients, making the entire meal full of "sea flavors." (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-yin)

Li Chien-jung, chairman of the Grand Hotel Taipei,said in an interview that 2014 is the hotel’s “year of transformation and enhancement.”Last year, the board of directors resolved to support a comprehensive renovation of the hotel in one go. This includes revitalizing banquet dishes, which previously lacked innovation. On December 1, newly appointed head chef Yip Pok Wah hopes to bring fresh ideas to the restaurant’s menu. For accommodations, the hotel will undergo renovations in three phases this year, with the first phase expected to be completed in February, the second by mid-April, and the entire hotel renovation finished by September 25. The hotel will then reopen with a completely new look, and new room types will be available for occupancy after the Lantern Festival.

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