Jack Tsai

Taipei, Taiwan, I grew up in Vancouver, Canada.

I started my career in Sydney at the 3-hatted restaurant The Bridge Room and Quay in 2012, where I quickly learned what working at the highest level of dining entails.

I was amazed at the incredible amount of focus and detail in all the things you could do with food that I had never seen before; plus the fact that I would be able to travel the world while honing my craft got me hooked right away.

I spent the next 10 years working in different cities around the world, including stages at 3 Michelin starred restaurants Benu, Eleven Madison Park and The French Laundry.

The most influential time of my career was in London when I was the Development Chef for 1 Michelin starred restaurant Fera at Claridge's.

It was during this time that I really discovered my creativity in cooking. All my experiences living and cooking in different cultures really come together at Mongkok Tea House, where we are creating our own style of fusion cuisine. 

Ever since I dropped out of Uni to start cooking when I was 19. 

Refined fusion - creating dishes that make sense to different cultures in their own ways.

You can never go wrong with spring onion.

Straight-cut tape labels that have been labelled on a straight angle.

Paul Lobban, Senior Sous Chef when I was at Fera at Claridge's.

The friendships that are made during all the crazy hours spent together.

Sugar.

I don’t think there’s anything too ‘eyebrow raising’, but If I had to choose it would be our Hong Kong BBQ Oyster. It’s a warm oyster grilled with lap Cheong sausage and a duck/chicken fat char siu glaze, covered with duck crackling. It’s basically all the flavours of a Hong Kong BBQ shop in a single oyster shell. 

Honey roasted dry-aged duck with spices, Medjool date and osmanthus.