We are thrilled to introduce our newest board member, Vicky Lau!
Vicky is the chef-owner of TATE Dining Room and Date by Tate, and her many achievements include being named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2015, maintaining 1 Michelin Star since opening and rising to 2 stars in 2021.
Read on to find out more about Vicky, why she joined the Feeding HK board and her top tips for reducing food waste.
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Before I became a chef, I was a graphic designer. I studied graphic communications at New York University then after graduation worked as a designer at Green Team Advertising, the first social-conscience agency in New York. After a few years I was drawn back to my roots, so I moved back to Hong Kong and set up my own design shop.
Around that time, a friend and I heard about a new Le Cordon Bleu in Bangkok and enrolled in some classes. I enjoyed it so much that I finished a whole 9 months course! I then joined the French restaurant CEPAGE as a commis chef where I acquired more culinary skills and learnt how a restaurant operates.
After a year at Cepage I wanted to combine what I knew as a designer and chef, so I started my own small restaurant. Today, I am chef owner of the fine dining restaurant Tate Dining Room and Date by Tate, a pastry and lifestyle shop.
When did you first hear about Feeding HK?
I first heard about Feeding Hong Kong when I got involved in one of their events. Along with a group of industry peers, I went down to the Foodbank where we packed food boxes and cooked dishes with the ingredients typically delivered by Feeding HK.
What was your first impression when you visited the FHK Foodbank?
When I visited the Feeding Hong Kong Foodbank, I was truly amazed by how they had supplied food for 3 million meals last year. I was also especially struck by the charity’s core mission to act as a link between companies with surplus goods and charities directly serving those who need it most. I was also very impressed by the organisation of the charity, which was very clear, effective and well structured.
Why did you decide to join the Feeding HK Board?
I decided to join the Feeding Hong Kong Board as I have always wanted to give back to our society. As Chefs, we are often too focused on the daily operation of our restaurant and sometimes we forget why we entered the industry in the first place, which is to feed people and also spread love through food. The second reason is because as a Chef, I also want to learn more about managing food as a resource and educate to drive changes in our society.
Why do you think the work of Feeding HK is important to the community?
Looking into the future, our relationship with food will have to go back to the very beginning where good ingredients play the most important role. We will have to question what matters most, be it a traditional meal or a new way of dining. Sourcing will become the first question to ask as a chef. The future of the industry counts on this shift happening now and then hopefully we will come around to a more considerate approach.
What excites you most about Feeding HK’s future?
Now more than ever our community needs support. It is very exciting to be involving more industry people into thinking about food waste and acting to fight it. I hope to add my part to contribute to Feeding Hong Kong’s continuous growth and support of the community.
What can the community do to get involved?
There are many ways for the community to get involved: from volunteering or donating money or food, to hosting food drives. Everybody should get involved because together we can all make a difference to our society.
As a chef what are your top tips for reducing food waste?
My personal top tip is to pause for a moment and appreciate the ingredients given to us and explore the possibility of using all parts of those ingredients. Another personal tip is to incorporate food waste reduction into our daily lifestyle, for example preparing our own lunch box with the right amount of food and educating ourselves on the natural properties of an ingredient.