arestaurantcalled
Hunan,onLondon’s
upscalePimlicoRoad,
wherethechef-owner,
MrPeng–boredof
servinglemonchicken
tounadventurousBrits- startedslipping
customersun-ordered
portionsoffrogs’legs
andintestinesin-
betweencourses.
Needlesstosay,some
peopleloveditand
othersdidn’t,buthe
foughthiscorner,with
theethos:“Youcome
tomyrestaurant,you
getwhatIgive.”
Inasimilarvein,Su-
yensays,“Iwantpeople
tocomeandexperience
mypassionorfood
forthatparticularday,
andmyethosisthatit
hastobefresh,ithas
tobeseasonal,andit
hastobecookedwith
love.Mywakingdayis
spentjugglingdishes
likeTetrisinmyhead,
andworkingoutwhatwe
aregoingtohavenext.”
ChézFongdinners
arecomprisedofabout
10 coursesranging
fromsingledumplings
tosteamingbowlsof
noodles.Su-yencooks
whatevershefancieson
thenightandmaintains
livelyconversationwithguests
throughout.Thefoodishome-made
andwholesome,butverycreative.
Thinkcarrotandmisohummuswith
crispycrabclawsandpickledshiitake
mushrooms,orbeetrootandfennel
pickledeggswithacaperanddill
yoghurt,starfruit,caviarandsmoked
trout;orteriyakioctopuswithavocado
andbell-peppersalsa.
ThefoodisAsianfusion,buttakes
inspirationfromtheworldover.African
ingredientslikeostrichandvenison
willmakeitontothemenu,aswill
traditionalEnglishpuddingslike
banoffeepie.
Herequipment,likeherfood,isan
eclecticmixofmodernandtraditional.
SU-YEN’S RIGHT-
HAND WOMAN,
CARLA FARINA,
DOING WHAT
SHE DOES BEST –
HUSTLING ON ONE
OF CHÉZ FONG’S
BOOKED-TO-THE-
BRIM NIGHTS
FOODANDHOME.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER 2019 93JOBURG DINING