epicureasia.com 41

TOP TOQUE

Kung pao prawns

Sliced pork with garlic and chili

Sichuan cuisine offers a complex mix of flavours

and mastering the fundamentals requires years

of training. Deng Huadong shares with Destin Tay

what it takes to be a chef extraordinaire.

Turning up

the heat

G

oogle Sichuan cuisine and your smartphone screen would

be inundated with the words spicy, hot, fiery and sizzling,

and it’s not without reason. Even though other Chinese

regions like Jiangxi or Funan cultivate and use chillies in their

food, it was Sichuan that popularised the use of chilli pepper.

According to 62-year-old chef Deng Huadong, it’s largely due to

the ubiquitous Sichuan peppercorn; its numbing properties and

the spiciness of chillies form a unique combination to leave a

tingling sensation on the tongue.

It’s impressive to learn that Deng has spent over 40 years

perfecting the authentic art of Sichuan cooking. After graduating

from high school, Deng worked with a small catering company in

Chengdu, which was followed by stints in Chengdu Hotel’s Rong

Paradise and Shanghai Sheraton, where he built up a reputation

as a Sichuan cuisine authority. In 1988, Deng partnered with Paul

Hsu, founder of F&B group Elite Concepts, to open Sichuan Court

in Shanghai’s Hilton Hotel. Deng G was conceptualised by the pair

and opened in 2007 in Shanghai before they introduced the brand

to Wan Chai in 2016.

The Hong Kong outpost is a showcase of traditional Sichuan

dishes that Deng so passionately believes in, such as the Dan Dan

Noodles and Kung Pao Prawns. Even the restaurant’s interior is

heavily inspired by Chengdu. Wood, a consistent design feature,

comes from the abundant bamboo forests found in the Sichuan

capital. The swanky spot features a baijiu bar on the second floor,

which serves up cocktails utilising China’s most consumed alcohol.

What makes Sichuan cuisine so special?

We have a saying in Sichuan, which is 100 dishes, 100 flavours.

With Sichuan’s 12 different core tastes, there’s an almost limitless

amount of combinations. It’s a cuisine that is so adaptable, and

minor changes in one dish can result in a completely new taste

experience. For example, guaiwei (translates literally as strange

taste) can be considered a combination of mala and yuxiang

flavours. However, by changing the other components, such as

using doubanjiang instead of soy sauce for the savoury element in

mapo tofu, a new taste will result.

Why did you decide to bring Deng G to Hong Kong?

The most important thing in ensuring the success of a restaurant

is to find a slice of the market that understands and wants your

food. I felt Hong Kong was more conducive as it’s a city with a

melting pot of cultures and cuisines. Hongkongers are much more

receptive to Sichuan food; I know because I check what each table

orders every night, and I can see that the diners are voting with

their dollar.