Carrying On The Classics

"Michelin-plated restaurant Shang Palace Singapore is led by Chinese executive chef Mok Kit Keung, who was trained to cook Cantonese food since he was very young. Having spent 40 years in this trade, he pointed out many people nowadays “eat first with their camera”. For this reason, many Cantonese restaurants have adopted a more Western way of presentation. Some even changed the flavours of the dishes. Chef Mok has been cooking classic Cantonese cuisine for the past four decades. However, a large part of Shang Palace’s menu is still based on the most traditional rendition of Cantonese food. In Mok’s opinion, innovation can’t deviate from the original taste. “If we don’t maintain it, the next generation wouldn’t know what that is (traditional Cantonese cuisine) anymore,” he says. Mok told us traditional Cantonese cuisine is a sinking ship in South-east Asia. From prepping to all the work on the stove, cooking Cantonese food the old way is manpower-, time- and capital-intensive, and restaurants are moving away from it. Most of the dishes at Shang Palace are still based on traditional tastes and techniques. To let more diners understand traditional Cantonese food, Mok shared with us several well-received dishes from his menu that require patience, experience and skill in their preparation." - Michelin Guide Digital-Singapore