Chef Vicky does French Chinese cuisine—it is very similar [to what Potong does], but we are spicier, with a big punch. 

We came up with a flow of food that is like a roller coaster. [It starts] with a hit of spice, and then mellows down.

The homemade egg noodle dish is one of my customers’ favourites [at Potong]. It is inspired by the Thai dish rad na [marinated pork, noodles and gravy], which is actually a Thai Chinese dish. I added morels and caviar on top, and it is in a silky broth. It reminds me of home.

I hadn’t done a collaboration with a female chef before. The kitchens in Hong Kong, run by female chefs, have similar tools to what we use. I don’t want to generalise, but I feel women are more thoughtful when it comes to ergonomics in the kitchen. I like to buy small pans and trays—everything is more detailed [compared to what male chefs use]. We go to extra lengths in search of the right tools.

What we do at Potong is progressive Thai Chinese cuisine. 

Thai Chinese cuisine is a one-word cuisine for me. It is Thai food that has been influenced by Chinese immigrants [in Thailand], and it has become another cuisine in itself. Nowadays, it is also becoming part of Thai cuisine. 

At Potong, we highlight Thai Chinese cuisine with techniques that I learned throughout my career and through [culinary] school—which is more European, and a little bit French.

For me, creating a menu starts with what I like to eat, Thai Chinese culture, and the produce I’m using. Then there is also customer feedback. I try to create something that has never been done before—something that is of my own—which is really hard nowadays, because so many [new] restaurants are opening. And then there’s the internet—you see things that are hard to get out of your head.

Ten years ago, I tried to create a fish maw dish. The traditional way is to simmer it in a flavourful broth, because fish maw doesn’t have any flavour. I wanted to skip that and do something else, like deep fry it. My mum told me: “The Chinese have been doing it for thousands of years. Why would you change that?” I didn’t believe her. I tested it and tested it, and it never turned out right. I came back to the original, authentic way—and it was so much better.

So I learned, from my own experience, that you have to respect the traditional way—because there must be a reason for it. And if you want to create something new or something of your own, then you can do so after that.

My intention is for the guests enjoy the food, not be intimidated by it, and be connected with it, like you’re eating at home with your family. 

It is a glimpse of what we do at Potong. People ask me if I want to open Potong in Singapore or Tokyo, but Potong can only be in that building. The history and stories there are linked to the building, which belongs to my family—I am the fifth generation. And so in order to understand what we do, it has to be at Potong.

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