Celebrity chef Mauro Colagreco to open Plaisance, a three-storey concept in Hong Kong this year

The chef-founder of world-renowned Mirazur will be bringing a marine-inspired dining destination to Duddell Street in Central in late 2023

Best known for singlehandedly putting the tiny French Riviera town of Menton on the map when his restaurant, Mirazur, was crowned best restaurant in the world by World's 50 Best in 2019, acclaimed chef Mauro Colagreco has announced that his next project will be opening in Hong Kong in the shape of Plaisance by Mauro Colagreco, a three-storey dining destination on Central's swanky Duddell Street.

Derived from the French term for leisure, the restaurant's name is a nod towards Colagreco's aim of creating a sense of culinary pleasure for diners. To execute his vision, Colagreco has named Héloïse Fischbach as executive chef. Fischbach began her career as a chef de partie at Mirazur before moving to Alain Passard's famed L'Arpège in Paris. More recently, she was the chef de cuisine at the now-shuttered Écriture in Hong Kong.

At Mirazur, the Italian Argentinian chef has developed a cuisine based on the tenets of permaculture and sustainable eating, with three on-site gardens growing over 150 varieties of aromatics, fruits and vegetables. A hen house and beehives also supplement the harvest, while the colourful tasting menu is designed according to the terroir of the surrounding sea and countryside, as well as the lunar cycles.

Above The fine-dining restaurant on the first floor (Rendering courtesy of Lai Sun Dining)

“I think that China actually influenced a lot of my career,” the chef told Tatler Dining in 2020. “It's because the cuisine was something totally new to me, a real discovery. I was impressed by textures in different plates, and then I discovered little by little the differences between the cuisines of different areas of China.” To date, Colagreco has opened Azur in Beijing, and the now-closed Unico by Mauro Colagreco at Three on The Bund in Shanghai.

In Hong Kong, Colagreco will be executing his vision with Lai Sun Dining, the hospitality group that has under its umbrella the likes of Mosu, Howard's Gourmet and Otto e Mezzo Bombana. Located at 1 Duddell Street—the same address as Michelin-starred establishments like Estro and Duddell's—the as-yet-unnamed complex will span three floors and nearly 10,000 square feet in total.

Photo 1 of 2 The members' club on the basement floor (Rendering courtesy of Lai Sun Dining)

Photo 2 of 2 The all-day restaurant on the ground level (Rendering courtesy of Lai Sun Dining)

At street level will be P Lounge by Plaisance, a casual bistro and bar that will serve business lunches and afternoon tea during the day, transitioning into a cocktail destination and live music venue in the evening. On the first floor, Colagreco will showcase his culinary flair in a fine-dining restaurant serving the best of the sea, helmed by a protégé of Colagreco's who has spent considerable time in the kitchen of Mirazur. Finally, the basement will play host to a members' club that will offer a more tailor-made dining experience.

The interiors will be designed by Peter Remedios Studio, which recently completed the refurbishment of the lobby and guest rooms of the Four Seasons in Hong Kong, and has in the past worked with brands like The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, Aman Resorts and more.

The new dining project is slated to open in November 2023.

Plaisance by Mauro Colagreco
Address: 1 Duddell Street, Central, Hong Kong

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Topics

Mauro Colagreco Lai Sun Dining Central Fine dining

Tatler Asia

Celebrity chef Mauro Colagreco to open Plaisance, a three-storey concept in Hong Kong this year