Why you should visit new restaurant Duddell’s.

There are few cuisines as ubiquitous yet misunderstood as Cantonese. Originally brought to the West by emigrants from the Guangzhou province of southern China and Hong Kong, Cantonese food has a long and complex history far removed from the often sweet, luminescent and sticky fare we’re accustomed to in the local takeaway. From fluffy pumpkin dumplings to wallet-punishing abalone delicacies, the range of culinary options is varied, and, thanks to a few rarefied exports, sampling a wider range of Cantonese food is becoming increasingly possible. One such example is Duddell’s, a high-end Cantonese restaurant from Hong Kong that’s coming to London on 28 November. The restaurant’s original site, situated on Duddell Street on the third storey of Hong Kong’s Shanghai Tang Mansion, has harvested two Michelin stars in the four years it’s been open. While the London branch has yet to open its doors, expectations are high, not least in part because it will be helmed by Mr Daren Liew, who was previously the executive sous chef at the Hakkasan group, so has Cantonese cooking credentials in spades. Below, Mr Liew explains what he’ll be bringing to the kitchen at Duddell’s, and busts a few myths about the Western world’s misconceptions about what Chinese food actually is.

Previously, people have grouped Chinese food in one basket, one that has sadly been represented as heavy, fast and greasy – what you call upon when you’re working late at your desk and eating nondescript noodles from a white takeaway packet with red writing on the side! Cantonese is not that – it’s gorgeously clean. It utilises fine and fresh ingredients, and transforms them through simple techniques. When people go to Duddell’s in Hong Kong for the first time, they’re often taken aback by the nutritional nature that shines through.

China is being flagged as the next big thing in travel. But China as a country and location is overwhelming large, composed of a variety of subcultures, dialects, schools of cuisine and thought. Duddell’s coming to London is a small and authentic representation of the cuisine of one region, Canton. Diners in London are astute and discerning. Moreover, they’re keen to delve deep into something new yet, importantly, authentic. We’ve come to London to do that, and in a manner that combines dining with a cultural programme. Duddell’s in Hong Kong is more than a restaurant – it’s a location where a variety of passions, including art, intersect and people connect.

The Duddell’s London menu is built upon the founding principles of Cantonese cuisine. Just like Hong Kong, it’s designed to be an honest and authentic representation of this school of Chinese cooking, but delivered with a cool, contemporary spin. London’s proximity to Europe means we’re granted unparallelled access to some of the finest produce on the continent. With fresh mushrooms from farms in the United Kingdom, Silver Hill duck from Ireland, Welsh lamb and Berkshire pork, we’re spoilt. Chicken holds an esteemed place in Cantonese cooking, and we’re lucky to use poulet de Bresse from France.

Along with diligent sourcing, attention to detail and timing are the cornerstones of quality Cantonese cuisine. So much of it is technically driven from the mise en place, to applying just the right amount of heat – leave vegetables to cook for just five seconds too long and their vibrancy is gone. Similarly, ladle too much or too little hot oil on a chicken and that perfectly crisp skin won’t occur.

Dim sum is an art, with a chef training for years to be able to master the technique, flavours and timing required to have it arrive at the table in perfect condition. Duddell’s London has a dedicated team comprising five dim sum chefs, who together have over 200 years of experience. The combinations we are serving are cool – Iberico char siu bun, Iberico char siu cheung fun, and chicken and glutinous rice in lotus wrap, as well as black pepper, duck and pumpkin dumpling and truffle spring rolls.

At a risk of sounding clichéd, I really do cook from the heart. I cook the food I (and those I know) would want to eat. I’m always experimenting, be it with new produce a trusted supplier has brought in, or with the team while developing a recipe. I never like to rest on what’s been done, but think, “What could be done?” If I can execute that both with respect for the produce I’m transforming, and for the cooking philosophy I operate within in, in short, that’s a definition of my cooking style.

Duddell’s opens at London’s St Thomas Church on 28 November