Star chefs explore Hong Kong's food scene on tvN variety show

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is highlighting the city's appeal as a culinary destination, showcasing everything from street food to fine dining.

The board said Sunday it supported production of tvN variety show "Cooking Is Agonizing!" to spotlight Hong Kong's diverse food scene.

"Cooking Is Agonizing!" follows chefs taking part in a "culinary exhibition" project in search of fresh cooking ideas. The cast includes webtoon artist and broadcaster Kim Pung, comedian Lee Eun-ji, and chefs Jeong Ji-seon, Lee Mun-jeong and Jo Seo-hyeong.

The Hong Kong episodes follow the cast as they sample a range of local food. They visited Victoria Harbour and the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront promenade, kicking off their culinary tour at Mammy Pancake, known for its gai daan jai. Also called egg waffles, gai daan jai are a quintessential Hong Kong street snack made by cooking egg batter in a honeycomb-shaped mold.

The show also featured the "Four Elements Dinner Show" at Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui. The five-course experience is themed around the four elements — fire, water, earth and air — and combines projection mapping, sound design and storytelling to blend dining with live performance.

The cast also used "Taste Hong Kong," a dining guide produced jointly by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Chinese Culinary Institute, to track down a cha chaan teng restaurant. The guide curates more than 250 restaurants across Hong Kong, selected on the recommendations of some 50 local master chefs.

A cha chaan teng — literally a "tea restaurant" — is a Hong Kong institution that adapted British food culture to local tastes, serving an East-meets-West menu of affordable, quick meals from breakfast through dinner.

Swiss Cafe, featured in "Taste Hong Kong," is a second-generation cha chaan teng with a loyal following. Its signature Swiss chicken wings draw the most attention, but the restaurant is also known for Hong Kong-style milk tea, French toast and macaroni soup.

The program also introduced Lin Heung Tea House, a dim sum institution operating since 1926. The restaurant maintains the traditional cart service, with staff wheeling freshly steamed dim sum between tables, and offers classic Cantonese staples such as har gow and siu mai alongside dishes unique to the storied establishment. The cast rounded out their visit with stops at popular attractions including Ladies' Market and the Victoria Peak Tower.

Hong Kong is a city where tradition and modernity, local eateries and fine dining, exist side by side. In the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants rankings announced in March, Hong Kong's The Chairman and Wing took first and second place, respectively. The Hong Kong Tourism Board said it plans to continue showcasing the city's culinary appeal through partnerships with a range of organizations.