Between Tuesday, 28th to Thursday, 30th March 2023, One Michelin Star and Michelin Green Star recipient, Roganic Hong Kong, will be hosting a friendly battle between its Head Chef, Ashley Salmon, and visiting guest chef Tom Reeves, the Head Chef at Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant Rogan & Co. in Cartmel, United Kingdom.
It will be a three-day cook-off and replaces the regular lunch and dinner services at Roganic. Both chefs will go head-to-head on four courses, with Simon Rogan present as the official referee. Diners will decide who the winner is by voting for their favourite snack, starter, main course, and dessert, with the total number of votes dictating the winning chef and restaurant.
The menu will consist of eight dishes featuring seasonal and sustainably sourced ingredients, priced at HK$1,780 + 10% service charge per person. For lunch, guests may opt for a shorter menu, with six courses priced at HK$1,080 + 10% per person. A donation of HK$100 from every full menu and HK$50 from every short menu ordered will be donated to each of the chef’s chosen charities, and donations will be split in line with the guests’ votes.
“I am very excited to be travelling back to Hong Kong with Tom, who is making his debut visit to the city. It will be a friendly but fun battle between these two excellent chefs, and I cannot wait to judge their dishes for the three days,” says Simon Rogan (above), Owner and Chef Proprietor of Simon Rogan Restaurant Group.
About Chef Tom Reeves, Head Chef of Rogan & Co.
Tom, originally from Hartlepool, was first introduced to a commercial kitchen in 2009 at the age of 14, where he first worked as a commis chef alongside Dave Coulson, who would make a strong impression on him over the years, particularly when the pair worked together again some years later at Dave’s restaurant Peace & Loaf Bake House in Newcastle.
In the intervening years, Tom perfected his skills as he made his way up through the ranks at some of the best kitchens in Europe, including Dinner By Heston, L’Enclume, the Waterside Inn, and Maaemo. He continued to push himself by competing in peer competitions, such as Young Chef of the Year, before finding himself back in Cartmel in 2021, this time as sous chef at Rogan & Co, before stepping up to become the head chef in 2022.
About Ashley Salmon, Head Chef of Roganic and Aulis Hong Kong
Born and raised in England, Ashley Salmon began his career as a chef in his early teens. Starting at traditional French restaurant La Boheme in southern Manchester, Ashley went on to complete stints at restaurants such as the Bib Gourmand Michelin- awarded Isinglass Restaurant in Urmston and Aiden Byrne’s 3 AA Rosette-awarded Church Green in Cheshire.
In 2011, Ashley began the next chapter of his journey as Junior Sous Chef at two Michelin-starred and 5 AA Rosette-awarded Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley. In 2013, he became Sous Chef at Manchester House Restaurant by his previous mentor Aiden Byrne, and in 2014, he was offered the role of Head Chef at Church Green.
In 2015, Ashley joined the Simon Rogan team at Michelin-starred, 5 AA-Rosette- awarded L’Enclume as Senior Chef de Partie, maintaining the highest standard in every section of the kitchen and contributing to the effort that achieved the restaurant its third coveted Michelin star.
In 2018, he was promoted to Sous Chef at Rogan & Co., the one-Michelin-starred neighbourhood farm-to-table concept that opened as a sister restaurant to L’Enclume. Presently, Ashley is the Head Chef of Aulis and Roganic Hong Kong, where he played a crucial role in Roganic earning its first Michelin star only ten months after opening.
About Rogan & Co.
Situated in an atmospheric 14th-century building beside the river Eea in Cartmel, Rogan & Co is the home of Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant. Overseen by head chef Tom Reeves and executive chef Tom Barnes, the menu is regularly reimagined, featuring comforting dishes that are skilfully prepared and made with ingredients from trusted growers in the region and some that are nurtured by hand at Our Farm.
Book your seats now online at www.roganic.com.hk.
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