Rowley Leigh named chef-consultant of Hong Kong restaurant

Veteran London chef restaurateur Rowley Leigh has been named chef-consultant of the Continental restaurant in Hong Kong.

The Continental at Pacific Place, which opens next month, is the flagship standalone restaurant owned and managed by the newly-established restaurant division of Swire Hotels.

Leigh's culinary career to date includes leading the teams at iconic London restaurants Le Café Anglais, Kensington Place, and Le Poulbot after an apprenticeship at Joe Allen and Le Gavroche.

Commenting on the menu, which will draw inspiration from the grand cafés of Europe, Leigh said: "I was brought up with a French style incorporating other elements into recipes where I'd take one out and put something else in. It's a lot French, a little Italian and a British sensibility. Everything I do is a response to the best ingredients and I just try to do justice to them."

Featuring interiors created by David Collins Studio, the team behind the Wolseley and the Delaunay in London, the restaurant will occupy the free-standing building on L4 designed by Thomas Heatherwick, who was responsible for London's New Routemaster bus and Olympic Cauldron.

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