Where the timeless elegance of the Bund meets three decades of Cantonese culinary heritage in Singapore, a cross-regional dialogue spanning 3,000 kilometers is about to unfold. From 19 to 21 March 2026, Wai King Kok Chinese Executive Chef Alan Gan will join forces with Summer Palace Executive Chef Liu Ching Hai from Conrad Singapore Orchard to present a "Dual Cantonese" tasting menu. This is not only an in-depth conversation between two celebrated Cantonese chefs, but also a compelling encounter between tradition and innovation in Cantonese cuisine.
Wai King Kok: Redefining Cantonese Cuisine with a View of the Bund
Perched within the historic apex of the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai's landmark building, Wai King Kok offers stunning views of the Bund and a serene setting for experiencing classic and contemporary Cantonese cuisine. Since the launch of its revitalised "Hakka Elegance" menu in 2025, Chef Alan Gan has steered the restaurant in an ongoing exploration of Cantonese cuisine's depth and breadth. A master of Cantonese culinary arts trained under illustrious mentors, Chef Gan brings 27 years of high-end dining experience, having previously led a two-Michelin-starred kitchen in Beijing. He artfully blends 60% classic Cantonese dishes with 30% premium Hakka ingredients and 10% Shanghainese influences. Employing masterful Cantonese techniques—roasting, double-boiling, steaming, and high-heat wok cooking—he reinterprets the rustic flavours of Hakka ingredients such as fermented rice, Zijin sauce, Shikan pickled vegetables, and camellia oil, endowing Cantonese cuisine with new depth and cultural richness.
Summer Palace: A Legendary Cantonese Destination in Singapore
A cornerstone of Singapore's fine-dining Cantonese scene since its founding in 1982, Summer Palace has welcomed generations of gourmands with its unwavering commitment to authenticity and excellence. Following a bold transformation in 2024, the restaurant re-emerged as a stage for contemporary, multi-sensory dining experiences that honour centuries of Chinese culinary and drinking culture while embracing innovation and sophistication. Consistently awarded one Michelin star since 2017, Summer Palace remains a cherished and enduring Cantonese landmark in the Lion City.
Leading the kitchen is Executive Chef Liu Ching Hai. Also hailing from Hong Kong, Chef Liu brings over three decades of mastery in fine Cantonese cuisine to his craft. A protégé of Hong Kong master chefs Fok Wing Tin and Peter Tsang, his culinary ethos is rooted in the timeless principle of " color, aroma, and taste ", weaving a sense of seasonality and respect for ingredient provenance into every dish. Chef Liu's extensive career has taken him across Asia's top Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur, where he has cooked for dignitaries, diplomats, and celebrities.
A Cantonese Feast, A Thousand Miles in the Making
The menu for this four-hands collaboration showcases the shared heritage and distinctive expressions of two master chefs. Chef Alan Gan draws upon Wai King Kok's signature Cantonese-Hakka aesthetic, while Chef Liu Ching Hai brings Summer Palace's three-decade pursuit of "color, aroma, and taste" to the fore, subtly infused with Southeast Asian nuances. Together, they present a Cantonese feast that transcends geographical boundaries.
The journey begins with a Five-Item Appetizer Platter – Abalone in Satay Sauce, Seafood Roll, Dancong Tea-Scented Chicken, White-Braised Beef with Skin, and Fragrant Chinese Toon with Broad Beans – an exquisite prelude showcasing Cantonese finesse. This is followed by Coix Seed and Lily Bulb Soup with Bird's Nest and Crab Meat, a nourishing double-boiled soup demonstrating the refined artistry of Cantonese cuisine.
The main courses highlight the chefs' individual interpretations. Chef Gan's Wok-fried Baby Lobster with Pickled Scallion Bulbs in Toon Sauce captures the freshness of spring with seasonal toon. Chef Liu's Baked Cod Fillet with Egg White in Nyonya Sauce lends a Southeast Asian accent to deep-sea cod. His Wok-seared Wagyu Beef Cubes with Home-Made Sambal brings the signature Singaporean chili paste together with premium wagyu in a burst of wok-seared, while Deep-fried Pork Ribs with Cucumber Blossom in Coffee Honey Sauce offers an intriguing interplay of sweet, savory, and crisp textures. Sautéed Boneless Crucian Carp with Wolfberry Leaves exemplifies the meticulous skill of deboning, with the slight bitterness of wolfberry leaves perfectly complementing the delicate fish.
To conclude the savory segment, Chef Gan presents Braised Red Rice with Morel and Spring Bamboo Shoots, a harmonious blend of seasonal morels, bamboo shoots, and the rustic aroma of red rice. The finale is Peony Pastry with Passion Fruit and Lemongrass Jelly – a delicate contrast of crispy pastry and refreshing jelly, a quintessentially Cantonese sweet epilogue to this cross-border culinary dialogue.
"The beauty of Cantonese cuisine lies in its deep-rooted traditions and its boundless capacity for innovation and inclusion," said Kathy Chen, Director of Operations at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai. "This collaboration between Wai King Kok and Summer Palace is not just an exchange of culinary techniques between two master chefs; it symbolises a Cantonese dialogue between two great food capitals, Shanghai and Singapore. We look forward to presenting our guests with this 'Dual Cantonese' feast, a taste of Cantonese cuisine's classic heritage and contemporary rebirth."
