FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

7 September 2015

THE HOME OF AVANT-GARDE DINING IN HONG KONG,

FELIX CELEBRATES ITS ROOTS AS ORIGINAL CHEF DAVID ABELLA

RETURNS FOR A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS

With its lofty harbour-front setting, avant-garde design and uncompromisingly creative food, Felix has remained at the cutting edge of the Hong Kong dining scene for more than 20 years. And The Peninsula Hong Kong’s famed Philippe-Starck-designed restaurant goes back to its roots in September by welcoming back the chef who started it all in 1994, David Abella, for a series of culinary events.

Following on from the success of the Gaddi’s Alumni Weekend last summer, when former chefs Daniel Lichtensteiger and Philip Sedgwick made a warmly received return to The Peninsula kitchens, the Felix Alumni Weekend takes place from Friday, 25 September to Sunday, 27 September 2015. For this weekend only, Abella will host a specially curated programme of gastronomic delights at the stylish 28th floor space alongside current Felix Chef Yoshiharu Kaji.

The weekend begins with an eight-course dinner on Friday evening (priced at HK$ 1,880* per person including a glass of Champagne) that will see chefs Abella and Kaji going head to head on a menu that challenges each of them to interpret three ingredients in their own inimitable style. On Saturday morning, Abella and Kaji will host a charity cooking class from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, benefiting long-term partners and beneficiaries of The Peninsula Hong Kong’s food waste reduction programme such as the Foodlink Foundation and Food Angel. Fun and informal, the class (priced at HK$ 2,888 net per person) includes a Champagne breakfast and is followed by lunch at Felix.

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THE HOME OF AVANT-GARDE DINING IN HONG KONG,

FELIX CELEBRATES ITS ROOTS AS ORIGINAL CHEF DAVID ABELLA

RETURNS FOR A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS – 2

The programme continues on Saturday evening with a six-course dinner (priced at HK$ 2,280* per person) prepared by Abella and Kaji, and paired with wines specially chosen by Chief Sommelier Darius Allyn. Then, on Sunday, the weekend will be brought to a triumphant close as both chefs whip up a selection of their signature dishes for a casual Champagne brunch (priced at HK$ 1,080* per person).

The experienced Abella has a culinary career that stretches back more than 30 years, and which has taken him from his native Hawaii to Hong Kong and back again. Having played a crucial role in launching Felix in 1994 and establishing it as one of Hong Kong’s most acclaimed dining destinations, Abella returned to the US in 1996, where he remains a highly sought-after chef and culinary consultant. A protégé of Western-Asian fusion pioneer Roy Yamaguchi, Abella is known for his eclectic style, drawing inspiration and techniques from a wide variety of cuisines, from Japanese and Southeast Asian to Italian, French and Mediterranean.

Joining Chef Abella in enchanting the palates of Felix guests is The Peninsula’s new Chief Sommelier, Darius Allyn. The Seattle-born wine specialist brings with him more than 30 years of experience in high-end hospitality, including stints at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, GORGE Restaurant in Hollywood and Charlie Palmer’s renowned Aureole restaurant at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. Allyn is part of a select group of fewer than 230 people worldwide who hold the title of Master Sommelier, and he had the distinction of being only the 60th American citizen to pass the Master Sommelier exam when he gained the title in 2005.

As Felix’s inaugural chef, Abella introduced the innovative and playful Pacific Rim cuisine using only the freshest seasonal ingredients – a culinary philosophy that is proudly continued by the restaurant’s incumbent chef, Yoshiharu Kaji. Japan-born Kaji has helmed the kitchen at Felix since 2011, earning a reputation for inventive dishes prepared with meticulous precision.

*subject to 10% service charge

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THE HOME OF AVANT-GARDE DINING IN HONG KONG,

FELIX CELEBRATES ITS ROOTS AS ORIGINAL CHEF DAVID ABELLA

RETURNS FOR A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS – 3

Chef Kaji trained at Japan’s most prestigious cooking school, TSUJI Culinary Institute in Osaka, before spending a year interning in France, where spells at the one-Michelin-starred restaurant Auberge du Poids Public and the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Les Jardins De L’Opera ignited a fascination for modern French cuisine. He then went on to hone his skills at a succession of top restaurants in his native Japan, including The Peninsula Tokyo’s Peter, lauded French dining institution L’ecrin, the one-Michelin-starred Le 6eme Sens and The French Kitchen at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, before making the move to Hong Kong and Felix.

About Felix

Opened in 1994 as the crowning glory atop The Peninsula’s tower extension, Felix is one of Hong Kong’s most spectacular dining destinations. Featuring avant-garde interiors by French design guru Philippe Starck, the restaurant is replete with whimsical details and quixotic visual touches, while its dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views of Victoria Harbour. The imaginative interiors are more than matched by the food, which uses the freshest seasonal ingredients from around the world to craft exquisite dishes in an innovative and playful style of modern European cuisine.

Felix Interior / Felix Interior
Yoshiharu Kaji, Felix’s current chef / David Abella

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THE HOME OF AVANT-GARDE DINING IN HONG KONG,

FELIX CELEBRATES ITS ROOTS AS ORIGINAL CHEF DAVID ABELLA

RETURNS FOR A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS – 4

Medium-cooked Kuruma Prawn with Matsutake, Green Yuzu, Lily Bulbs, Deep-fried Ginkgo / Marinated Salmon and Red Sea Bream Terrine with Fruit Tomato Coulis, Fresh Caviar, Dill, Mango
Porcini Grilled Colorado Lamb Medallion, Chanterelle Cannellini Beans with Crispy Kurubota Pork, Roasted Cipollini Demi Glaze / Slow-cooked Australian Wagyu Beef with Black Truffle, French Duck Liver Royale and Caramelised Leek Purée
Strawberry and Milk Velouté, Strawberry Ice Cream, Strawberry Salad, Red Wine Jelly

THE HOME OF AVANT-GARDE DINING IN HONG KONG,

FELIX CELEBRATES ITS ROOTS AS ORIGINAL CHEF DAVID ABELLA

RETURNS FOR A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS – 5

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About The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH)

Incorporated in 1866 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (00045), The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited is the holding company of a Group which is engaged in the ownership, development, and management of prestigious hotels and commercial and residential properties in key locations in Asia, the United States and Europe, as well as the provision of tourism and leisure, club management and other services. The Peninsula Hotels portfolio comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Shanghai, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Tokyo, The Peninsula Bangkok, The Peninsula Manila, The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, and The Peninsula Paris. Projects under development include The Peninsula London and The Peninsula Yangon. The property portfolio of the Group includes The Repulse Bay Complex, The Peak Tower and St. John’s Building in Hong Kong; The Landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 1-5 Grosvenor Place in London, UK, and 21 avenue Kléber in Paris, France. The clubs and services portfolio of the Group includes The Peak Tram in Hong Kong; Thai Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand; Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California; Peninsula Clubs and Consultancy Services, Peninsula Merchandising, and Tai Pan Laundry in Hong Kong.

For further information, please contact:

Ms Winvy Lung

Director of Public Relations

The Peninsula Hong Kong

Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Telephone : +852 2696 6608

Fax : +852 2696 6633

E-mail :

Website : www.peninsula.com

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