I'll start by generally stating that i've never quite been as excited to share my experiences as i am after meeting Chef Gray Kunz and dining at the Cafe Gray Deluxe. With Cafe Gray in New York doing respectfully well, Chef Gray Kunz has taken the foodies by storm with his newest venture Cafe Gray Deluxe atop of Honk Kong's chic Upper House Hotel.

I was offered the chance to meet and accompany Chef Gray Kunz to the Honk Kong wet-market and observe the creative process that Chef uses to pick the freshest ingredients and create new dishes for his menu. It was an absolute pleasure and gave me a much broader understanding on how a Chef’s mind works and seeing Chef Gray in action was the perfect introduction to Gray Kunz passion for food. We walked around the wet-market that was filled with a vast variety of seafood. I browsed with a strong sense of curiosity while Chef browsed with a creative freedom and process that allowed him to visually portrait in his mind the meal he would prepare later that evening. The best thing about going to the wet-market is you are guaranteed the freshest ingredients (what’s fresher than still alive?) and it’s a good chance to see what foods are coming into season allowing you to start thinking about updating and changing your menu slightly. A perfect example of this is whilst walking around, Chef caught sight of a little purple fruit and got very excited about it. I had never seen it before and i hear it was just coming into season. It was mangosteen and the Chef was very excited to have found this fresh fruit available. I was curious to see how all this would turn out on a plate.

On to the restaurant. Cafe Gray Deluxe is located atop the chic and minimalistic Upper House Hotel.  Being on the 49th floor it boasts breathtaking views of the Victoria Harbour and with it’s plain tones and low lighting, the view is accentuated, allowing the diner to fully enjoy their surroundings. Staying within the main theme of the hotel, Cafe Gray Deluxe is a very chic and high end restaurant without having that stuffy feeling. The atmosphere while intimate still feels lively and fresh and shares that enjoyable buss that seems to fill the air in Hong Kong.

I was both curious and excited to see what Chef Kunz had prepared. We had 5 courses consisting of tiger prawns and crab, turbot and baby ginger, 3 different types of pork, a mangosteen soup (dessert) and lemon soufflé. Each course was carefully paired with a recommended wine by Chef Kunz’ extensively knowledgable and extremely friendly staff. The service was fantastic with just the right amount of attention and knowledge without making you feel like they are watching over your shoulder. The food was unbelievable. Perfectly cooked with perfectly matched ingredients and perfectly presented. One of those meals which kept getting better with each dish even though you swore that the dish before was one of your favourites ever tasted.

Overall I think Cafe Gray Deluxe is a must visit whilst in Hong Kong. Everything from atmosphere to food and service is a delight and Chef Kunz’ passion for food really shows at this place.

88 QUEENSWAY, LEVEL 49, THE UPPER HOUSE Hong Kong, China