Two Singapore chefs are putting homegrown flavours on the menu in Hong Kong

At Michelin-starred Whey, Barry Quek and new head chef Keith Teo are drawing on hawker favourites, Indonesian influences and shared food memories to shape the restaurant’s next chapter.

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26 Sep 2026 06:58AM (Updated: 26 Sep 2026 07:04AM)

While living in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic, Singaporean chef Barry Quek missed home so much that he found all sorts of ways to cook the food he loved.

Up to that point, the Joel Robuchon and Les Amis alumnus had cut his teeth largely in fine-dining kitchens, including Melbourne’s Attica and London’s Michelin-starred Portland and neighbourhood bistro Clipstone. In 2017, he moved from London to Hong Kong to work at the now-defunct contemporary European bistro Beet before opening Return of Lemak at food hall BaseHall, serving hawker fare such as nasi lemak, laksa and beef rendang.

That stall became the springboard for Whey in 2021. At the tasting menu-only fine-dining restaurant, Quek reinterprets Singaporean flavours through a modern European lens, using Southeast Asian ingredients. At the time, Hong Kong’s fine-dining scene still tended to draw a clearer line between Asian and Western cuisines. Bringing the two together harmoniously in dishes featuring ingredients such as asam paste, Mao Shan Wang durian and petai was a test of conviction and confidence.

Yet Quek successfully captured an audience. Whey earned a Michelin star within eight months of opening and has retained it ever since. Last year, Quek opened casual eatery Uncle Quek, channelling his love for comforting hawker favourites into generous, hearty portions with fine-dining finesse. For HK$200 (US$25.50; S$32.50), diners get one starter and one main, with the option of adding dessert. Choices include Cereal Fried Chicken – chunks of salt-brined chicken thigh that are double-fried before being coated in a glaze of honey dressing and curry leaf cereal mix – Lobster Laksa in a rich broth of chicken stock, coconut cream and milk, sambal and lemongrass, seasoned with fish sauce, and Beef Rendang Tagliatelle, with handmade spinach and egg pasta tossed in slow-cooked beef rendang ragu fragrant with Indonesian spices. Both Whey and Uncle Quek are part of Hong Kong-based ZS Hospitality Group.

Fellow Singaporean Keith Teo joined Whey as head chef in May 2026, while Quek continues to oversee both restaurants and explore expansion opportunities.

The pair’s first menu together, launched in June, leans further into an Asian identity with a Singapore soul. Quek’s signatures are there, including the Buah Keluak Mi Pau, an earthy brioche with cocoa notes, and the surprisingly agreeable Mao Shan Wang Durian Ice Cream with a dollop of caviar and milk crisps. Leave room for the Asam Laksa Dry Noodles add-on – chilled squid-ink noodles tossed in asam paste, with steamed abalone and crispy dried shrimp adding texture to the tantalisingly moreish dish.

Teo’s French culinary background also comes through, drawing on experience at three-Michelin-starred Odette in Singapore and one-Michelin-starred Frog by Adam Handling in London. His Iberico Pork Three Ways is an elegant ode to bak kut teh: A pork rack glazed with star anise and cinnamon, served on an onion soubise infused with white peppercorns; slow-braised pork belly; and a house-made sausage mixed with mei cai (preserved vegetables) and shiitake mushrooms. A bowl of nasi ulam completes the satisfying main course.

In another dish, the aromas of a classic fish curry waft through crispy-scaled tilefish served with sambal okra, eggplant puree and a slightly tangy whey sauce perfumed with  makrut lime leaves and lemongrass. A drizzle of rempah oil provides the final kick.

Local producers and beverage makers are also part of the story, including Hong Kong kombucha brand Taboocha and winemaker Jack Wu’s Chardonnay, made with grapes grown in Germany’s Rheinhessen wine region. The non-alcoholic pairings are worth ordering. One red wine alternative combines pomegranate, smoked salt, mulberries and black pepper, delivering spice and tannic notes on the palate with a captivating fruity nose, while an oat milk-teh tarik concoction complements the desserts.

Teo said their different backgrounds and culinary training have helped them push the creative boundaries of Whey’s menu. He explained: “I’m of Indonesian descent – my grandparents were born in Indonesia and later moved to Singapore where my dad was born – so when we design the menu, we think of flavours that we grew up with in Singapore. We share how we each like the dish, our experiences with it, then move towards what we mutually like.”

His Indonesian heritage comes through in the mackerel dish, where the tomato sambal gets a tangy lift from ginger flower, kaffir lime leaf and galangal. In the scallop pie tee snack, kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), palm sugar, tamarind and candlenut come together in one memorable bite.

Quek said: “It’s great to have another Singaporean on board. When we bounce ideas, Keith immediately gets what I’m trying to say and achieve. In this new chapter where we are moving towards stronger Singaporean flavours, that really helps.”