Chef Tsoi Chiu Fai has been appointed head chef of Summer Palace at China World Hotel, Beijing.  Born and bred in Jinjiang, Fujian, the young Tsoi moved to Hong Kong and started his culinary career at 15 years old.  “I am now backing in Beijing for my guests.” he said.   

Even though Chef Tsoi has worked at many establishments in different cities all over the world, such as Hyatt Regency Tokyo, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Hong Kong Mandarin Oriental Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, he always carries his constant love for Chinese cuisine no matter where he is. 

With 30 years of Chinese cooking experience, Chef Tsoi has published a series of five cookbooks.  As Chef Tsoi mentioned, “It’s a professional book only for chefs.”  His cookbooks share the details of nutrient balance, cooking techniques and skills for different forms of seafood, such as fishes and crabs, abalones and sea cucumber.  It was easy for the chef to describe his creative new dishes, but the difficult part is how to simplify the complicated cooking process into a description that readers can understand easily.  It took him one year to finish his first cookbook about FISH. 

All his books include not only the recipe details, but also the specific descriptions of each sauce and cooking method, divided into different categories.  It is difficult to imagine a book with hundreds of methods for cooking chicken. 

Guests may delve into Chef Tsoi’s art pieces and enjoy the combination of tactile, visual and cultural beauty.  Diners might be surprised by the Chinese imperial edict-like menu and soon be amazed by the fact that its beautiful calligraphy is written by the chef of the restaurant.   

After 10 years of continuous practise, Chef Tsoi Chiu Fai now writes fluently in five different forms of Chinese calligraphy: Zhuan, Li, Cao, Xing and Kai.  He believes that, through calligraphy, he found the right regimen.  He can skip daily meals for his calligraphy practice.  Calligraphy is more than an art of writing.  It is a medium connecting a person to a different way of enjoying life. 

“I am delighted to be able to create an enjoyable dining experience for guests at Summer Palace,” Chef Tsoi said.  “It is a pleasure to guide the culinary team and lead Summer Palace to a higher stage in the culinary world.” 

The chef believes that the essence of Chinese culinary innovation is to keep the traditions, but innovate by reminding people of the origins of the Chinese culinary culture’s core driving force – high-quality and creativity.   

Braised Abalone in Chicken Broth 

The chicken broth is prepared after several hours of slow cooking. Deep braise the abalone in the chicken broth before it fully cooked to preserve the freshness and tender texture.  Pour the steaming chicken broth in the abalone to get the nutritious soup and it’s good for power up your health in the cold winter. 

Steamed Pomegranate-shaped Dumplings 

Pomegranate has been regarded as the symbol of good luck and abundance in Chinese culture. The pomegranate-shaped dumplings are filled with scallop, shrimp, celery, water chestnut and rolled with egg wrappers. Steam the dumplings to retain the nutrients and flavour in all the ingredients while preserve the crisp inside and the tender outside for a rich texture.    

Red Wine Poached Beef with Pears 

Simmer the pear and beef in spiced red wine and poach them to get them tender all the way through with beautiful red coulour. It maximizes the pear’s natural sweetness in the beef with a fruit-forward red wine. 

Summer Palace combines a classic Cantonese menu with light, creative Huaiyang cuisine and places strong emphasis on the Chinese tea culture and fine wines with its sommelier’s exclusive selection of French Bordeaux vintages. 

Summer Palace also serves a popular dim sum lunch daily.  Six elegant private dining rooms are available for a higher level of personalised service.  Its private-label signature selection of premium Chinese teas and culinary condiments make ideal gifts for loved ones back home.