PEOPLE IN HONG KONG traditionally spend a sizeable chunk of their disposable income on eating out - a legacy both of the territory's busy lifestyle and typically small homes that are not conducive to family cooking.
Family gatherings are often held in restaurants rather than at home, and the cooking is left to professional chefs.
Hotels are at the top of the food chain in Hong Kong, with hotel chefs and food and beverage managers acting as leaders of the industry.
Hotels remain the popular choice for high-society dinners and special family occasions, while tourism adds millions of customers every year.
Factor in the positive economy and the improving tourism market and it is no surprise that the hotel food and beverage, or F&B, sector is in good spirits these days.
'At the moment, our restaurants are growing in business, and interest from the general public is increasing as we improve our outlets and make them even more interesting,' Josef Schuppler, assistant director of food and beverage at the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, said.
While the improving economy and the hotel's convenient location next to a major shopping mall account for some of the growth, the hotel's efforts to diversify the eating experience has been a major factor in attracting new clients.