Chef Simon Rogan on his Roganic restaurant’s new Hong Kong location, revamped menu

Roganic Hong Kong – in a new location, with a new menu – has achieved something magical. It has created a warm and woody, cocoon-like space where diners feel connected with nature despite being in the heart of the city’s bustling Causeway Bay shopping district. Reclaimed timber has been used on the walls and to make the chunky tables and curved structures around the dining room, the wood salvaged from trees knocked over by typhoons or that have fallen because of old age. Weaving upcycled material into the design makes sense considering the strong sustainability vision of Simon Rogan, the British chef who opened Roganic in Sino Plaza, just a few blocks from its new home in Lee Garden One, in 2019. A branch of its London namesake, Roganic quickly won fans and accolades, including a Michelin star in 2020 and Hong Kong’s first Michelin green star the following year. Now Rogan, a pioneer of Britain’s farm-to-fork movement, is hoping to impress again with a menu that remains rooted in zero-waste principles despite being completely different from the menu at the former location. “All of the dishes are brand new – there’s nothing that survived from Roganic one,” says Rogan. “It’s all been developed for this restaurant in a very thoughtful way and, obviously, sustainability is the biggest driving force, with zero waste a big part of that.” Using leftover bits from menu ingredients – food waste that would otherwise end up in compost – is a signature move of Rogan, and is best seen this time around in the lapsang souchong (black tea) kombucha, which is infused with tomato skin “scraps”, a by-product of one of the dishes. Roganic has also swapped the traditional fixed degustation format for a sharing menu, a vegetarian-friendly version of which is available. What we stand for runs throughout the company, and throughout the world Simon Rogan The shift, Rogan says, caters to those craving a more relaxed dining experience and a greater choice of dishes across a broader range of budgets. “We’ve fully identified that global dining trends are changing quite a bit, especially here in Hong Kong – people want a little bit less formality,” he says. As for which dishes excite him most, well, that would be all of them. “But if you had to push me on which is my favourite, I mean, the duck is lovely,” he says of the dry-aged Guangdong duck served with 100 flower honey and pickled walnut. The wagyu sirloin with Tokyo turnips, young leaves, whipped potatoes and bone marrow is also pretty special, he adds. “Every time I see one going out to guests, I could really tuck into it.” Other options on the dinner menu, priced at HK$1,280 (US$165), include farmhouse tomatoes in perilla and coal oil with fermented pistachio and winter shoots; cured mackerel from Hainan with beetroots, hawthorn and dill; aged grouper in five flavours with “white dragon” sweetcorn, roasted bone and seaweed butter; and Hokkaido scallop with grilled Oscar peas, white asparagus, nasturtium and pea shell dashi. Lunch menu (HK$520) dishes include raw bluefin tuna in kohlrabi, kombu (kelp) and apple marigold juices; and a maitake mushrooms with miso butter, three yellow chicken soft yolk and burnt chives. Optional extras for all menus include Westcombe cheese with soda bread (HK$100 per person), Australia Manjimup truffle (HK$200 per person), and Rogan’s own blend of Petrossian caviar (HK$250 per person). Complementing the revamped menu is a new drinks programme featuring wine from small-scale producers with an equally strong sustainability ethos. While Roganic is constantly evolving, Rogan says its commitment to quality seasonal ingredients and strengthening relationships with Hong Kong organic farms remains the same. He explains that this fascination with fresh food was ignited by his father, who worked at a wholesale fruit and vegetable market. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Roganic Hong Kong (@roganichongkong) “One of the perks of his job was to bring home bags of fruit and veg, but no one knew what to do with half of it,” he says. “There were no fine cooks in our family – we were a working-class family. “There were ingredients which I had no idea what they were, and it sort of ignited my curiosity.” Rogan’s ambition and innovation fuelled his rise and achievements: 10 Michelin stars and two Michelin green stars across his Umbel Restaurant Group that extends from Thailand (Aulis Phuket) to Malta (ION Harbour by Simon Rogan) – and Britain, the place where it all started with L’Enclume, his three-Michelin-star fine-dining restaurant focused on hyperlocal and seasonal ingredients. As for Roganic version 2, Rogan could not be happier with both the menu and the interior, which was designed by Hong Kong studio Atelier E in collaboration with HK Timberbank, a firm that rescues trees from landfills and transforms them into stunning pieces of furniture and art. “Six years ago, [Typhoon] Mangkhut uprooted more than 60,000 trees in Hong Kong, sparking the creation of HK Timberbank,” says founder Ricci Wong. The super typhoon ripped through the city in September 2018 with wind speeds reaching 285km/h. “I’m delighted that Roganic is giving our wood a second life,” Wong adds. Upcycling was also used for the minimalist bar counter, made from repurposed oyster shells and stone. The flooring is a patchwork of broken and reshaped marble. Sustainability, Rogan says, is not just about the food or the way a business is run. It is also about the people. Rogan’s staff include executive chef Oli Marlow, head chef Adam Catterall and senior sous chef Mark Catchpole – all familiar faces to regulars of the old location. Recruiting and retaining a top team is crucial, Rogan says. “It’s important to make sure we pay people right and that they work the right hours, and that they’re kept invested and interested to make the product better. “People tend to work for us for a long time, so they get this career progression,” he says, adding many have ties to L’Enclume. “They’ve got the DNA of the mother ship, L’Enclume, where it all began,” he says. “What we stand for then runs throughout the company, and throughout the world, so I have the utmost love and confidence in my team.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Roganic Hong Kong (@roganichongkong) After Roganic’s return, plans for the much anticipated reopening of Aulis, the intimate chef’s table serving modern British cuisine, are next in line. Rogan is also focusing on other projects outside Hong Kong. There is a pop-up in Sydney later this year, and the planning of a menu for The Belmond Britannic Explorer, Britain’s first luxury sleeper train, which departs from London in July. More openings are also in the pipeline. “I have events coming out of my ears,” he laughs. Roganic Hong Kong, Shop 402-403, Lee Garden One, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2817 8383

Chef Simon Rogan on his Roganic restaurant’s new Hong Kong location, revamped menu

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}At new Roganic, Simon Rogan has created a relaxed experience, with ‘brand new’ menu and interior that maintain commitment to sustainability

At new Roganic, Simon Rogan has created a relaxed experience, with ‘brand new’ menu and interior that maintain commitment to sustainability