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How spice is ‘an attitude’ for Hutong chef and his new menu available in Hong Kong

Sichuanese chef Ren Dingxu of Hutong Dubai talks about exploring spice in his new menu available in Hong Kong and his aim to ‘evoke emotion’

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Ren Dingxu is the head chef at Hutong Dubai. The Chengdu-raised chef’s culinary journey has taken him from Singapore to the Middle East, but he maintains that Hong Kong has had the biggest impact on his culinary style. Photo: Hutong
Chloe Loung

Chef Ren Dingxu, head chef at the Dubai branch of Hutong, a popular Chinese restaurant from Hong Kong, grew up surrounded by spicy food.

Ren was born and raised in Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province – which he describes as “a city where the air itself carries the aroma of spice” – and became a master of cooking the region’s signature fiery, numbing cuisine.

Sichuan dishes are part of his identity, he says. “Spice is not just about taste; it’s an attitude, a kind of vitality.”

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One of his earliest memories is watching his mother make twice-cooked pork with er jing tiao green chillies, a classic Sichuan stir-fry dish in which the meat is imbued with the pepper’s fruity aroma.

“The moment the wok sizzled and the fragrance filled the kitchen, I felt that food had life. That was the start of my culinary journey, the feeling of awe,” Ren says.

Ren’s new menu uses five signature spicy sauces to create five different dishes. Photo: Hutong
Ren’s new menu uses five signature spicy sauces to create five different dishes. Photo: Hutong

His latest menu, “Qian Jiao Bai Wei – The Essence of Heat”, is an homage to his formative years. It is available until January 18, 2026, across all five Hutong locations in Hong Kong, London, New York, Dubai and Miami.

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