MAISON MUMM, The PAIRING QUEST : EPISODE 2 WITH CHEF LEONARD CHEUNG

“Growing up in LA exposed me to so many different cultures across the world—cultures that you definitely do not see as much in HK such as Mexican, Caribbean, Vietnamese (definitely more of that in California than HK), and Chinese-American quirks. I always feature memorable components from various types of cuisines when thinking about new dishes. “

“The name “Cultivate” has been ingrained in my head since I was a teenager, I just didn’t know I wanted to use it for a casual concept, or a fine dining one.  The Cultivate we have today on Elgin street is neither.  We serve highly elegant and complex dishes, at a very reasonable price point, in a casual atmosphere, and with constant interaction for diners. “

His Food Philosophy

“Whimsical, spontaneous, and eloquent. These are the words akin to my style of gastronomy.”

His Ambitions

“Getting a Michelin star, or getting ranked in World/Asia 50 Best would be nice for my business, but definitely not my top priority.  As previously mentioned, my long term goal is to have self sustaining businesses that can maintain my set of standards, and with as little of my involvement as possible.  I hope I can eventually foster a big team of committed chefs and floor staffs that are versatile for any future projects.  I know it seems impossible now with the travel restrictions and the lack of workers in the entire industry of HK, but I’ve had too many failures in the past that can’t scare me from failing again. “