At Home in Hong Kong: Vicky Lau

Today, a home isn’t just a place to live; it has become a space to express oneself. For our 35th anniversary exhibition, “At Home in Hong Kong“, we enlisted creative personalities from Canto-pop singer Hins Cheung to Vicky Lau, chef at the Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room and Bar, to offer a peek into their homes. In this exclusive web series, we delve deeper into the minds of these local leaders.

What is your favourite part of your home?   Probably the windowsill, which has a wide sitting area. I love that spot because it’s very calming and I can enjoy the view outside my apartment. I live in Happy Valley, so there are a lot of low-rise buildings with trees, pathways and residential spots.

The five words that you would love people to associate with you:   Detailed, feminine, quirky, east meets west, and a little bit dangerous – I say that because it’s not common for a female to be a chef.

Hong Kong is…?   Fast-paced and ever changing. It has a lot of energy, and it’s finding an identity that celebrates its heritage whilst keeping in mind its colonial past. People here are very enthusiastic about accomplishing things, but sometimes I think that kind of energy is directed towards completing tasks just for the sake of doing them. There needs to be a push towards goals that are more in-depth and meaningful.

What is the most underrated virtue?   Dedication and patience. I fully realised this when I went to Kyoto and was interning at a three-star tataki restaurant that had been around for 80 years. The amount of dedication people have for their work there is not seen in Hong Kong. The dedication to repetitively doing something is really is the key to achieving perfection, and it’s underrated here.

If you could replace one of your talents for another, what would it be?   I wouldn’t! I’m happy with my talents, and there’s nothing I want to replace. Every person is born with a talent, and it’s a matter of finding what that is and using it to your best ability.

The one thing you would never ever change about yourself:   I would say my attitude towards work and what I do. When people have been in the restaurant industry for a long time, they can really start to lose their focus. I don’t want that drive to go. It’s important for me to stay focused, to not be swayed by other factors, and to really look at long-term goals.

The definition of good taste is…   Good taste is about knowing the story behind the work – why certain things are designed a certain way, why they are popular now. Good taste doesn’t mean buying whatever is fashionable. If it doesn’t suit you, don’t buy it!

What is the most overrated quality in modern society?   Technology. Everything can now be found on Google, but the quality of the information is not great or sometimes not even true. Also, because of technology, people now speak their mind without thinking online, which compromises the kind of communication we experience.

What is a quote, saying or truth that defines your life:   At this moment, it’s “do what you love, and love what you do.” I’m doing what I love right now, obviously, and this has always been the case for me.

The moment you feel most at home:   [Laughs] Can it be at the kitchen of restaurant? I probably spend more time there than I do at home. I know every inch of the space, even though it’s very small. It’s organised in such a way that we know where everything is.

Take a look into Vicky’s home at our At Home in Hong Kong pop-up exhibition, running from October 23 to 24.

Read the rest of the web series here: Arnault Castel, JJ. Acuna, Michelle Lai

By: Daniel Kong

Photography by: Kenneth Wu