Famed for breaking the culinary boundaries and striving for creative and meaningful collaborations, Chef Richard Ekkebus is extending the invitation to one of the uprising, evolutionary culinary stars in France – Chef Mory Sacko, founding the Michelin-one-star MoSuke in Paris. Available for three exclusive evenings at Amber between 5 to 7 June 2024, the masterful duo explores the culinary boundaries and showcases extraordinary creativity and personalities through the finest, seasonal and ethically sourced ingredients. Both paying homage to their roots, Chef Richard continues to redefine contemporary French finesse, while Chef Mory demonstrates signature cuisine with African, Japanese and French influences.
Being the first to bestow 1 Michelin Star in West and Central African cuisine in France at 28, Chef Mory’s establishment is deeply influenced by his passion for Japanese culture. From being a contestant on the French edition of Top Chef (2020) to starting his cooking program ‘Cuisine Ouverte’, Mory Sacko is the spotlight among the new culinary talents in French fine dining. In 2020, Chef Mory founded MoSuke, named after the fusion of his first name with “Yusake”, defined as the first and only African samurai in Japan, where his Malian and Senegalese heritage shines through his culinary excellence, devoted to bringing distinctive, classic yet extraordinary flavours with Japanese ingredients and French cooking technique. Aligned with Chef Richard’s manifesto, Chef Mory’s gastronomic inspiration is committed to sustainability, highlighting more sustainably sourced seasonal produce and reducing carbon footprint. Together with Chef Richard, Terry Ho, Amber’s Chef de Cuisine and Carles Codina, the Executive Pastry Chef, four masterminds are set to dazzle up Hong Kong’s dining scene and invite all to embark on an unforgettable gastronomic journey with an extraordinary 12-course degustation menu in June.
Inspired by his childhood passion for Japan, Chef Mory is introducing some of his instinctive, signature dishes highlighting Pepe Soup / Red Mullet / Mackerel / Sea Bream / Okra / Roasted Garlic, a classic at MoSuke as a fish and shrimp-based soup with chili, ginger, and a bouquet of over thirty spices. Inspired by a Cameroonian soup, Chef Mory creates a fusion with the French bouillabaisse by using rockfish as the base, and seasons with red mullet, mackerel, and sea bream, and stuffs okra with a finely spiced fish filling in addition, offering a generous dish with powerful yet smooth aromatics. Another Beef Matured in Shea Butter / Mafé Sauce / Tamarind / Togarashi Shichimi / Peanut is Chef Mory’s signature since MoSuke’s opening. A unique marinating technique developed by Chef Mory, the Aubrac beef fillet is matured in shea butter for 5-10 days, then grilled over binchotan charcoal, and serves Mafé sauce handcrafted from peanuts, tomato, chili, with Chef’s reinterpretation of his mother’s recipe, paying homage to his roots). To finish, roasted peanuts, a blend of Togarashi Shichimi pepper, and hints of tamarind and carrot are added to complex the dish’s flavours and texture. Chef Mory also brings a delightful, creative dish that utilizes ‘grilling’, a normally reserved for savoury cuisine, for a sweet plate. Roasting a pineapple in butter and grilling over binchotan charcoal, Chef Mory incorporates a vegetarian pepper condiment for seasoning, a meadowsweet gel for acidity and a vanilla note, and a Tsuyu gel for a salty touch – bringing all the tropical flavours to Amber for three exclusive evenings.
On the other hand, Chef Richard and Chef Terry take the opportunity to redefine Amber’s iconic dishes and reveal another remarkable side of Amber. Seasonal highlights include the refreshing Heirloom Tomatoes / Jalapeno / Shiso / Manni Per Me Extra Virgin Olive Oil, adding a touch of Japanese elements in Nishimera Salmon Trout / Trout Roe /Pertuis Green Asparagus/ Junmai Sake/Sake Leese/Rice Vinegar/Nasturtium/Extra Virgin Rice Bran Oil, the ethically sourced Duck Foie Gras /Ginseng /Yellow Wine /Nashi Pear/Coconut ‘Croissant, highlighting the team’s latest vegan croissant and Amber’s dairy-free commitment. The discovery continues with Kinemedai /Squid /Garum ˚ Soy /Kinome /Extra Virgin Grapeseed Oil /Celtus˚, an umami-filled dish that conveys Chef Richard’s passion for seafood and resourcefulness, then moving to the locally sourced, delicate Chicken ‘Sot-l’y-laisse’ / Black Abalone / Sugar Peas / Seaweeds / Plankton / Oyster Leave, the tendering Pigeon / Western Australian Winter Truffle / Cornmeal / Cashew Miso / Okinawa Corn, and finally the seasonal fruity dessert Momo Peach/Lavender/Almond by Chef Richard and Chef Carles Codina, the Hotel’s Executive Pastry Chef.
‘I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with Mory, one of the iconic rising stars in the French fine dining scene.’ Director of Culinary Operations and Food and Beverage, Richard Ekkebus said. ‘I have been in the culinary world for decades and it is always exciting to work with Chefs from all over the world, especially the new generation of culinary talents. While there are East-meet-west collaborations in Hong Kong, I believe this will be a compelling, sensational collaboration where two distinctive generations come together for culinary exploration, and for our FANs to savour the exciting collision of two distinctive restaurants.”
The 12-course Amber x Mory Sacko four-hands dinner is exclusively available from 5 to 7 June 2024 and priced at HKD3,598+ per diner. In addition, three varieties of 4- or 5-glass wine pairings by Dirk Chen, the Hotel’s Director of Wine, are also available starting from HKD1,998+ per diner.
