Gourmet Dining Group is pleased to announce that ÉPURE has been distinguished once again in the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2024. ÉPURE has continued to shine with its one MICHELIN star for the eighth consecutive year, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the pinnacle of French gastronomy.
At ÉPURE, Chef Aven Lau has helmed the kitchen since last summer with a masterful approach to French cooking, balancing his respect for time-honoured French cooking techniques with an embrace of modern gastronomic innovation. This dedication to top-tier French dining is showcased in each dish on the harbourfront restaurant’s dégustation menu.
A rising superstar in Southeast Asia, Singaporean Chef Aven Lau is back in Hong Kong to lead a new era of creative gastronomy at one-MICHELIN-starred ÉPURE by Gourmet Dining Group. A media favourite and already an exceptional chef at age 29, Aven’s spectacular blend of humble refinement, creativity and cultural inspiration has launched him to the top of Hong Kong’s competitive dining scene. Prior to his recent break, he joined Bâtard as Chef de Cuisine and earned great acclaim during the pandemic as the restaurant became one of the hardest to book in Hong Kong.
Now, Aven has returned to Hong Kong to take the reins as Chef de Cuisine at ÉPURE. In the meantime, ÉPURE’s menu will remain in place serving guests’ old favourites until Aven has crafted his own signature dishes. But once he has done so, ÉPURE will become a canvas for his unique creations and a coveted table that simply must be experienced.
From starting out at humble cafés in Singapore to climbing the heights of fine dining, Aven has embraced a fascinating journey in gastronomy. Fuelled by endless curiosity and an insatiable drive, his first stop for a formal practice of French cuisine was at Saveur in Singapore where he learned under Chef Tyler Lai, the former sous chef of culinary legend Joël Robuchon. Aven then moved on to three-MICHELIN-starred Odette (also Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants #8 in 2022). Under the tutelage of Chef Julien Royer for nearly three years, he learned just how exacting the world of fine dining was as he moved across every section of the kitchen.
Aven then took an eight-month internship at Kadeau’s locations in Copenhagen (two MICHELIN stars) and Bornholm Island (one MICHELIN star) to take advantage of the explosion of Nordic fine dining across the world, which proved to be the perfect tonic for his career.
In 2018, Aven joined Chef Daniel Calvert at BELON in Hong Kong. There, he honed his craft for two years as Senior Chef de Partie while driving the restaurant to its first MICHELIN star. After 18 months at Le Pan, Aven took a chance and joined Bâtard as its Chef de Cuisine in 2020. When Aven was there, Bâtard’s popularity simply exploded and became one of the hardest tables to book in the city, received the titles of Tatler’s Top 20 restaurants in Hong Kong and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants #82 in 2022, while Aven was honoured as the SCMP’s 100 Top Tables Rising Star Winner and Tatler’s Rising Star Chef Award in the same year.
Aven’s cuisine is built on a foundation of constant testing and a pursuit of perfection. His dishes balance refinement with humble simplicity and the art, the science and the relentless drive behind their creation is always evident. Though trained in classic French techniques, Chef Aven feels that his food does not have a particular genre and his focus is simply to cook the best possible dish. He is known for creativity and flavours without borders, where each dish speaks for itself while carrying a quintessentially French essence. Sounds like the perfect fit for ÉPURE, and we wait with great anticipation to see what the future holds.
The Hong Kong Art March is captivating the city, and Gourmet Dining Group is elevating the experience with immersive culinary adventures at Arbor, ÉPURE and Ami. These dining hot spots offer menus that reflect an artistic flair, drawing inspiration from renowned artists to create a harmonious fusion of art and gastronomy. Throughout the month of March, guests can embark on a sensory journey like no other.
ÉPURE x Zao Wou-Ki Art-Inspired Dinner Menu
ÉPURE, a MICHELIN-starred contemporary French restaurant, invites guests on a journey of culinary inspired by the legendary Chinese-French artist Zao Wou-Ki. Chef de Cuisine Aven Lau, of Chinese descent from Singapore, has gained valuable experience from several MICHELIN-starred French restaurants. Impressed by Zao’s mesmerising blend of Chinese and Western artistic elements, reflected in his dynamic brushstrokes and ethereal compositions, Aven has drawn inspiration from Zao for ÉPURE’s menu. The art-inspired menu merges Asian and French flavours and ingredients, creating a harmonious and delightful culinary adventure.
