ingredients on gough st
john's career path took a turn in 1999. he woke up one day not wanting to turn on the computer and look at the financial markets. he resigned his position, and traveled, searching for a new path that he would love.
in 2001, john was working part-time and had more time to experiment with different cooking techniques. he and his wife, meiji, would invite friends over for a night of good food and conversation; as meiji decked out the living space with fresh arrangements, john would simmer flavours together to get just the right balance. guests would marvel at the quality of everything they did and insisted that they consider opening their own restaurant.
two years later, ingredients was born.
it was a small establishment seating no more than 36 persons at a time, and had 2 employees: meiji set the tables, while john hand-wrote his menus. "I had no idea my handwriting could be so good!" he chuckles.
the idea of a pre-order set menu, albeit questionable to start, became a resounding success.
one evening, a guest celebrating his birthday at ingredients asked john if he would be interested in opening a larger restaurant. unexpectedly, john found an opportunity to create something that he'd always felt hong kong needed a free-standing food &anp; beverage outlet providing fine food, great music, and cozy ambience, all under a single roof.
it came together quickly. john and meiji went home and talked about the possibilities all night. by the end of the week, john was drafting a proposal.
ingredients at wing fung st
while 23 wing fung street was under construction, the birthplace of ingredients, 43 gough street, became a training centre. their small dining room was stripped of its fine linens and equipped with burners, chopping boards, and bowls of fresh ingredients. the cooks and chefs alike all practiced, "good. let's do it again. perfect practice makes perfect performance".
anyone who knows john will know that he doesn't settle for anything less than what he'd want for himself. "I stress to the staff that the meaning of being hospitable starts with respect: respect for oneself, one's colleagues, and of course, one's guests. we have to re-establish ourselves in the midst of a city with thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of restaurants. but I don't want to make it too complicated. our secret ingredient is really quite simple. serve your guests the way you would want others to serve you. with this, we are getting ready for battle!"
ingredients is more than a restaurant; it is a three-storey venue perfect for any occasion. on the first floor, our world-class dining room will tantalize your senses with executive chef john ang's spectacular creations. the jm lounge and oyster bar on the ground floor is a great place to have a drink, and its casual menu is perfect for those in the mood for lighter fare. and on the rooftop patio you can enjoy a cigar or cigarette along with a casual meal and perhaps one of our signature cocktails.
looking to make your next corporate event or romantic evening a smashing success? the secret ingredient, is ingredients!
our staff
accountability. every staff member at ingredients shares john and meiji's vision of a restaurant that strives to excel and constantly improve. staff members are encouraged to continually learn and share their ideas with management.
for example, notice that certain dishes on the menu specify the name of the chef that created it. When you order one of these dishes, this chef will personally prepare it for you. this makes our chefs individually accountable to you, while also motivating them to innovate and to give them direct involvement in the success of ingredients.
for john and meiji, it is very rewarding to see their staff grow and learn, both as a team and as individuals, and it is their hope that years spent at ingredients will give the staff an edge in their own careers.