Michelin-starred Chef Chee Hwee Tong raises expectations with the opening of his new high-end dining concept in Trafalgar Square, offering the finest Chinese cuisine at Gouqi London. The menu showcases only premium ingredients and techniques, bringing an authentic taste of China to the London dining scene. Expected to be one of the capital’s most exciting openings, Chef Tong’s menu will bring an abundance of flavours with each dish served on custom-made chinaware. The restaurant’s name derives from the goji berry, symbolizing health and vitality, reflecting its ethos of providing memorable and premium service.
Alan Tang
Alan Tang, Restaurant Director, is leading the Gouqi team. He has gained reputable experience in front-of-house roles in luxury hospitality venues, including Michelin-starred restaurants and 5-star hotels as well as being an active member of the Institute of Hospitality. Along with this extensive hospitality experience, Alan is humble, kind, a great people manager and has a deep knowledge of food as a judge for the international Young Chef Young Waiter competition.
Interiors
Gouqi has a main dining room with two private dining venues: Crimson and Ruby, which seat an intimate eight to ten-people, and can combine to accommodate up to twenty guests. The spacious restaurant also offers bar seating for drinks, small plates, and a great kitchen view. The interiors are understated with low lighting and speckled with florals from Botanique and artwork from six different award-winning Chinese artists.
Chef Tong
Chef Tong returned to London from Asia to open the restaurant in St James’s. He departed from the International Restaurant Group, Hakkasan, in 2019 after serving an 18-year tenure as executive head chef. Chef Tong brought Hakkasan, Yauatcha, and HKK multiple Michelin stars during his residency, making him a global leader in contemporary Chinese cuisine. Originally trained in Singapore, he worked under Cantonese master Chef Chin Hon Yin. After honing his skills, Chef Tong worked in high-profile restaurants in Singapore before being persuaded to move to London in 2001 to become Head Chef at Hakkasan. Within a year of his arrival, Hakkasan won a Michelin star, making it the UK’s first Chinese restaurant to do so.
Signature Dishes
Goqui’s speciality is their live produce, with two menus to accommodate their vast selection. The special live seafood menu features freshly caught Norwegian King Crab, Canadian Crab, Gillardeau Oysters, Scottish Lobster, Diver Scallops and Diver Razor Clams. A supreme seafood selection also features Whole South African Kippin Abalone (20 Heads) braised with Japanese Sea Cucumber or South African Fish Maw.
The dishes from the land are just as special such as the Eight Treasure Crispy Chicken with Foie Gras, available only with a 24-hour advanced pre-order. Chef Tong prides himself on the Legendary Peking Duck with Oscietra Caviar, served three different ways and carved table side. The mouthwatering slow-cooked A4 Wagyu with Chef Tong’s special sauce and the sizzling Taiwanese three-cup chicken are also featured proteins. Each dish comes with a fresh selection of seasonal vegetables, tofu, rice, and noodles.
A feast of small dishes also go hand in hand with the main dining experience. The steamed royal dim sum platter features eight types of dim sum, including a vegetarian option. Gouqi has introduced a more extensive dim sum menu for lunch. An eight-course tasting menu with expertly paired wines and an a la carte menu are also available.
Mixology and Wine
The wine cellar is well stocked and features Chinese and Goji wines. Bringing a wealth of experience working in the world’s best cocktail bars, Jamie Rowe, Bar Manager, presents an innovative cocktail programme that changes with the seasons and inspired by the four Chinese mythological creatures, the Azure Dragon of the East, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise of the North.
Chinese dining can never be complete without extraordinary tea. Gouqi has an extensive rare tea collection featuring the Emperor’s Golden Eyebrow, which has just 2kg produced each year, and Gouqi is the only restaurant in England to supply it. Jin Jun Mei is a black tea hand rolled from tender spring buds by Master Wen in the forests of Wuyishan, where 100,000 buds are required to produce one kilo of tea.
To discover more, visit: gouqi-resaurants.co.uk
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All imagery courtesy of Gouqi London.