With her double Michelin star, Vicky Lau thinks the struggle to promote gender balance in the male-dominated world of professional chefs is far from over — but little triumphs give her optimism.

Few have made such a meteoric rise in Hong Kong's fiercely competitive fine-dining sector as Lau.

In just over a decade, she has progressed from founding a modest cafe to owning one of the financial district's most recognized restaurants.

Tate Dining Room was granted two Michelin stars earlier this year, a long-awaited first for Asia's all-too-often disregarded female cooks.

In interviews, many chefs like to emphasize that prizes don't matter anything. Lau, 40, is refreshingly forthright.

"I didn't come into the industry because I wanted all of these awards. It eventually becomes an ambition over time "She stated.

When asked if the gender breakthrough moment of the double Michelin meant anything, she said, "I think it makes a message because it pushes a lot of individuals in our business to move on."

Lau, a former graphic designer who retrained in the middle of her career, said she "truly didn't think twice about becoming a female and a chef" when she entered the market.

"Ignorance was bliss during that time," she smiled, remembering how many women attended her Cordon Bleu training in Bangkok.

She saw how men controlled the business once she was in it, particularly when it comes to climbing up ranks or possessing top institutions.

She found it emotionally draining sometimes to be questioned about her gender, the trend she was setting, and the role model she was becoming as she attracted attention for her recipes.

But, she said, over time, she began to accept the fact that her achievement could inspire others.

Various personalities

Lau, together with compatriots such as Peggy Chan and May Chow, is part of a new generation of female Hong Kong chefs who have emerged as successful and vocal business owners.

For far too long, global culinary award shows have been overly focused on Western cuisine and male chefs.

It's a charge that brands are now aware of. Winners' lists are gradually becoming more indicative of the world at large.

The "Me Too" movement also resulted in some limited estimation of the type of alpha-male behavior that had earlier been praised by food critics and television programs.

"As everyone knows, the culinary industry is male-dominated, but it also wants women to act like men," said Chan, who established herself as one of Hong Kong's first fine-dining vegetarian chefs.

"Either you fit in or you get out."

She believes that the gradual increase in the number of women working in professional kitchens and acquiring restaurants is beginning to affect.

"There are a lot more opportunities for various types of personalities," Chan explained.

Lau claims that her kitchen is now more than half female. Chefs who have children are an asset, not a liability. Someone with egos is welcome to leave them at the kitchen door.

"We don't just appreciate screaming in your face like Gordon Ramsay," she explained.

Chinese methods

Lau's dishes are unbelievably beautiful, combining French and Chinese cuisine, with each presentation meticulously plated in a captivating display of her design background.

And she's strongly motivated to raise awareness of often-overlooked Chinese cooking techniques.

Her catering, take-away service, and patisserie shop kept her business afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Lau stated, "We've made rice, tofu, tea, and soy sauce."

Each course on her new menu is made up of various plant parts, including seeds, leaves, bulbs, stems, fruit, roots, and flowers.

As per Lau, the epidemic prompted her to be more creative and self-reflective.

"I believe Covid would put restrictions on globalization," she predicted, adding that fine-dining establishments are being compelled to buy more locally, something clients were already demanding.

Why fly in French turbot if there are perfectly acceptable options in the local wet markets, she asks?

She refers to fine dining as "ego cooking" since it allows her to "express oneself on a plate."

"And a lot of times you could get a bit lost," she continued.

"This is why it's essential to elevate simple components like soy sauce or rice to the center of the plate."