A sublime fusion of culture on a plate

His arrival at the Waldorf Astoria Beijing marks the restaurant's departure from contemporary European fare to a focus on French cuisine. But diners can expect his French creations to feature a little twist.

"I'll be tapping into my knowledge of Asian food, especially Malaysian and Cantonese, to infuse French cuisine with Asian elements," says the 35-year-old, who speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin and the Hakka dialect.

For example, the chef has been incorporating soy sauce, which is uncommon in French cooking, in his seafood consommés to enhance the flavor. Other unconventional ingredients in this dish also include Chinese herbs, red dates and goji berries. He has also used coconut milk and mild spices in some of his other dishes.

His current menu also features French dishes like foie gras paired with hawthorn marmalade and roasted duck bateaux with sour plum sauce.