A fine feast

After some trial and error, and six versions, they have finally created a menu that is an expression of their diverse experiences, combining Chinese vegetarian traditions with cutting-edge Western cooking techniques.

"We create a new menu for each season, offering only the most seasonal ingredients to our clients," Yang says, adding that the best part of opening the new restaurant is so that "the three of us can sit together and brainstorm new dishes".

Eggplant puff pastry with mashed potatoes, morel mushrooms, asparagus, vegetable sauce and chive mayonnaise is a result of one such discussion. They tried many different fillings for their veggie version of beef Wellington, before finally deciding that eggplant provided the best flavor.

In Yang's opinion, there are three rules in cooking-to eat the right ingredients at the right time, to cook skillfully and to plate perfectly.