Archan Chan

What with helming a Cantonese restaurant as a woman and pushing the boundaries of Chinese cuisine, Ho Lee Fook’s executive chef ArChan Chan can be regarded a trailblazer in the purest sense of the word. To lead such a critically acclaimed establishment in a male-dominated industry is no easy feat, and Chan understood from the very beginning what she’d had to face.

“It’s quite rare to have a female chef doing Cantonese food,” she reflects. “It’s a cuisine that requires a lot of hard work; the recipes and preparations can take a long time and things like the wok require a lot of physical strength. Learning Cantonese cuisine techniques and recipes require dedication, constant practice and a little bit of intuition.”

Not only has she mastered these techniques and recipes, but she’s also pioneering a new wave of Cantonese food, innovating through creative dishes such as her master stock pigeon, which miraculously retains a crispy skin, or the signature Ho Lee Duck, whose preparation process is more akin to that of Cantonese roast meats than Peking duck. 

The creativity and perfect execution of these dishes have gained widespread popularity among both expats and locals, which recently enabled her recent visit to London for Ho Lee Fook’s first European pop-up. Chan hopes this success can inspire other women to pursue their ambitions of becoming an established chef.

“I want to show others that if I can do it, so can they,” she says. “It’s about pioneering the future of Cantonese cuisine as a young chef, while honouring its roots and always remembering where we come from. For me, it’s not about changing things for the sake of changing them, but focusing on executing these dishes in the best possible way with the best ingredients. Being recognised by Prestige’s 40 Under 40 is an honour – and I hope those who see this list feel inspired by someone to follow their passions and to put in the work to achieve their goals.”