Hutong, the acclaimed Northern Chinese restaurant on Level 33 of The Shard, welcomes new Head chef Fei Wang. Originally from Chengdu – the capital of China’s Sichuan province – he introduces a refined and contemporary take on authentic dishes.
Offering a different approach to most Cantonese-inspired Chinese menus in London, Hutong serves food from areas further north in the country such as Sichuan, Shandong and Peking (now Beijing). Taking inspiration from meals served in the imperial palaces of Peking, Hutong mixes the fiery spices of Sichuan, seafood and vinegars from Shandong, and well- known fare from Peking.
With China made up of so many different provinces, the cuisine is distinctly regional and varies hugely across the vast country. As misleading as it is to generalise ‘European cuisine’ the same applies to China, as the flavours, produce and techniques differ from north, south to central.
In traditional Chinese culture, the term ‘Sifu’ meaning ‘master’, is given to those who have earned a wealth of experience in a skilled trade. At just 36 years old, Sifu Fei takes the reigns at one of London’s leading Chinese restaurants. The chef’s culinary career amasses from his training across China, starting at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine in his birthplace of Chengdu. He then moved on to the Sichuan Hotel and Huayuan Hotel, followed by six years spent as head chef at Hong Yun restaurant.
Fei’s dedication to mastering the complex flavours and techniques of Sichuan province informs varied and authentic new dishes on the menu at Hutong. In contrast to the sweet, sour and subtle flavours of southern Cantonese fare, the chef has developed a journey through the fiery spices of further north. Food from the Sichuan region is a complex composition of seven basic flavours: sour, pungent, hot, sweet, bitter, aromatic and salty.
Throughout the menu, Fei has exercised his skill to artfully balance punchy and fiery flavours. New to Hutong, a number of dishes utilise the common frying technique that underpins much of Sichuan cooking. Sichuan-style deep fried lobster offers an unusual, crunchy texture for this shellfish, served with an abundance of red and green chillies and salty black beans. The lobster sits alongside Ma La crispy eel; ‘Ma La’ comes from two Chinese characters meaning, respectively, ‘numbing’ and ‘spicy (hot)’ and describes the sensation in the mouth the dish creates. Originally found at the street food markets of northern China, a refined take on the classic is served at Hutong.
New dishes also play with pungent, bold and spicy flavours. Fried Yu Xiang tofu (translated as fish flavour tofu – widely one of the most popular ways to eat tofu in the region) has a kick, from chilli paste made with garlic, ginger and Chinese wine vinegar. Fresh Chinese asparagus heart is seasoned with Fei’s ‘hula dressing’ – a heady mix of chilli, peppercorn and hot oil. Roasted baby pigeon invites guests to marinate the meat themselves in a traditional Lau Zi Hao five spice mix, combining chilli, dried shrimp, peanut and sesame. Finally, Red star noodles sees a northern Chinese twist on the southern delicacy. Playing on the lighter flavours of southern China, steamed halibut sits underneath crunchy Sichuan red pepper, and atop rice noodles and gong vegetables in a Sichuan broth. Juices from the halibut add flavour to the broth, perfectly balancing red pepper, garlic, ginger, onion and red chilli.
Fei’s skill and expertise brings a new dimension to Hutong’s already authentic and inspired menu. The techniques and fragrant flavours of Sichuan perfectly complement the existing famous Peking dishes and cuisine of Shandong province, renowned for its seafood and vinegars. The new menu blends traditional dishes and contemporary takes on classics from China’s fascinating northern regions.