Chef Tan Kwang Aik is the new Chinese Executive Chef at Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta.
Chef Tan Kwang Aik is the new Chinese Executive Chef at Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta. Photos by Raditya Fadilla/NOWJAKARTA

Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta recently appointed a passionate chef to lead one of Jakarta’s best Chinese restaurants, Li Feng.

Li Feng is known for its impressive authentic Cantonese cuisine with a modern twist. The restaurant shows its new spirit when Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta welcomed its new Chinese Executive Chef, Tan Kwang Aik to helm the restaurant’s kitchen and also set to lead the catering for Chinese banquets. For Mandarin Oriental Group, Chef Tan is no stranger, especially since he worked for Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur’s Lai Po Heen from 2014 to 2016.

With over 14 years of culinary experience, including at the Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru as Chinese chef managing Far & East and Copitas outlets focusing on modern Cantonese cuisine, Dim Sum and high-quality Chinese banquet catering, Chef Tan admitted that he really enthusiast to bring the restaurant as a highlight at the city’s gastronomy scene based on the hotel’s standardisations and the vision of Chef Fei, the 2-Michelin Star chef that oversees the culinary offerings of Li Feng.

Welcoming Tan Kwang Aik at Mandarin Oriental, jakarta

“The rebranding of the restaurant, which took place in 2016, worked well. What we need to do is maintain a high standard and we are looking to interact more with the guests to know what they actually want from our restaurant. This is how we get good ideas either for our upcoming menu or promotions and to make our restaurant better,” Chef Tan explained.

Chef Tan also revealed an excellent communication and coordination between him and Chef Fei in Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou in preparing new menu a few months ahead. This shows a combination of the two creations in that some of dishes will still be tailored to Southeast Asian palate like Indonesia and Malaysia, emphasising on spicy and sour notes.

“Li Feng is quite different compared to other Chinese or Cantonese restaurants. Others try to be more local in their menus, while Li Feng keeps it authentic to mainland China but with more modern presentation. When we serve to table, guests will take the camera first and take the pictures of our dishes. Presentation is our focus because it’s so important nowadays. For example, our famous Deep-Fried Swan Dumpling with Black Pepper Duck Meat are very visually pleasing for our chef, in addition to being very delicious,” Chef Tan said with a smile.

Li Feng

Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta
Jalan M.H. Thamrin 
Central Jakarta, 10310
T: +62 21 2993 8825
IG: @lifengjakarta
FB: @lifengjakarta
mandarinoriental.com/jakarta

Sari Widiati

Sari Widiati

Sari has been an arts and culture enthusiast for many years. She has written extensively on the arts, travel, and social issues as Features Writer at NOW! Jakarta.