DINING

The Arcane Collective

Amber Lai talks to chef Shane Osborn ahead of his new restaurant opening

Many of you may recognise Shane Osborn as one of the stars of Final Table, a Netflix cooking show, but has now become a familiar face in Hong Kong’s ever-growing restaurant scene.

Osborn relocated to the city in 2012 after growing up in Australia and spending 20 years in London. “I wanted a change of scenery and Hong Kong seemed like a truly international city,” he says.

The move paid off and Osborn opened his first Hong Kong-based restaurant, Arcane shortly after his arrival. The modern European restaurant has a heavy focus on seasonal menus, with ingredients sourced from Japan, France and England. “We are in constant contact with our suppliers, having a close relationship with our purveyors is vital to the success of our restaurants,” says Osborn. The dining experience is set to encourage guests to think about their relationship with food and stimulate conversation about the authenticity behind it.

Osborn went on to open his second restaurant, Cornerstone in 2019 with executive chef Neal Ledesma. With the level of support from his team, he feels encouraged to explore and innovate. “It’s important to grow slowly and organically with talent that comes up from within our existing restaurants,” says Osborn. “Managing people is all about respect and good communication, I have learnt this the hard way over time.”

The next chapter in Osborn’s book is The Arcane Collective, a socially and environmentally aware, ingredient-driven group of restaurants. This ideology will be used in both his current restaurants and a third which will be opening in July. The Arcane Collective will incorporate several principles formulated over Arcane’s six years of operation.

Discussing the future of the restaurants, Osborn looks to pave his own path whilst still reflecting the rapidly changing food industry.

“I’m not a great believer in following trends. As restaurant operators, we are constantly looking at ways of improving the dining experience, whilst enhancing the work experience of our employees.”

Dining news

Aria launches Omakase menu

Located in California Tower, Aria is a modern Italian restaurant overlooking the city. Designed by executive chef Andrea Zamboni, its new Omakase menu comes in five, seven and 10 course sets showcasing the freshest ingredients flown in from across Italy and Europe. ariaitalian.com

New cocktails

The Pontiac, led by popular mixologist Beckaly Franks, has released a new cocktail selection inspired by classic combinations. The menu features 10 new mixes including shells & cigarettes, a twist on a Long Island Iced Tea and the Starting Gun. The bar has also partnered up with ecoSpirits to create cocktails that will leave a lasting impression on the environment.

Pici opens in Kennedy Town

The popular pasta bar has just opened its sixth restaurant in the seaside location of Kennedy Town. Fitted out with elegant decor and open windows overlooking the waterfront, diners can tuck into homemade pasta dishes including its location exclusive codfish ravioli. pici.hk

Rise crosses the harbour

Popular pastry and coffee shop, Rise by Classified has crossed the harbour, opening its second location in Harbour City. The menu includes signature pastries and drinks, along with a new addition of a croffle (a croissant/ waffle combination). risebyclassified.com Summer is fast approaching, which means it’s time to stock up some bubbles at home. Alice Wong of Vintude Asia rounds up some fun alternatives to try this season.

Franciacorta

Very often compared with Champagne, Franciacorta comes from the Italian region of Lombardia. Enjoying a more temperate climate, Franciacorta flaunts a riper fruit profile even without the use of dosage.

English Sparkling

The English have long been the biggest fan of sparkling wines. However, with a northerly location that had historically made the country too cold for wine grape-growing. In recent years as a result of global warming, English wineries are growing fast.

Pet Nat

Pet Nat stands for Pétillant Naturel, which simply means naturally bubbling. It goes through a single but interrupted fermentation. As a result, the fruit is very vibrant, but the wine is often slightly cloudy because the sediments are not disgorged.

Sparkling Sake

Bottle-fermented Sparkling Sake is made in the same way as normal Sake, but with an additional fermentation in the bottle that produces carbon dioxide. In a Japanese restaurant, Sparkling Sake is usually served as an aperitif.

Bubbles for the summer