{"id":69170,"date":"2026-07-16T15:23:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T07:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=69170"},"modified":"2026-07-16T15:23:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T07:23:02","slug":"tuscan-korean-and-cantonese-3-chefs-reimagine-classic-beef-dishes-in-hong-kong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=69170","title":{"rendered":"Tuscan, Korean and Cantonese: 3 chefs reimagine classic beef dishes in Hong Kong"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s the same animal. In a Tuscan kitchen, it\u2019s carved tableside as a ritual. In a Korean kitchen, it\u2019s sliced thin and gone in seconds. And in a Cantonese kitchen, it\u2019s been braising since morning.<\/p>\n
In Hong Kong, three chefs are bringing their love of beef from home, each cooking through the lens of a childhood tradition that shaped them long before they ever stepped into a professional kitchen. Here is how to eat beef well, because whether in Tuscany, Seoul, or Hong Kong, the rule is simple: when it comes to beef, do as the locals do.<\/p>\n
Tuscan at Carna by Dario Cecchini<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/div>Carna\u2019s signature Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Photo: Handout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Dario Cecchini is a proud Tuscan \u2013 and when an eighth-generation butcher from Panzano in Chianti tells you how to eat beef, you listen.<\/p>\n
For Cecchini, the Bistecca alla Fiorentina is the centrepiece of Italian beef. The steak arrives whole, close to 2kg, still shimmering from the grill. It is 4cm thick, which allows the surface to develop a deep, mahogany crust while the inside stays rare and cool. What you get in a single bite is a series of contrasts \u2013 char and blood, fat and lean, smoke and minerality. Cecchini calls this \u201ca conversation of textures\u201d.<\/p>\n
He brings that conversation to Mondrian Hong Kong, where his eponymous Carna by Dario Cecchini<\/span> serves the same Bistecca by the same rule: never season the steak before it touches fire. Salt and Tuscan olive oil are applied only after cooking. Salt draws moisture to the surface, which then steams rather than sears, robbing the crust of its depth. But the rule runs deeper than food science. \u201cYou are saying to the steak, you are already complete,\u201d Cecchini says. \u201cI am only here to finish your essence.\u201d<\/div>\n
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<\/div>Tenerumi in Insalata at Carna. Photo: Handout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
If you want a deeper cut, Cecchini recommends the spider steak. Known in Italian as ragnolino, it is a small, humble cut from the inner thigh. A lean and muscular cut, it is often overlooked in favour of more famous names. Grilled simply on the bone and dressed with extra virgin Tuscan olive oil and Cecchini\u2019s own herb salt, Profumo del Chianti, it proves his philosophy better than any sermon could: no cut is tough if treated with care. It is only ever waiting for the right hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Carna\u2019s](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/07\/15\/7a2c131c-1530-4828-aa7b-cae68eccc9a0_6e78b4b8.jpg\" "\\"Carna\u2019s")
<\/div>![\"Tenerumi](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/07\/15\/77cc592e-c999-4f70-a034-4eb723d35e99_8aae56df.jpg\" "\\"Tenerumi")
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