Enter the BLT Steak, a contemporary interpretation of the American Steakhouse experience that offers front-row seats – literally. Right on the waterfront of Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, BLT Steak opened its doors in 2009. Modern Hong Kong is an international city of commerce and with this status comes an unlimited variety of food and gourmet expertise to choose from. In fact, there are more than 14,000 restaurants in this modern metropolis – widely considered as the culinary capital of Asia.
Future-talk with Chef Laurent Tourondel founder BLT Steak Hong Kong
This is paradise for food lovers of East and West inspired cuisines, and locals and visitors alike applauded this BLT addition to the ever-expanding list of diversity in cuisines and culinary choice. Five years on, and BLT Steak has established its place at the front: along with a reputation that upholds Chef Laurent Tourondel’s mission to combine the “best products and the most exact techniques”.
In fact, Chef Tourondel opened his first BLT Steak in 2004 in Manhattan, New York. Nowadays, he is overseeing his expanding restaurant group out of the Big Apple and was recently in town to share his observations of evolving consumer tastes and dining experience needs. Joining in on the conversation – Entrepreneur and Restaurateur Sandeep Sekhri (Dining Concepts), the man responsible for bringing BLT Steak to the waterfront in Hong Kong.
Chef Laurent Tourondel
BLT Steak Hong Kong
A look around the busy restaurant, mid-week and in the early-evening hours, gave evidence of the popularity that surrounds the establishment. Hence, the questions extended to both men behind BLT Steak Hong Kong, were as much about their formula for success, as was the probing of their response to identifiable changes to consumers’ culinary and experiential desires. Chef Tourondel was quick to describe the culinary essence that underpins the BLT formula: “…it is all about quality, healthy, flavorsome, colorful and authentic ingredients, prepared to perfection and served more casual yet entertaining on the plate”.
BLT Steak Hong Kong – Pop Overs
As a celebrated Chef and Restaurateur with more than a dozen dining concepts to his name (e.g. BLT Burger, BLT Fish, LT Burger, LT Bar & Grill, Arlington Club, Brasserie Ruhlmann), Chef Tourondel is in a good place to observe and respond to consumer’s evolving culinary and experiential longings. Taking a North American perspective he explains how the evolving casual dining scene is more enticed by the total atmosphere that is created being in the place, and the ambience created through interactions between people and the physical space. “Friendly, vibrant, casual, simple yet up-beat” are key words that best describe these identifiable changes of consumers’ dining experience desires.
Future-talk with Chef Laurent Tourondel founder BLT Steak Hong Kong
Contrasting emerging trends between West and East, Sandeep Sekhri offers his Hong Kong perspective; after all, Sandeep oversees 25 high-performance restaurants across key city locations. He points out the importance Hong Kong diners place on the “quality and value equation surrounding the meal experience”. Taking the conversation into the future, both experts see unique opportunities to innovate and help further define the overall dining experience. This approach may well be the secret to their success and a clever way to assure patrons of these highly valued font-row seats indeed. Bon appetite!
