Shaun Anthony

My name is Shaun Anthony. I’m the chef, spending in my kitchen most of the time, in the restaurant Madam Sixty Ate. Geographically, we are in the north of Hong Kong Island — at its most affluent area of Wan Chai.

I’m not a typical Italian, Spanish or Chinese. I was born in Canada, June 30, 1978. After the war, my mother’s family emigrated to Canada from Germany. So from my mother I have something German and my father — an Irishman and a Ukrainian — here and add to Shaun Anthony a bit of both countries.

Professionally I have been cooking for more than half of life, for 17 years. And I did it already in different countries – I keep busy and I don’t belong to any of them.

When I left Canada, I spent 5 years in Europe restaurants with 1-3 Michelin stars. Then I moved to Australia, and after — to Asia. In general, I cooked my dishes in 10 countries, here is a jubilee number.

My family was associated with food as well as yours. Just like each family. Grandparents cooked, and you eat-eat-eat, and not really think about it, that someone somewhere is setting up business on the food. And I dreamed of becoming a musician. But I needed something else, and I chose cooking. So, I became interested in cooking accidentally. And after several years, my passion for food won the fight with a passion for music. I couldn’t live without it any longer! I realized the value of the traditional cuisine of my grandparents, found out the methods of their cooking in Alsace, the French city, but by the German border. I like the connection between people, the food, and the place where they live. I adore the connection of different regions in the gastronomic sense. It’s very interesting!

To cook in the restaurant and to cook at home are two different things. Not that I eat scrambled at home and in the restaurant – duck with confit. Just at home, I prefer simplicity in cooking. It’s enough good rib steak BBQ, a tad of oysters, simple and delicious Caprese salad, some bread and good wine. Here it’s – happiness!

In the restaurant we have to cook and service the dishes more interesting and unusual. I like to surprise our guests.

The dish can have 3-4 basic tastes, flavors, but cooked and served in a variety of formats. The most important thing is to keep the basic principle, whatever the form. And this principle is to use fresh ingredients that are right at their season peak. And yet – it’s important to treat them with respect – it’s the second part of the principle.

Beyond working hours (and this «beyond» doesn’t happen very often) my passion is music. As I said, once I wanted to be a musician but food magic took precedence over magic strings and magic sounds. But, still, the magic is magic, and I like the guitar and now.

My second (ie, the third?) passion it’s motorcycles. I grew up driving around and thraping the bikes with my brother and father.

One of my greatest achievements and the most exciting adventure of my life – it’s the conquest of Europe on Ducati Monster 900. Yes, in 2007 I spent 61 days driving around Europe on my favorite monster. It wasn’t only my dream, but my dad’s too.

Don’t think it was a fashionable trip. I stayed in small towns and villages where people still eat the same meal as hundreds of years ago. In the sense that the recipes haven’t changed! We, the chefs, periodically change our menu, and for those people their annual menu is equally, and it doesn’t get them. I think nothing inspired me so much as this stunning tour in Europe and its gastronomic soul.

I wish you looking for your love in your life. Love what you do or throw it to hell if feelings are quite weak. I cook with the soul, heart and attention to details. How would I do this if I hated my job and dreamed of becoming a musician? Just try different things and finding what you love, you will get your foot in the door. And you’ll succeed.

Dish on the photo is the duck, chanterelles gris, black pudding with pickled cherry and espresso. I chose it for several reasons. First, cherry and wild mushrooms are now in season. Second, it’s a perfect example of a combination of several protein products in one dish. The duck breast and the black pudding, created in Madam Sixty Ate. Such is the style of our restaurant!

Cherry slightly reduces the rich duck taste and black pudding, while ground coffee provides some element of «earthiness». In the mouth it becomes more moist and gives a feeling of a second sauce. Mmm, great feelings!