Catering sector mourns passing of King of Abalone

"King of Abalone" Yeung Koon-yat died at the age of 90 yesterday after an illness.

Yeung, a world-class chef and founder of the famous Michelin three-starred Forum Restaurant in Causeway Bay with his signature dish "Ah Yat Abalone," later developed into a seafood wholesaler bearing the dish's name.

Yeung traveled from Zhongshan to Hong Kong alone when he was 16.

He set a precedent for Hong Kong restaurants in serving abalone as the main course and many heads of state have tasted his dishes, including those from France, Canada, Sweden and South Africa.

He was invited to travel for two weeks in Beijing in 1986 and cooked for then paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, whose comments "China's opening up and reform have made us able to enjoy such good abalone, or otherwise we wouldn't have it now" - cemented Yeung's international image in the catering business.

Former Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui got to taste the signature dish when Yeung went to the island in 1997. He was later invited to cook abalone by the leaders of the Philippines, Thailand and European countries.

Adam Wong Lung-tou, executive chef of Forum Restaurant and a Yeung apprentice, said of his master's death on his Facebook page: "He led the restaurant to a higher level by his selfless spirit of generously sharing his knowledge and helping younger generations. Master's delicacies, spirit and knowledge will be remembered by us, and his tale will be passed down from generation to generation in the future."

Wong said his master had made unending attempts to study food throughout his life and accomplished "innumerable amazing and outstanding feats."

Yeung was honored with an Outstanding Chinese Award from World Chinese Business Investment Foundation and Bronze Bauhinia Star by then chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in 2017.

He was also awarded the Club des Chefs Gold Award, a top chefs association from France. Only three chefs have ever been given the citation, with the two others chefs for the former presidents of France and the United States.

"Yeung is an expert in everything about abalone and no one can replace such a legendary person," the chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, Simon Wong Ka-wo, told The Standard.

He said Yeung remained dedicated to catering into his old age and his humility and politeness to everyone in the industry earned him much respect and high regard.

"He often came to some of our industry meetings in recent years and every time he was dressed very neatly with a suit and tie. He also greeted everyone he saw in the venue, although I know that he personally didn't really like to talk."

He said: "Yeung's death is a huge loss to the whole catering industry."