customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Charmaine Mok

Many years ago, while he was studying in the English city of Nottingham, Hogan Cheng Ho-hang was stumped when a British friend asked him how he would describe the culture of his home city, Hong Kong.
“I couldn’t say anything. I said, ‘Well, we have some really famous milk tea,’” says the 28-year-old sheepishly.
“I was a bit lost because no one had ever asked me that question before. I’d spent 20-some years living in Hong Kong and I had never thought about it.”
Cheng, who has since moved back to his hometown, has a better idea of how to answer that question now, having co-founded the lifestyle and culture platform Kongcept in 2020 with two of his secondary-school friends, Christopher Chu Man-fung and Don Hong Ching-wah (both of whom have since moved to the UK).

Kongcept was initially envisioned as a simple platform where people could explore the many facets of Hong Kong culture (the Cantonese name of the platform, ngo gong, can mean both “I speak” and “My [Hong] Kong”). Their deep dives on topics such as the city’s neon lights and architectural details quickly garnered a loyal following.
They branched out into the offline world with city tours, workshops and seminars as well as hosting online talk shows, where they would discuss any matters pertaining to Hong Kong culture and identity.
Now, just shy of four years since its inception, Kongcept is launching its first dual-location festival dedicated to celebrating Hong Kong food culture. The event will focus on the city’s bing sutt, or traditional-style cafes, which are a close cousin of cha chaan teng.
The Bing Sutt Kongcept Festival launched on September 17 and will run until October 5, with eight events taking place in collaboration with four bing sutt in both Hong Kong and London.
“From the beginning, we knew we were interested in Hong Kong food culture, but actually none of us really had a deep understanding of it,” Cheng says. “One of the objectives [of the festival] is really for us to get to know our own culture.”

In Hong Kong, Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop, in Yau Ma Tei, and Bolton Cafe, in Tsim Sha Tsui – both part of the new wave of bing sutt – have signed on to be a part of the inaugural festival, as well as Tai Hang stalwart Man Shing Restaurant.
In London, events will be happening in connection with Hoko, the darling of the British capital’s Hong Kong-style cafe scene, which opened in 2021.
Selecting a younger generation of bing sutt owners was a calculated decision, Cheng says.
“We wanted to bring together these new owners to take a look at what Hong Kong food culture is like. This is our starting point. We’re using a different perspective.”
On September 21, Tiffany Yeung Chiu-yi of Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop, and Zach Hui from Kongcept, will lead a walking tour of Yau Ma Tei that will end at the bing sutt. On September 22, Kongcept’s Kathy Lau will lead a similar walk around the district of Tai Hang, where Man Shing Restaurant has served the local community since the 1970s.
Other events include a debate on whether the spirit of traditional bing sutt can be replicated, hosted by the group 4 Mins Debater and featuring speakers such as food writer Michael Lui Ka-chun.


At Hoko, people can take part in a discussion on the intangible concept of yan ching mei, or the human touch, led by food anthropology PhD student Samuel Lai – who created the @caacaanteng Instagram account – and Kongcept co-founder Chris Chu.
The Brick Lane neighbourhood where Hoko is located will be the setting for a cultural tour led by Morgan Cheung of Urban House HK that explores the history of immigrants in the area.
Cheng hopes that Kongcept can grow the festival to create more interest and awareness of Hong Kong food culture. He also wants to make the events more accessible, with more tours and workshops conducted in both English and Mandarin.
But for now, he hopes the inaugural event will help enrich participants’ cultural understanding of Hong Kong, whether they live in the city or miss it.
“I hope that those who participate in our events will discover something they’re interested in. They might come in as a foodie and participate because of the dining element, but they might leave not only interested in eating, but gain a greater awareness of our local food culture. Then, they’ll think more about it and seek it out,” Cheng says.


He thinks back to the time when he found it hard to define Hong Kong culture.
“The second thing I hope they can gain is that they can explain to others what our culture is, and pass on that knowledge.”


Hong Kong’s food culture celebrated in new festival all about ‘bing sutt’ cafes

Where a Hong Kong TV anchor and author goes for Cantonese, Chiu Chow and Hunanese food

Over Momofuku? How to make spicy chilli oil at home, according to 2 Hong Kong chefs

Australian winemaker for Penfolds on her rise and role in making wine in China, California

Food and Drinks

Hogan Cheng, an organiser of the Bing Sutt Kongcept Festival, at Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop in Yau Ma Tei on September 4, 2024. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hogan Cheng, co-founder of Kongcept, and an organiser of the Bing Sutt Kongcept Festival, which celebrates traditional Hong Kong food culture, at Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop in Yau Ma Tei on September 4, 2024. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong-style milk tea is served at Hoko, in London, which is one of the venues taking part in the Bing Sutt Kongcept Festival. Photo: Hoko

Egg tarts at Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop in Hong Kong, one of the ‘bing sutts’ taking part in the Bing Sutt Kongcept Festival. Photo: Instagram/taion_coffee_and_tea

Tiffany Yeung (left) of Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop often leads walking tours around Yau Ma Tei. Photo: Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop

Bolton Cafe opened in 2024 on Ashley Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, as one of the new-wave ‘bing sutts’ in Hong Kong. Photo: Kongcept

Hoko opened on Brick Lane in East London in 2021. Photo: Hoko

Cheng at Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop in Yau Ma Tei. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The bakers keeping traditional mooncake making alive in Hong Kong for Mid-Autumn Festival

Vivian Leung prepares to bake mooncakes made the traditional way using ingredients sourced in Hong Kong for charity Locofarms. Photo: Locofarms

KC Koo is the owner of Hong Kong food company Fancook. He sells a line of mooncakes containing salted egg yolk with yellow lotus paste. Photo: SCMP

The Michelin-star Man Ho Chinese Restaurant in Hong Kong sells freshly baked mooncakes. Photo: Man Ho Chinese Restaurant

A salted egg yolk and yellow lotus paste mooncake. Photo: Fan Cook

Vivian Leung making mooncakes. Locofarms produced 250 boxes of mooncakes for this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo: Locofarms

Hong Kong noodle history and the different noodle styles explained

Shrimp roe thick noodle lo mien from Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle in Hong Kong. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Roast goose with lai fun rice noodles from Yung Kee in Hong Kong. Learn about the different kinds of noodles served in the city, how they are traditionally made, and the foods they are typically paired with. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Wheat noodles originate in Northern China, while rice noodles have Southern Chinese origins, says Dr Siu Yan-ho, a lecturer in Chinese language and literature at Baptist University. 

Marco Li Ka-chi of Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle balancing on a bamboo pole to make noodles. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Shrimp roe thick noodle lo mien at Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

 Cheung Wing Kee started making noodles in the 1950s, producing small quantities using labour-intensive methods.

Roast goose with lai fun rice noodles. The thicker, neutral-tasting noodles are perfect for absorbing the flavours from the roast goose and broth. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

6 Hong Kong restaurant special deals, from a kilo of prawns to all-you-can-eat sushi

Hong Kong restaurants are bringing in customers with some great deals from all-you-can-eat sushi to free-flow wine and sangria and a Wagyu and wine dinner (above). Photo: Whisk

The Toyosu Supreme Menu at Umai SushiKan, in Tsim Sha Tsui, costs HK$888 and has a choice of 125 items, including Wagyu beef and foie gras. Photo: Umai Sushikan

Roasted Peking duck at Cuisine Cuisine, in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Cuisine Cuisine

On Wednesdays, enjoy a Wagyu and wine dinner (above) for HK$1,188 for two at Whisk, in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Whisk

Wednesday night at The Optimist, in Wan Chai, is its “one kilo of prawns” night, costing HK$498 per person. Photo: The Optimist

Order the set meal at Calle Ocho, in Causeway Bay, and enjoy an hour of free-flow sangria and house wines.  Photo: Calle Ocho

Lifestyle

Food & Drink

Running until October 5, the festival involves four ‘bing sutt’ cafes in Hong Kong and London and aims to spread Hong Kong food culture


Running until October 5, the festival involves four ‘bing sutt’ cafes in Hong Kong and London and aims to spread Hong Kong food culture.


Hong Kong culture

What to do in Hong Kong