British diners refine appetites for Chinese cuisine

But Hom said attitudes toward Chinese food have changed enormously in recent years as people have come to realize that Cantonese food is just one of the many Chinese cuisines on offer.

"Chinese food at the beginning of the 1980s was sweet and sour pork mainly," he said. "Most Brits had a very stereotypical view of Chinese food. Now, you are seeing more regional Chinese food, and it is no longer just Cantonese food."

Restaurants are serving a wide range of authentic cuisines from the Chinese mainland, including dishes from Sichuan province in Southwest China, Hunan province in Central China, along with food from the north of the country.

Hom said, "British people have become more knowledgeable about Chinese food."

He said modern Chinese restaurants in London are much more authentic, reflecting the sophistication of British diners, including those who are likely to have traveled to China.

With an increasing number of Chinese living in the UK, upscale Chinese restaurants are making inroads into the British restaurant scene.

Founded in 2001, Hakkasan Hanway Place in Central London is a high-end Chinese restaurant owned by the Hakkasan Group. It won its first Michelin star within a year of its launch, which it still holds.

Tong Chee Hwee, executive head chef at Hakkasan, said the restaurant did nothing in particular to earn the Michelin star apart from trying to maintain the consistency of its high-quality food and service.

"The general Chinese food landscape at the time (in 2001) was more-traditional Cantonese cuisine," Tong said. "The philosophy behind Hakkasan was to combine traditional Cantonese food with a new interpretation. Unlike the traditional fine-dining concept, Hakkasan offers customers an experience through sight, sound, smell, touch and taste."

Tong said that people today also care more about their health and eating habits.