Chinese cuisine sets the scene

With director Roy Szeto and leading actor Tse Kwan Ho, the production toured across China, with recent performances at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in Beijing on the past Friday to Sunday and upcoming shows in Shanghai from Friday to Sunday. It will return to Hong Kong from Jan 18 to 26.

"I have worked with the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre for eight years. When they first adapted the play in 2022, it was a big success, enjoying a sold-out run," says He. "The play, originally shaped by the deep cultural underpinnings of Beijing, has been re-imagined with Hong Kong context, where the Cantonese dialect's rhythm, humor and subtleties offer a fresh take on themes like food, identity and social stratification."

"Food is particularly important to Chinese people, with a culture that spans over a thousand years. I enjoy eating and love cooking," adds He. "Eating is also an art. When the characters in the play talk about food, they reveal something about themselves."

In The Top Restaurant, food is not just sustenance — it is a means for the characters to express their innermost selves. For example, Xiu Dingxin, a central character, is portrayed as someone who deeply understands the art of food. Throughout his life, he studied cuisine and even delivers a monologue in the play about the relationship between eating, managing a family, governing a country, and being a virtuous person.

According to director Szeto, one of the biggest challenges for the Hong Kong theater in adapting this classic play was translating the cultural references, mannerisms and social codes of Beijing into a Hong Kong context.

"Restaurants in Beijing and Hong Kong are very different — from how the chefs work to how servers greet customers. I visited many roast duck restaurants in Beijing to understand their working dynamics and how they communicate with customers," says Szeto, 58, in Beijing on Dec 31.

He also notes that The Top Restaurant is not just a play about food; it's an immersive experience. The story is set in an exclusive dining establishment, where chefs, servers and diners serve up much more than gourmet dishes. The food is a metaphor for life — a plate of emotion, garnished with wit, humor, and existential musings. It's a rollercoaster of laughter, tears, and everything in between.