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Kee Foong

Barely two years ago, when people talked about who would be the next culinary star in Hong Kong, Aven Lau’s name was often on the list. The then 27-year-old was head chef at Bâtard, one of the hottest restaurants in town.
Once he took the reins in the kitchen, the food went from simple bistro fare to edible artworks that wowed the city’s gourmets.
Bookings became insanely difficult to secure even for industry insiders, and Lau’s ascendancy seemed unstoppable.
But then something started to feel off. “Because of Covid, I didn’t travel for a long time and was feeling a bit trapped,” says Lau. “The ideas weren’t coming. I could imagine the flavours and dishes tasted all right, but they didn’t look stunning. I felt like I needed to realign myself.”

And just like that, he left Hong Kong.
The plan was to spend time with family and friends in his home country of Singapore before taking up a lucrative job in Malta. On returning to Singapore, however, his life began to unravel.
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“I was exercising a lot. One day I was running under the hot sun and began to feel sick,” he says. “That night, when I went to bed, my heart was beating so fast, I almost fainted.”
Lau was rushed to hospital for tests, but doctors were unable to find any physical problem. “They said, ‘There’s nothing wrong with you, it’s probably anxiety or a panic attack’, but what I felt was so intense I thought I was going to die.
“It was the start of my one-year nightmare.”
According to Lau, doctors initially failed to properly advise what to do or how to deal with his condition and he remained convinced something was wrong with his body, possibly a brain tumour.
He went for scans and MRIs, which all came back normal. Being told he was healthy only fed his anxiety and started a downward spiral.
Plans for Malta were cancelled and Lau confined himself to his parents’ house. Soon, he was unable to go out or take public transport by himself without feeling overwhelmed.
There were times I found myself at the restaurant at 4am because I couldn’t sleep, so I would go in and try and come up with a new dish
Aven Lau on his lifestyle
Things got so bad that “I even had to have my mom sleep with me at night, in my room”, Lau says.
This was a shock for the ambitious overachiever who taught himself to cook while doing compulsory military service, eventually landing jobs at lauded restaurants Odette in Singapore and Belon in Hong Kong, before becoming head chef at Bâtard.
The confident young man who once hopped on a plane to Copenhagen on a whim to learn about Nordic cuisine was too scared to take a bus.
“I couldn’t believe I was having a panic attack because I could handle all kinds of stress in the past,” he says. “Whatever s*** was thrown at me, I could take.”
As he opens up about his gruelling routine, however, it’s less surprising that something had to give.
A typical work day would start at dawn and finish after midnight. He would then go to the gym and not get home until 3am. Instead of going to bed, he would read cookbooks for another hour in a relentless quest for self-improvement.


“I just wanted to win at everything and loved the grind,” says Lau. “There were times I found myself at the restaurant at 4am because I couldn’t sleep, so I would go in and try and come up with a new dish.”
Eventually, Lau sought therapy and accepted that he was suffering from panic attacks. It was a slow road to recovery, and his mother remained at his side.
About six months later, “I realised I had to take back control of my life”, he says.
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He reached out to his former mentor, Julien Royer, of the by then three-Michelin-star Odette, and told him about his situation. Royer immediately said to Lau: “We will give you a part-time job and whatever flexibility you need. You don’t have to commit.”
It was what he needed to get back in the kitchen. The tedious task of filleting fish was therapeutic, and the prospect of holding a knife and cooking again excited Lau.
Then came the call from Michelle Ma-chan, co-founder of Gourmet Dining Group, which owns Michelin-star restaurants Arbor and Épure in Hong Kong, offering him a role at the latter.

“I don’t know what gave me the confidence to say yes, but I did. We had a video call and although I was afraid of telling my future boss about my condition, I was very open about it. She then flew me to Hong Kong to meet face to face.
“I told her, ‘I’m not at my best right now but if you give me a year, I’ll take the job’, to which she replied, ‘We’ll give you the time that you need and look forward to you joining us’.”
Lau returned to Hong Kong earlier this year as executive chef at Épure in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, working three days a week.
Instead of launching a new menu with a bang as he might have done in the past, Lau has been quietly developing dishes for the contemporary French fine-dining establishment.
With the restaurant located in a huge shopping centre, Lau must balance accessibility and exclusivity, especially at lunchtime, for a mix of office workers, shoppers and Chinese tourists.
At dinner, the goal is to shift Épure from a special occasion restaurant to a regular dining destination.

What hasn’t changed is Lau’s focus on making food that is delicious and beautiful, with a wow factor.
“I’m not trying to cook food that’s life changing, but it has to shine and have an element of surprise,” says Lau.
In addition to a crab and avocado signature dish from Bâtard, the menu is filled with new creations, among them an exquisitely presented curried crab dish with cauliflower cream topped with a vibrant green disc of apple and curry leaf jelly.
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Asked if the long hours associated with the hospitality industry contributed to his stress, Lau demurs, though he concedes that working conditions can be harsh and the pay low.
He says his experience has made him more understanding.
“I have a lot of empathy now for others,” he says. “In the past, when I saw someone not focusing in the kitchen, I would have a go at them. I’ve learned to take a step back and check if there’s a problem.”

“Sometimes you can see on their faces that they’re having a bad day and just need to take a break.”
The most important lesson Lau has learned is patience.
“I used to be the most impatient person on Earth. If I wanted something I would go full force to achieve it. I thought the more I grind, the more I’ll improve. But now I know that you must slow down, go the longer way, and be patient.”
He has nothing but praise for his mother, Ma-chan, and Royer, and is grateful to them for helping him get back on his feet. Lau also credits Hong Kong mental health support group Talking Mental and its founder, Aaron Stadlin-Robbie, who made him realise he wasn’t alone in his ordeal.

“Everyone close to me helped. By being open, I feel a million times better. Panic and anxiety are real. Depression is real,” he says, adding that it might be hard for those who haven’t been through it to understand.
“I want to talk about it because it might give others hope. Talking to people and reading articles about getting through helped me come out the other side.
“The panic will pass, and you will be all right again.”


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Food and Drinks

‘My 1-year nightmare’: Hong Kong chef Aven Lau on his panic attacks, the gruelling lifestyle that led to them and how he found his way back

A rising star in Hong Kong’s culinary landscape, Aven Lau was an overachiever, driving himself to create edible artworks and barely sleeping. 

Aven Lau was a rising culinary star in Hong Kong, heading the kitchen of one of its most in-demand restaurants. He left to take up a new job, but suffered anxiety and panic attacks. He charts his journey to recovery. Photo: Épure

Chef Aven Lau at Épure in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Lau pushed himself hard when he ran the kitchen at Bâtard, in Hong Kong, often not sleeping and going back into the kitchen at 4am to work on dishes.

Lau was known for pushing the envelope with his dishes (such as whole roasted quail with morel mushrooms and Madeira, above), when he ran the kitchen at Bâtard. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Michelle Ma-chan, co-founder of Gourmet Dining Group, reached out to Lau to offer him a job at Épure, in Hong Kong. Photo: Edmond So

Épure’s foie gras, Madeira and maple syrup. Photo: Épure

Kegani crab underneath a vibrant layer of green apple and curry leaf jelly at Épure. Photo: Épure

Alaskan king crab (above) is one of Lau’s creations he has brought with him from Bâtard. Photo: Épure

From Italian and Latin American cuisine to Cantonese with a twist, 8 of the best fine-dining chef collaborations coming up in Hong Kong

Chefs from some of the world’s best restaurants are teaming up for high-end culinary events in Hong Kong in September and October. Above: Ricardo Chaneton (left) from Mono has invited Juan Luis Martínez (right)  of Mérito in Lima, Peru. Photo: Mono

Hokkaido scallops, figs and wakame with crispy bread at Sabatini’s. Photo: Sabatini’s

Amber Alumni Return dinners feature an impressive line-up of 11 chefs and others who have worked at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong hotel over the past 18 years. Photo: Amber

Yasutaka Daimon, 70, the sixth generation owner of Daimon sake brewery, in Japan, is providing the sake to pair with Agustin Balbi’s dishes at a collaboration dinner at Andō. Photo: SCMP

Prawn noodle soup by Richie Lin of Mume, in Taiwan. Photo: Roganic

Christian Bau of Victor’s Fine Dining, in Germany. Photo: Victor’s Fine Dining

Amuse-bouches from Victor’s Fine Dining. Photo: Victor’s Fine Dining

Rafael Cagali (left) from Da Terra, in London, will join Antimo Maria Merone for a collaboration at Estro restaurant in Hong Kong. Photo: Estro

ArChan Chan and Jayson Tang are teaming up for two nights for “Duology of Chinese Traditions”: re-imaginings of Cantonese cuisine. Photo: Man Ho, Ho Lee Fook

Juan Luis Martinez of Merito Restaurant in Lima, Peru, joins Ricardo Chaneton at Mono for two days of multi-course meals. Photo: Mono

How to stop panic attacks: expert tips on bringing them under control and managing related anxiety, and how a woman dealt with hers

Painting and spending time in nature have helped Debra Low overcome panic attacks. Photo: Jan Kok

Panic attacks can be debilitating. Spending time in nature, long walks and painting all help Debra Low de-stress and prevent her attacks and the related anxiety. Photo: Jan Kok

Painting and spending time in nature has helped Debra Low manage her panic attacks. Photo: Jan Kok

Panic attacks can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender and background, says Singapore-based psychiatrist Dr Lim Boon Leng. Photo: Dr Lim Boon Leng

Symptoms of a panic attack may include a racing heart, trouble breathing, chest discomfort, trembling, dizziness, feelings of impending doom and a loss of control. Photo: Shutterstock

Peer groups can be immensely helpful in coping with panic attacks, says Justin Loo, the head of programmes at mental health charity Resilience Collective in Singapore. Photo: Justin Loo

A creative outlet such as painting often helps people to de-stress and reduce panic attacks. Photo: Jan Kok

Chinese century eggs: what’s to like about them, if you can get past their look and smell, how to eat them, and are they really that old?

Chili oyster with century egg at Wing in Central, Hong Kong, where chef Vicky Cheng makes his own version of the eggs. Photo: Wing

The Praya’s Hot Century Egg cocktail, a twist on the classic Negroni that comes garnished with a slice of century egg. Photo: The Praya

Theodoric Wong and Gloria Chung’s backlit century egg. Photo: Theodoric Wong and Gloria Chung

Auor’s Sichuan pepper century egg amuse bouche. Photo: Auor 

Life-changing pancakes, amazing fried rice, dog-friendly muffins: an Australian’s go-to places to eat in Hong Kong

Pancakes from Lo Come Jian Bing in Tin Hau, Hong Kong. Photo: Instagram/@locomejianbing

Jono Toh, a fashion designer turned visual artist, shares his favourite restaurants in Hong Kong. Photo: Jono Toh

BBQ pork and scrambled egg on rice at Mon Kee Cafe. Photo: Instagram/@monkeecafe_official

Pancakes from Lo Come Jian Bing. Photo: Instagram/@locomejianbing

Wonton noodle soup from Mak’s Noodle. Photo: SCMP

Egg waffles from Mammy Pancake. Photo: Jojo Yuen

Roast Wagyu short ribs from Ho Lee Fook. Photo: Jonathan Wong

An assortment of muffins from Fineprint. Photo: Instagram/@fineprint.hk

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A rising star in Hong Kong’s culinary landscape, Aven Lau was an overachiever, driving himself to create edible artworks and barely sleeping
Things came to a head after he left Hong Kong to go home to Singapore, where he started having panic attacks. He talks about his anxiety and recovery


Singaporean Aven Lau was a rising culinary star in Hong Kong, heading the kitchen at one of its most in-demand restaurants. He talks about his journey with anxiety and how he overcame panic attacks.
