Chilean-born Roberto Riveros has recently joined The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong as Chef de Cuisine of Ozone, the world’s highest bar.
Bringing with him 15 years of experience in the kitchens of top-tier restaurants in Santiago and Barcelona, including the Michelin three-star Lasarte Restaurant, the young talent specializes in Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine heightened with modern touches. Chef Roberto’s six-year tenure at Lasarte Restaurant, acclaimed as the culinary embassy of master chef Martín Berasategui, opened doors to a new dimension of culinary arts: time-honored flavors of northern Spain passed down from generation to generation. Chef Roberto’s cooking is deeply rooted in Martín Berasategui’s polished approach to Mediterranean cuisine and eventually evolved and blossomed into his very own philosophy – showcasing the versatility while highlighting the individuality of ingredients in a way all flavors on one plate are simple, balanced and clearly layered. “Tastes on the palate will wash away, but memory lasts. I hope my food is so distinct that it serves as a memory keeper to recall a fond dining experience,” said Chef Roberto.
Expanding his culinary presence in Asia for the first time, Chef Roberto is enthusiastic about experimenting with Asian ingredients in his new a la carte and private kitchen menu. The Japanese-influenced Aubergine and Miso is an appetizing treat to stimulate one’s taste buds – fresh and crunchy cucumber carrot and celery stick dipped in flavorful eggplant puree blended with red and white miso, mirin rice wine and sake; Melon Caipirinha with Anchovy features melon cubes marinated with Caipirinha cocktail for 12 hours and topped with lime zest and savory anchovy to play with Brazil’s very indigenous cachaça.
Green Curry Crab with Tomato and Basil is set to entice and impress any discerning diner – crab cake made with Alaskan king crab meat, mayonnaise, chives and olive oil is lightly browned and accompanied with green curry sauce. The rich coconut milk in the sauce mellows the overall spiciness while allowing the mild sweetness of crab meat to shine. Cod Fish, Bacon and Parmesan features silky smooth cod fish confit slices bathed in an airy soup of Parmesan foam. Finished with sprinkles of bacon bits, salted caramelized hazelnut, coffee and vanilla powder, the dish delivers a burst of tantalizing flavors seeping through the palate. Coconut, Carrot and Passion Fruit is a light dessert to wrap up a meal – brown sugar coffee ice cream sitting on snowy coconut powder, a sweet contrast to the tanginess of the pairing passion fruit-infused carrot cake.
In his new role, Chef Roberto will be leading a culinary team of 8 chefs, overseeing the daily operations of the Ozone kitchen. Guests can sample Chef Roberto’s new creations from Ozone’s a la carte menu, as well as the rotating menus of the exclusive private kitchen (HK$1,280+10% per person). Private Kitchen guests will also enjoy hand-picked New Zealand premium wines from Cloudy Bay at an additional HK$580+10% per person. For the full menu and tasting notes, please refer to the appendix.
All prices are subject to 10% service charge. For reservations, please contact Restaurant Reservations at (852) 2263 2270 or via email at [email protected].