The Delish Guestlist Podcast

Beckaly Franks is an eccentric figure. The Hawaiian-born, Idaho-bred, and Portland-raised bartender spent three decades soaking up a unique blend of American hospitality before arriving in Hong Kong to share her genuine love for people in the city’s restaurants and bars. The American hospitality figure founded The Pontiac in 2015 and has enjoyed a legacy many drinking dens in Hong Kong and Asia wish they had. Brash, bold, and beautiful is what Beckaly strives for when creating a dining and drinking space. Beckaly joins her partner and wife Ezra Star to foster a philosophy of love for their customers who walk through the doors of The Pontiac, Call Me Al, Artifact Bar, and Ponty Café. She joins The Delish Guestlist to enjoy a conversation with Rubin Verebes and Natsuki Arita, highlighting her intrinsic love for hospitality.

Edgar Sanuy is a skilled crafter of culinary experiences, proud of the history of food from his warm home in Catalonia. Having worked in Hong Kong for more than a decade, the chef and director has influenced the local food scene with his take on the power of Spanish cuisine to bring people together. Formerly with Maximal Concepts in Hong Kong from 2013 to 2016, Edgar joined the Epicurean Group’s leading collection of restaurants and bars in 2017. He curates the menu and oversees the guest experience at HK's leading tapas restaurants, Pica Pica and BÀRBAR. Edgar joins The Delish Guestlist in the penultimate episode of season two to share his love for cooking Spanish food, discuss the mental health challenges in a demanding industry, and explore his familial connection to the restaurant trade.

Rania Hatoum has mastered two industries under her busy belt in Hong Kong, operating a bridal design company crafting premier wedding dresses, and running private kitchen RH Fine Dining while supplying Hong Kong with premium artisanal tarts with Tarte. Formerly based in New York, Rania traded the Big Apple for a post in Tokyo, before returning to her hometown of Hong Kong. The pandemic spurred Rania to invest in fine dining, opening her private dining kitchen in 2020 to fuse elements of beloved Japanese and French cuisine. Alongside crafting experiential dining moments in her Wong Chuk Hang kitchen, Rania founded Tarte, a Hong Kong-based artisanal tart company, creating savoury and sweet creations for premium occasions. Join editors Rubin and Natsuki to learn about Rania’s story, only on The Delish Guestlist podcast.

Ivy Liu is a rising figure in Hong Kong's coffee scene, determined to teach her city the art and intricate science of how to taste, produce, and source great coffee. Passing her qualifications as the CQI Q Arabica Grader, Ivy brings her marketing expertise, great spokesperson skills, and knowledge of coffee to elevate the standard of coffee and international beans appreciated here in Hong Kong. The skilled coffee maker has recently joined Fineprint Hong Kong as Marketing & Communications Manager, previously consulting with coffee shops and restaurants to perfect tasting notes and pairings. She chats with Rubin and Natsuki about her passion for coffee.

Mexican by identity and Los Angeles by birth, Adam Arzate lives and breathes hospitality and good service. His commitment to providing comfort to the clients he serves daily in his position as Head of Guest Experience at Lan Kwai Fong’s restaurant arm, LKF Concepts, is evident in how he carries himself: tall and with the utmost respect. Over a decade ago, Adam arrived in Hong Kong to join his father’s business Victor Arzate Design International, a creative agency shaping the identities, concepts, and styles of the largest F&B and service groups in Hong Kong and worldwide. Leaving the family business to join one of Hong Kong’s top-class restaurant groups, Adam leads guest experience and service for every esteemed guest, of which he states everyone is important, dining at the six restaurants within the Lan Kwai Fong district. He joins host Rubin Verebes and producer Natsuki Arita on The Delish Guestlist Podcast to share his story.

Korean-born Steve Lee wants to bring Korean cuisine to new heights with his restaurant Hansik Goo in Hong Kong. Existing as the sole Michelin-Star awarded Korean restaurant in the city, Steve arrived in 2020 to elevate his home countries cuisine under the mentorship of Chef Kang Min-goo, head chef of Mingles, Seoul. At Hansik Goo, Steve approaches his menu embracing the philosophy of spring-focused seasonality in ingredients, to use produce and proteins sourced by hand and with love. He says his grandmother’s way of cooking inspired his modern takes produced in his manned restaurant. In April 2023, Steve was glorious in retaining his one Michelin Star at the Michelin Guide Ceremony Hong Kong & Macau 2023, alongside winning the Young Chef Award, recognising his efforts in the industry.

Ash Salmon, with a strong British accent and identity, goes against the grain of his French contemporaries. With one Michelin Star and another Green Star under his belt from his work in Hong Kong with Roganic, the Briton has caught the eyes of France’s culinary elite at the international company. Hailing from the north of England, Salmon cut his teeth at a litany of fine-dining establishments in the U.K., embracing modern British cuisine with a steadfast commitment to farm-to-table cooking. Arriving on Hong Kong shores in 2018, Salmon took the helm of Roganic and Aulis, two restaurants created by Simon Rogan of the international Roganic empire. He joins The Delish Guestlist to share his philosophy of modern British cuisine, sustainability, and farm-to-fork in kitchens.

Susan Jung is a venerable figure in Hong Kong and Asia’s food scene. Donning her signature bowl-shaped haircut, Jung led South China Morning Post’s Food and Drinks section by simultaneously heading an addictive recipe column and anonymously reviewing Hong Kong’s restaurants for nearly 25 years, following the 1997 handover.In March 2022, Susan unmasked herself in her former publication, announcing her new project: Kung Pao & Beyond: Fried Chicken Recipes from East and Southeast Asia. Her book lovingly documents 60 recipes of fried chicken that can be found in the region, and how different cultures approach this commonly beloved dish.With a mission to promote her childhood snack and its various mouthwatering interpretations, Susan travelled the world in spring 2023 to share her undying love for fried chicken and her new book. She joins The Delish Guestlist podcast with host Rubin Verebes and producer Natsuki Arita to share her journey writing Kung Pao & Beyond and why she loves fried chicken so much.

Australian Abby Cadman and Brit Tegan Waters run Feste Group, a newly formed partnership delivering the finest of parties and experiences in Hong Kong consisting of the cities' leading catering company Gingers, alongside bespoke, opulent event planning company Relish. The pair of Hong Kong momprenuers joined the F&B industry to serve their ever-lasting love for creating great food experiences to a larger scale than any group in Hong Kong has served, conceptualising and hosting soirees enviable of anyone. Planning for a summer set with a calendar worth of events blowing out the previous four years, with an estimated 100 parties planned every month amidst Hong Kong’s energy returning to its heydays, Abby and Tegan join The Delish Guestlist to share their experience of running Hong Kong’s leading catering and events company.

Chef Nathan Green arrived in Hong Kong only nine years ago but has made an indelible mark on how Hong Kong eats its steaks. The former JIA Group chef arrived for a position to work at Wan Chai’s starry 22 Ships and Ham & Sherry, before continuing his work at the famed Rhoda in Sai Ying Pun. Green dipped his toes into work with hotel group Rosewood to man the operations at HENRY steak house at K11 Art Musea, before exiting in 2021 to man his two loves: KILO Steakhouse and Rex Wine & Grill. Delivering unique steak-forward experiences for both the affordable and aspirational, Green has a lot to say about Hong Kong’s challenging and challenged relationship with grilled cuts of beef. Chef Nathan Green sits down to speak on The Delish Guestlist Podcast, touching upon the honest life of a chef and mental health in the F&B industry.