How does Lee Ho Fook interpret modern Chinese cuisine?

from The Wined Up · host The Wined Up

Send us Fan MailWhat makes a modern Chinese restaurant truly great? And what wine should you be drinking with it? In this episode of The Wined Up Podcast, Trent sits down with Victor Liong, the chef behind Lee Ho Fook, for a conversation that spans food, wine, family, culture and the realities of building one of Australia's most respected restaurants. Victor shares stories from growing up between Brunei, Malaysia and Sydney, visiting his grandfather's kopitiam, walking away from a business degree to pursue cooking, and the journey that led to Lee Ho Fook becoming a fixture of Australian dining. They also dive into opening Lee Ho Fook Sydney, balancing fatherhood with business ownership, handling criticism, overcoming imposter syndrome and why great restaurants focus on refining ideas rather than constantly chasing trends. For wine lovers, Victor discusses the wines that shaped his palate, why Lee Ho Fook champions Australian producers, and his favourite Chinese food pairings. It's a conversation about hospitality, identity, creativity and the philosophy of serving guests above all else. If you love wine, food, restaurants, hospitality, entrepreneurship or Australian gastronomy, you'll enjoy this one. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:55 Icebreakers 00:09:50 Victor's Background Story 00:18:47 Culinary Influences 00:21:10 Li Ho Fook Story & Philosophy 00:24:43 Defining Modern Chinese Cuisine 00:33:00 Wine Journey 00:46:57 Wine of the Day - Gronju Chardonnay 00:52:06 Wine at Li Ho Fook 00:57:13 Wine Pairings with Chinese Food 01:01:28 Rapid Fire Questions 01:08:33 Proudest Moments & Future 01:12:58 Closing 👉 Subscribe to @thewinedup and tell us below: What’s your favourite dish at Lee Ho Fook? Drop it in the comments 👇 Go check out https://www.leehofook.com.au/ 🎙️ Clip from The Wined Up Podcast 📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @the.wined.up 🌐 Visit https://www.thewinedup.com.au 📩 [email protected] #leehoFook #victorliong #granjoux #drinkaustralian #TheWinedUpPodcast #wedrinkwelearnweconnect We Drink. We Try. We Learn. We Connect. Drink Responsibly. 🍷 Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at [email protected]. Drink More, Try More, Learn More.