This week, we’re in Hong Kong with Agustin Balbi, chef-founder of one-Michelin-starred Andō, the first Argentine chef ever to earn a Michelin star in Asia.
Balbi spent years cooking in Japan’s most prestigious three and two starred kitchens before moving to Hong Kong in 2016. In 2020, he opened Andō, his personal fusion of Japanese precision and Argentine-Spanish soul; it earned its Michelin star within six months and has retained it every year since.
Andō currently ranks No. 88 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ extended list, while Balbi’s work has earned him international recognition, including “Best Young Talent” by La Liste, the prestigious global restaurant ranking, and the Three Knives Award from The Best Chef Awards.
Beyond Andō, he also oversees the culinary direction of Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Box Café in Hong Kong.
Below, Agustin shares:
The restaurants he brings every first-timer to — from a dim sum hall that opens before dawn to the city’s legendary roast goose institution
The last of Hong Kong’s dai pai dongs — traditional open-air street food stalls, with fewer than 25 remaining — and exactly what to order at his two favorites
The most authentic breakfast in Hong Kong, at a tea house dating back to 1933, plus Hong Kong’s must-visit cocktail bars
The food products you have to bring home — including one that works like a “cheat code” on almost anything you cook
The food experiences you can’t find anywhere else: a seafood market experience Agustin says he has never found anywhere else in the world, traditional tea shops and more
(A Google Map with all of the locations mentioned is provided at the end of the interview.)