Mon 20 Feb 2023

Creative Vision in the Hong Kong F&B Industry: HK IWSC Judge Wallace Lo Shares His View

Known as one of the world's food capitals, Hong Kong offers an abundance of local and international cuisine. The F&B scene is ever-evolving, and the city takes great pride in it. Let's hear from Wallace Lo, the sommelier and manager at Mato, about his view on the creative vision in the Hong Kong F&B industry.

Q: In the past 2-3 years, restaurants have been very creative in adapting their businesses. What have you seen or has been done in the outlets that have really wow’ed you?

A: Restaurants have been changing quite a bit in the last few years. Actually more than a few years. The concept of a set menu or so-called omakase restaurant is more in the market. So my job as a sommelier becomes very different nowadays. People are keener on wine pairing in this kind of venue rather than opening a bottle of wine to enjoy for their dinner. So it is quite important to keep up with innovations and express different ways of wine pairing in different interpretations and may even go outside wine, other beverages would be involved as well.

Q: What do you love about the HK F&B scene?

A: I love the F&B scene in Hong Kong a lot. It is very rare that you have such a small city with such a tiny space of land but have so many top chefs and sommeliers and wine distributors that are working side by side with one another. We have a lot of top people in the industry based in Hong Kong. Of course with Covid-19 situation in the last few years, it's not really ideal. But with the strength of talented people in Hong Kong I am sure we can make the wine world great again.

After so many years in the industry, I see more and more adventurous products introduced into the city. I am very glad to see more younger wine drinkers in the market welcoming these new categories or new products they have never seen.

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“Winning a silver medal in the HKIWSC has truly helped my product to achieve international credibility regarding its taste. This has positively affected decision making of several new merchants who now carry my product.”Kaustav BagchiOwner, Lamai Thai Spirits
“Louis Royer Cognac has been entering the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition for many years. This competition is regarded as the most respected in Asian countries. Winning an award is a high honour for our brand and a further seal of quality for our multi-award winning Cognac.”Carol FrugierMarketing and Communications Manager, Louis Royer Cognac
“Adding to our success over the past few years at the HKIWSC, winning a trophy means so much to us as we have just recently entered the Chinese market with our brandies. The Chinese market is unique, which makes it even more exciting to know that Oude Molen VOV Brandy is well accepted.”Kobus GelderblomBrandy Master, Oude Molen Distillery
“It is a great honour for us to receive this award and we are very thankful about the reputation from wine enthusiasts in China. This award is a testament to the fact that our white wines not only match the traditional Austrian food but also matches perfectly with the Asian cuisine.”Katja PflogschWinemaker, Domäne Wachau
“To get recognition from such a prestigious panel is vey rewarding indeed, and proves that our wines are made in a style that is truly food friendly. The HKIWSC has become one of the year’s most well-respected wine competitions globally. For us, the food match component is a fantastic chance to demonstrate how well our wines compliment so many different flavours. Moreover, it is a competition known and valued by our customers so a trophy can be hugely influential.””Susanna MayerWinemaker, Yealings
“Awards and medals at the HKIWSC have been like a stamp of approval to the quality of our wines. Because it is an Asian-focused competition, I know that my wines are being judged and measured by the same yardstick as all the other wines, given our viticultural conditions are quite unique compared with the rest of the world. These medals give me and, more importantly, my consumers the confidence that my wines stand apart from the competition.”Kalash GurnaniWinemaker, York Winery
“We are very proud of our results. One of our key focuses is the Asian market, so we really want to make our wines special and desirable for this market. That’s why we want to enter this competition and be evaluated by the expert judging panel.”Sofia Cajewski Winemaker, Cremaschi Furlotti
“We at Yealands Estate Wines are proud to be recognized by the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition. The organization is held in the highest regard and our success in the competitions has become a strong voice for our quality around the globe.”Avram DeitchGlobal Marketing Manager, Yealands Wine Group
“Winning awards in reputable international wine shows such as the Cathay Pacific HKIWSC is one of the many ways of educating our consumers and giving them confidence in purchasing the Saint Clair brand. This enhances brand perception an in turn increases sales across our entire portfolio of wines.”Maria EastonWinemaker, Saint Clair Family Estate

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Creative Vision in the Hong Kong F&B Industry: HK IWSC Judge Wallace Lo Shares His View

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