A life well-traveled is a concept well-made

With a slew of dining experiences under its belt such as Quemo, He Jiang and the Michelin-starred Ye Shanghai, Elite Concepts needs no introduction. Founded in 1991, Elite Concepts brought high-quality independent restaurants to Hong Kong and grew into a dynamic venture which transforms visionary ideas into commercially viable reality. An alumnus of Cornell School of Hotel Administration, Elite Concepts’ founder Paul Hsu firmly believes in having a clear picture of the target market and look out for what they are craving for and expect. It’s important to wow them and exceed those expectations. 

He states that “The attitude in approaching the matter is the major factor. Instead of merely presenting diners with food, what really matters is the dining experience.” And now, with establishments in Shanghai and Beijing, the company continues to set the trend of hospitality experiences in Asia.

After establishing Yè shanghai in Pacific Place, Elite Concepts migrated its dynamic vision to Star Street with Cinecittà and when the precinct transformed from a quiet urban environment to a night life and entertainment district, the group brought Yè shanghai back to its roots in China. The premises of the restaurant, one of the traditional “Shikumen” houses of the old city became the focus of a fresh, modern interpretation of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai cuisine, in surroundings that mixed the charm of the old with a distinctive modern allure. When asked which of his eateries are most sought-after, Hsu is quick to answer “Without doubt it’s Ye shanghai at the moment. It’s been more than 15 years since its opening and it’s still growing organically with a recent opening Taipei. The concept was unique and just hits the spot, and is still going strong. However, strategic locations makes a big difference.”

The secret to success
There is no doubt the success of the hospitality is steered by the direction and vision of Hsu. Inspired by his travels, he enjoys absorbing new experiences and analysing whether the ideas will work in his restaurants by consulting his team and respective establishments. But translating an idea into reality may not be as easy as it sounds, as the challenge lies in sourcing good ingredients and reliable suppliers. Hsu acknowledges the hurdles that come with innovation.

“The issue [of sourcing suppliers] is becoming more and more challenging. It happens to all the restaurant operators indeed. What we are doing now is dealing directly with the producers for ingredients such as iberico, wine, tea, fresh water crab from Yangcheng Lake, etc. and I’m trying my best to bring the ingredients directly from the source to ensure the good quality. I still keep traveling a lot and exploring new suppliers to keep our concepts fresh and options open.”

Indeed hairy crab is an ingredient which has turned into an event culminated by the group each year and is dissipated into all facets of the hospitality group. When asked why so much rearie is paid to that one ingredient, Hsu explains. “Crab is one of the food ingredients both Hong Kong and Chinese people love a lot and they are very knowledgeable when it comes to the luxury ingredient.”

And when asked what’s next for the creative and visionary group, the executive would only say. “We have more to come as it’s a brave new world for the foodies.” Judging by their track record, we expect something new and novel in the coming year.