Opened in 1953 and named after a former general manager of The Peninsula Hotel, Gaddi’s was long considered the best European restaurant in Hong Kong and today Gaddi’s remains a legend in Asia. The epitome of old Hong Kong.

Text by Thomas Jones

Its atmosphere, intended to evoke the hotel’s original 1928 neoclassical architecture, is that of an elegant European dining room blended with the best of Asia, with crystal-and silver chandeliers from Paris, Tai Ping carpet, and a Chinese coromandel screen dating from 1670. As for the food, it’s French haute cuisine at its finest, with a changing menu that reflects the seasons in France and utilizes the highestquality products imported from various overseas locales. The wine cellar is one of the best and largest in Hong Kong.

At the helm, and the reason for Gaddi’s continuing success, is Chef David Goodridge, who learned his culinary skills first-hand from one the world’s finest chefs: Raymond Blanc. Goodridge spent eight years at the two Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire, England, under the tutelage of the celebrated and highly decorated UK-based French chef, where he rapidly worked his way through the ranks from pastry chef to senior sous chef at the age of just 25.

He joined The Peninsula Hong Kong in 2005, and combines traditional and contemporary skills to bring his unique style to Hong Kong. “Any new chef needs to bring his own personality and I changed the style of the food,” says Goodridge. “I am not a classical French cook, in that I don’t like using a lot of reductions. My style is clean, decisive and fresh, from both a taste and health perspective.” But his philosophy remains simple. “I want diners to have the feeling that they can’t wait to come back,” he says. He is keen to meet his customers, either in the restaurant, or at the Chef’s Table in the Gaddi’s kitchen to get feedback. “You learn a lot through customer interaction, as there is only so much you can get from the waiters,” he says.

Gaddi’s’ spacious, fully-equipped kitchen surpasses any he has previously worked in and, committed to using only the freshest ingredients available, he works with old and new suppliers to ensure top quality. “The great thing is you can get anything you want here in Hong Kong.”

With such a fantastic resume I didn’t even open the menu and instead asked directly for the chef to select what he thought was the best of the board of fare that day. Always a good move in a distinguished restaurant. I started with soft-as-you-like red wine braised beef cheeks wrapped in a warm oxtail consommé gelée followed by oven-baked Atlantic black cod with black truffle crust. With the savoury part of the meal complete I moved to a warm bitter Valrhona chocolate tart infused with orange marmalade ice cream and Grand Marnier cream, all topped off with rich chocolate Peninsula tea petits fours and a bottle of French rosé. A perfect lunch. I can say no more!

At 55 years old, Gaddi’s is still one of the most elegant venues for classic French food in Asia. The silverware is as old as the place itself, and some of the skilled, loyal staff have been there just as long. Gaddi’s remains one of the best places where, in the evenings, one can experience the elegance of fine dining and dancing beneath the large picture windows, expensive carved handeliers and mirrors of high society.

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