Two stars defined Amber for 16 years. The third redefines it.
“I don’t dream anymore as a Two-Star chef. I now dream every night like a Three-Star chef,” says Chef Richard Ekkebus,
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The moment marked a turning point, not just for Amber, but for Ekkebus himself. After being recognized for 16 consecutive years, Amber achieved Three-Star status in the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2025. On stage, Ekkebus could hardly contain his excitement. In the days that followed, his team was on cloud nine and the enthusiasm remains palpable in the kitchen.
Reflecting on his MICHELIN journey, Ekkebus believes that achieving Three Stars was not about doing anything particularly special; it was about daring to continuously innovate, breaking free from past limitations, and building a new Amber.
“That’s why, five years ago, we did the big renovation in Amber,” he says. “It was not easy to convince the owners and Mandarin Oriental to make these significant investments. But it was a very important change. We foresaw that Hong Kong needed a French fine-dining restaurant that did not use dairy, refined flour, or sugar. We removed dairy not just because we wanted to offer lighter meals, but it was predominantly because 70 percent of people in Asia are lactose intolerant. We adapt ourselves to local requirements and expectations so people can really enjoy the food.”
Having spent 20 years in Hong Kong — nearly as long as he has led Amber—Ekkebus, from The Netherlands, has always been an industry trailblazer. “I can see how the ingredients that come to my restaurants have changed over time,” he says. “For me as a chef, it’s very hard to ignore the impacts of global warming. We have to change within our industry and do something for the planet.”
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The changes made five years ago were seen by many as extremely bold. Firstly, customers might not accept a French restaurant that completely eliminates dairy. Secondly, Amber had already been established for over ten years with a solid reputation; such changes could impact the restaurant’s standing and sales.
Nonetheless, Ekkebus (right image, ©Amber) was determined to unleash all of Amber’s potential. “I wanted to rewrite the history of Amber and remain relevant,” he says. “We always try to evolve and push forward. If you look at the shelf life of restaurants in Hong Kong, five years is already a long time. We have been here for 20 years, so change was not a luxury; it was necessary to evolve as a restaurant.”
Time has proven Ekkebus to be right. Not only did the customers stay, but the restaurant has also been packed with guests every day, being recognized with both Three MICHELIN Stars and a Green Star.
Rewriting Amber’s History
Developing dishes without dairy was a long and challenging process, especially since Amber was originally a traditional French restaurant, where butter, cream, refined flour, and sugar are the backbone of the cuisine. For instance, even something as simple as butter served with bread may not be easily accepted by diners if it contains no dairy.“Initially, we used olive oil, but that is very Italian,” he says. “It took us three years of development, using a natural soy milk that we condense to caramel. Then we mix it in with cultivated nut butter and coconut fat. And then, instead of salt, we use a dehydrated soy sauce to give this very creamy butter an umami flavor.”
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Amber’s signature dish of sea urchin, lobster, cauliflower, and caviar was also given new life during the restaurant’s transformation five years ago.
Ekkebus refreshed this iconic dish by replacing the original milk pudding with cauliflower, almond milk, and soy milk, topped with Hokkaido sea urchin and caviar. The foie gras lollipops, one of Amber’s oldest dishes, were also fundamentally changed. Rejecting the traditional force-feeding methods that disregarded animal rights, Amber sought out farms that raise geese humanely, striving to balance commercial needs with ethical considerations. (left image: @MICHELIN)
Mountain Climbing Through Life’s Changes
Several years ago, Ekkebus rediscovered his passion for climbing, injecting his culinary career with renewed energy. “I started when I was very young, but I promised my wife not to do it because it’s a dangerous sport. Three years ago, when my children were older and out of university, I took up this interest again.”Ekkebus spent three weeks climbing in Ecuador last year, reaching altitudes of 6,000 meters. Initially, he had hoped to scale Mount Everest in 2020 as his first expedition, but the Covid pandemic disrupted his plans. In Hong Kong, he runs from the south side of Hong Kong Island to Central every day, a 15-kilometer route that involves lots of hills and requires remarkable physical fitness. After running for an hour, Ekkebus finds himself more energized and productive. By building endurance through running, he can leverage this ability to tackle challenges and manage adversity at work.
“If you climb at an ultra-high altitude, there are many precarious moments. When you’re in life-or-death situations, you need to have a very sound decision-making process. If you apply that to your daily life where you’re always under pressure, you learn to make very sound decisions with a very calm demeanor,” says Ekkebus. “Through this sport, I have learned to recognize what I can control and what I cannot.” His commitment to always giving his best without being overly fixated on outcomes has influenced his approach in the kitchen, perhaps making everything come together more smoothly. (right image ©Richard Ekkebus)
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His passion for fitness has inspired his team as well. His chef de cuisine Terry Ho now goes to the gym every day. “I have other chefs that ask me: ‘Chef, how do you do it? We are so tired. How can you do so much running?’ I tell them,: ‘You’re tired because you’re not running or exercising. If you exercise, you have so much more energy to spend at work.’.” Leading by example, Ekkebus fosters change within the team and encourages chefs to train together, which also doubles up as a great bonding experience.
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Looking ahead, Ekkebus hopes that Amber’s many young chefs will continue the restaurant’s legacy and that they will stay curious and continue to learn new things. “Everybody always talks about passion, but I think if you’re curious and always discover new things, you will automatically remain passionate and continue to improve.”
