Chef Andrew Wong of 2 Michelin starred A.Wong in Pimlico has created a new “Evening Menu” to honour the incredible history and cultural pastime of ancient imperial banqueting. Launching on Tuesday 1st February, this new menu will coincide with the beginning of Chinese New Year 2022 and the Year of the Tiger.

Inspired by his ongoing research with the food anthropologist Dr Mukta Das and based on the Confucian ritual of grouping in fives, the new menu will be presented in 5 courses to mirror the same movements within historic Imperial Banquets, where guests shared dishes as collections. These banquets became famous during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). They traditionally showcased culinary techniques from across China, highlighting different ingredients, textures and flavour profiles within dishes that honoured both host and guest.

Each course will allow guests to experience Chinese cuisine the way it is best celebrated, by sharing multiple dishes and enjoying them as a collection. Sample dishes will include Seared black lamb with chilli and peanuts, Cherry smoked memories of Peking duck, plum, caviar and smoked wrap and Cod cheek with fermented chilli and scalded Chinese chives. The new “Evening Menu” will also be available in a vegetarian version with respect to Buddhist cooking, with dishes such as Char Sui soy with honey, grated macadamia and Comte, also Stuffed morels with black pepper sauce, pickled palm and Grilled leek with fermented tofu sauce, puffed fritter, Lily bulb, pickled daikon and dried bean curd. The introduction of the “Evening Menu” alongside the existing “Taste of China” menu will reimagine the dinner offering at A.Wong. Dim sum options will continue at lunch only.

Andrew explains, “The single greatest communication from our many guests and own families during the lockdowns and restrictions of the past two years has been the longing to simply come together to eat and drink. Over the years, Mukta and I had already researched dishes from the kitchen archives of imperial banquets. It just made sense to develop them further and collate them into a single form that allowed everyone to celebrate in the best way we know how. We’re just so grateful to be able to launch it at Chinese New Year here in London, as due to Covid, many of our friends and family back in China will be unable to come together for another year. ”

The “Evening Menu” is available to book online now and will be available from Tuesday 1st February. The menu will cost £135 per person with a minimum of 2 guests and is expected to last for 2-2.5 hours.