Friendly Neighborhood chef cooks up joy

Chef David Lai's journey on reality show Chef of China was anything but conventional.

During the grand finale, with the pressure mounting and two spots left in the final round, his fellow chefs were deep in concentration, perfecting their dishes. But Lai, the seasoned Hong Kong chef, took a completely different approach — calmly preparing his closing dish while singing "let me go".

It was more than a tune; it was his message to the judges: he was ready to step aside and let the next generation shine. "He has already achieved the freedom of culinary artistry," said judge Nicholas Tse, sensing not just the melody but the deeper sentiment behind it.

For Lai, cooking was never about the competition or the hustle. "The most important thing about being a chef is to enjoy it. I also know that before enjoying it, you have to do a lot of homework," Lai explained.

"If you want to be a chef, you have to love food and be able to stand in the kitchen for over 10 hours. Actually, none of this is hard work for me. In life, find your own interests, your own talents, and then just follow them, never let go — it's all about enjoyment."

In a season dominated by high stakes and fierce rivalry, it was Lai's calm, carefree spirit that won the hearts of viewers.

The 55-year-old introverted chef was as surprised by his newfound fame as anyone, but the relaxed, free-spirited persona he presented to the public gave viewers a refreshing, even inspiring, look at what it means to be a chef.

His journey broadened public understanding of the culinary world while encouraging many to pursue their own passions with the fearless joy Lai demonstrated so effortlessly.

Beyond the show, Lai's down-to-earth philosophy resonated deeply with fans. In August, he launched his Xiaohongshu (social media platform RedNote) account and gained over 13,000 followers in just a day — far outpacing his Instagram growth over the past seven to eight years.

"I live on Xiaohongshu," he joked, noting the flurry of posts tagging him. He made it a point to read and interact with each one.

Lai was particularly delighted to see fans recreating the dishes he prepared on the show, especially the roasted chili fish. "Some people who don't eat fish tried it, some who don't cook tried it, even those who don't eat spicy food gave it a go. It's really fun," he said.

Many fans praised him not just for his cooking, but for his approachable, positive attitude. One user on Xiaohongshu, "Gunaiqingfeng" shared, "In these two months of 'knowing' chef Lai, the biggest impression I have is that I no longer worry about getting older. Life still has so many interesting things to offer, and no matter your age, you can live freely and joyfully. Thank you, David, for joining this show and sharing such an inspiring story."

From art to cook

Born in Hong Kong and raised between Hong Kong and Taiwan, Lai moved to the United States at 12 with his family.

A passionate artist from a young age, Lai studied fine arts and art history at the University of California, Berkeley. During his university years, he developed a keen interest in food.

He dined at many local restaurants near campus, and with the rise of celebrity chefs at the time, often visited secondhand bookstores to buy European cookbooks, gradually experimenting with cooking on his own.

"Cooking can satisfy my need for self-expression — it's like painting, but with food," Lai explained. "It's a very direct exchange: if customers are hungry, I cook for them. Whether it tastes good is another story. But it's a very basic exchange and I find it more practical and rewarding than drawing pictures."

Lai's professional cooking journey began in earnest with French cuisine, working in a French restaurant to learn the ropes. He quickly rose through the ranks after a chef fell ill, creating an opening for him.

In 2003, when Alain Ducasse opened a restaurant in Hong Kong, Lai was presented with an opportunity to return to his hometown and continue his culinary growth.

By 2009, Lai decided to open his own restaurant, focusing on what he truly wanted to cook — comfort food.

"I believe food should carry emotion. Fine dining feels colder to me, less fulfilling. I prefer bistro-style food," he explained.

After participating in several restaurant operations, Lai realized that managing a large kitchen wasn't his goal. Instead, he longed for the freedom to cook without constraints, which led to the opening of Neighborhood in Central, Hong Kong, in 2014.

"I chose Central because it's a busy area. Our main customers are office workers in Central, and the higher consumption here means we can use better ingredients," he said.

The restaurant isn't large, with only about 20 seats, but Lai and his team have been working together for over 10 years — from the restaurant manager to the kitchen staff.

Every morning, Lai selects the freshest ingredients at the market, which are then prepared by the kitchen. In the evenings, he creates special dishes based on the day's offerings, keeping the menu free and casual.

The restaurant has no specific theme — seasons and ingredients guide the menu. For example, during the mushroom season in Yunnan province, he orders various types of mushrooms.

"I don't really want to explain what the dish is called — once it has a name, it comes with constraints. Now, I just cook whatever I feel like, and the customers accept it," he said. "We don't do marketing or advertising and it took us two years after opening to really start making a profit."

For Lai, food, like art, is a way to communicate with people.

"My cooking style is simply doing what I want. The thing that makes me happiest is when customers eat my food with friends and feel like they know me. I can express my personality through my dishes," he said.

His restaurant has been consistently ranked in Asia's Best 50 list in recent years, peaking at 9th, and later earning a Michelin star. Following his popularity on Chef of China, reservations are now booked through November.

But for Lai, these accolades are secondary to the experience he creates for his customers. "I want regulars to have something new every time they come. This gives me the motivation to keep creating new dishes, and once a dish is well-received, it may become a permanent part of the menu."

Seafood is a key ingredient in Lai's restaurant and he goes to the market daily to source the freshest fish — something he believes is the most local and authentic ingredient in Hong Kong.

Lai believes that in this age of information overload, it's easy for a chef's creativity to be influenced by what's seen online. He reads many books and browses a lot of information, but nowadays, he prefers to create dishes from the perspective of self-discovery and world exploration. He travels to places like Japan and Europe for inspiration. Compared to Michelin three-star restaurants, he enjoys visiting local bistros more.

"I believe the emotion conveyed by food must first move the chef, so that customers can feel it too. If the feeling and experience are secondhand, designed based on information from others, then the emotion will be weaker," he said. "So, you have to experience things firsthand."