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Founded in Hong Kong in 2013, Elephant Grounds is a specialty coffee shop and all round brunch destination. The first Elephant Grounds was a small coffee counter with ice cream sandwiches in the back of a lifestyle shop.
Founded in Hong Kong in 2013, Elephant Grounds is a specialty coffee shop and all round brunch destination. The first Elephant Grounds was a small coffee counter with ice cream sandwiches in the back of a lifestyle shop. Today Elephant Grounds unique “Coffee n Chill” message has expanded throughout Hong Kong and beyond the city with shops in Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou as well as a franchise in Manila.
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Each shop is uniquely designed into an urban oasis to offer visitors a sense of respite from their busy day. We recently opened our latest 7,000 square feet flagship located at the mouth of Hollywood Road featuring a roastery and artisan bakery!!
More than a homegrown brand, Elephant Grounds is a coffee focused, fun loving space with distinctive design. As an all-encompassing coffee experience, our beans are roasted in-house to create our signature blends in addition to premium single origin varieties.
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Elephant Grounds also present a consciously designed all-day menu featuring seasonal dishes that use premium Japanese ingredients and homemade pastries. Here, we just love seeing our customers enjoying coffee with the beautiful latte art and the best healthy food.
Morty’s the New York-style deli, is situated on the lower ground floor in Jardine House, Central, and Starstreet, Wan Chai. Morty’s is a modern take on the classic delicatessen concept while still preserving traditional methods that have been instilled in our recipes and practices.
Morty’s the New York-style deli, is situated on the lower ground floor in Jardine House, Central, and Starstreet, Wan Chai. Morty’s is a modern take on the classic delicatessen concept while still preserving traditional methods that have been instilled in our recipes and practices.
Morty’s is a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, happy hour, dinner, online ordering and corporate catering.  Morty’s serves classic and specialty deli sandwiches made with premium cuts of meat that have been smoked in-house.  Morty's prides itself by delivering fresh in-house baked bread and pickled veggies, salads, poutine, gluten-free sauces, and dressings,  smoothies, an array of cocktails, draught beers, craft beers and proudly serving Elephant Grounds coffee.
La Rambla by Catalunya opened its doors in 2018, extending the legacy of its predecessor Catalunya in a new location designed to reflect the dynamic culture of Barcelona’s most well-known boulevard.
La Rambla by Catalunya opened its doors in 2018, extending the legacy of its predecessor Catalunya in a new location designed to reflect the dynamic culture of Barcelona’s most well-known boulevard.
Spanning 5,000 square feet within IFC mall, La Rambla’s energetic interiors were inspired by the bustling namesake boulevard in Barcelona. Velvet green booths and rattan chairs frame the main dining area, which looks out to a sleek outdoor terrace with lounge seating. With unrivalled views of the iconic Victoria Harbour, our terrace is an alfresco destination for idle afternoons, sunset cocktails, and small bites.
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Helmed by Executive Chef Ferran Tadeo, our menu features modern interpretations of regional Catalan cuisine and crowd-pleasing Spanish favorites. Highlights include traditional tapas, signature paellas, and seasonal seafood sourced daily. Our beverage programme by award-winning mixologist John Nugent offers a curated collection of wines and gins from Spain and beyond, in addition to refined cocktails that draw from Barcelona’s vibrant culture.
The first overseas outlet, WAGYUMAFIA Hong Kong, opened in 2018. WAGYUMAFIA was founded by self-taught chef-turned-wagyu experts Hisato Hamada and entrepreneur Takafumi Horie.
The first overseas outlet, WAGYUMAFIA Hong Kong, opened in 2018. WAGYUMAFIA was founded by self-taught chef-turned-wagyu experts Hisato Hamada and entrepreneur Takafumi Horie. Originally in the beef export business, the brand was created following a series of private dinner pop-ups around the theme of Wagyu. In 2016, the duo launched their first members-only restaurant in Tokyo, The WAGYUMAFIA Progressive Kaiseki, serving Japanese reared Wagyu sourced directly from farmers breeding champion Kobe and Tajima beef, which are prized for their unique fat marbling and umami flavours.
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Redefining the age old japanese technique of grilling meat over fire, yakinikumafia hong kong is a celebration of sustainably raised single breed wagyu and cutting-edge butchery techniques that minimize wastage. Gourmands can enjoy affordable cuts of ozaki beef and experience the range of textures and flavors only found in premium wagyu.
Redefining the age old japanese technique of grilling meat over fire, yakinikumafia hong kong is a celebration of sustainably raised single breed wagyu and cutting-edge butchery techniques that minimize wastage. Gourmands can enjoy affordable cuts of ozaki beef and experience the range of textures and flavors only found in premium wagyu.
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Echoing copenhagen’s sleek airport, our airport themed interiors allude to the take-off of the new yakinikumafia brand and our vision to reach an even wider audience of wagyu lovers. From a “departures board” menu display to plush lounge seating, the design elements throwback to copenhagen’s role as the first importer of wagyu during wagyumafia’s early days.
Mashi no Mashi is born from fond childhood memories of Wagyumafia founder, Hisato Hamada. From family food trips full of new discoveries and lasting flavours - this ramen recipe is his ultimate symbol of comfort food.
Mashi no Mashi is born from fond childhood memories of Wagyumafia founder, Hisato Hamada. From family food trips full of new discoveries and lasting flavours - this ramen recipe is his ultimate symbol of comfort food. Though the deceivingly simple combination of soup and noodle proved to be a daunting challenge to take on, the research and testing persevered now with the first shop open in Hong Kong. Why Hong Kong? Realising a mutual synergy of soup noodle appreciation that's almost incomparable to Japan, paved way for a whole new approach to ramen preparation. A unique broth and noodles with exquisite toppings, unlike any of its predecessors. Â Named after the desire to have more noodles after ramen, Mashi no Mashi satisfies the most humble to finicky palates, always leaving the stomach craving for more!
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The first speakeasy concept by award-winning mixologist John Nugent, The Diplomat offers a cocktail experience befitting of the convivial personality of Hong Kong. The beverage menu features small batched produced wine, vintage liquors, and reimagined classic cocktails shaped by the legacy of influential state leaders, ambassadors, and historical figures.
The first speakeasy concept by award-winning mixologist John Nugent, The Diplomat offers a cocktail experience befitting of the convivial personality of Hong Kong. The beverage menu features small batched produced wine, vintage liquors, and reimagined classic cocktails shaped by the legacy of influential state leaders, ambassadors, and historical figures. The Diplomat’s interiors are reminiscent of a cozy gastropub, and feature eclectic artwork by contemporary creatives that accentuate the speakeasy’s contrasted spaces. Whether for the expertly crafted cocktails, opened armed hospitality or whimsical ambiance, The Diplomat is a place where weary travelers can call home.
Read More Read LessEXECUTIVE CHEF,
LA RAMBLA BY CATALUNYA
CHEF DE CUISINE, MARGO
EXECUTIVE CHEF, JAPANESE CUISINE
GROUP SOMMELIER
GENERAL MANAGER
After honing his culinary skills working with Michelin-starred Spanish Chef MartĂn Berasategui and Chef Santi Santamaria, Chef Rafa uprooted his life in 2012 to help open Catalunya in Singapore, his first foray into Asia, with just three months to open the restaurant. He then moved to Hong Kong in 2013 to join the opening team of Catalunya Hong Kong. Since then, he has thrived in Asia’s fast-paced dining industry, spearheading the transformation of Ozone at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong into a speakeasy dubbed Rafa’s Private Kitchen.
Chef Rafa embarked on a life-changing experience to Los Angeles in 2017, combining his unique understanding of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine and 11 Westside chef-owner Edras Ochoa’s wealth of exotic street food experience to bring home a semi-finalist finish in Netflix’s hit show "The Final Table". Chef Rafa then brought his creative flair to W Hong Kong, heading up the hotel’s restaurants, before returning to La Rambla to take the restaurant back to its roots.
Chef Paecke’s expertise in fine-dining is a result of his 23 year career spent at world-renowned restaurants. His journey began in Germany, where he was an apprentice at the Hotel zum Storchen. After gaining ample experience in Europe, Paecke first helmed the kitchen as Chef de Cuisine in the Michelin-starred Luce d’Oro. His talent was soon discovered by the Mandarin Oriental Group in 2007, where he refined culinary techniques and led his team as Chef de Cuisine of SOMM, at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong by 2017.
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Paecke seeks inspiration from local-grown ingredients in the cosmopolitan which he lives and loves. “I have never seen a city like Hong Kong, that can be the home of such a large variety of cuisines around the world.” He envisions a naturalistic concept in which original flavours of ingredients are enhanced using traditional Bavarian cooking methods.
With a string of impressive accolades in his stride, John Nugent hails from Seattle and first appeared on the American bar scene at the age of 22. He trained extensively in the art of classic cocktails and recently oversaw the cocktail programme for Chef Albert Adria’s Asia pop-ups.
Recognized for his precision and passion, Nugent has won a number of prestigious competitions including Cocktail Wars and the Cognac Experience Cocktail Competition. He was also nominated Best Bartender in Hong Kong by Johnnie Walker and named Hospitality Ambassador of 2018 by Fever Tree.
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Since moving to Hong Kong in 2017, and a fruitful tenure at Lily & Bloom, Nugent continues to bring his flair – a combination of worldly knowledge and bold techniques – to the local cocktail dialogue. Stay tuned for more information on The Diplomat.
Originally from Shizuoka, Japan, Chef Yohei has lived in Hong Kong since 2010, after completing his culinary training program in Calgary, Canada in 2002. Chef Yohei honed his craft at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong for five years prior to taking the helm WAGYUMAFIA Hong Kong as Chef de Cuisine.
Creating a fun and unforgettable dining experience each evening, Chef Yohei quickly become a brand icon. His culinary artistry at WAGYUMAFIA is lauded for seasonal menus that authentically blend high quality Japanese ingredients with classic Cantonese cuisine in novel and exquisite ways. With his exceptional creativity, Chef Yohei adds a unique dimension to WAGYUMAFIA dining, found only in Hong Kong.
It was a sip of Bordeaux 1970s that channeled Elvis' passion for wine. He was working at the French Bistro whence he found the worldly knowledge of wine and its history fascinating, and led him to pursue a career as a Sommelier. Â
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Since 2016, Elvis has immersed himself in the study of wine, and made it his personal mission to provide guests the best wine and dine experience. Following his passion, he became a *certified Sommelier*. His talent was soon discovered and he joined Leading Nations in 2018, overseeing the wine program in several Japanese restaurants including Wagyumafia and Sushi Mamoru. To excel in his role, he became a certified Sake Sommelier. Upon his progression in the hospitality group he built an impressive program of Spanish wines for La Rambla — one of the most extensive collections in Hong Kong, and tirelessly educated staff and diners about wine.
Keith Chan
At Leading Nation, we are always on the lookout for talented individuals. If you are interested in joining us, please email your resumes: careers@leadingnation.com
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