Michelin star chef Alvin Leung (left), Harlan Goldstein (right)
It was a sight for sore eyes – or one to make your eyes sore. Michelin star chef Alvin Leung from Bo Innovation served customers at Harlan Goldstein’s restaurant Gold on Monday night, in a frilly backless waitress uniform.
The one night only shift was the result of Leung losing the Summer Slim Slam weight-loss challenge. In late spring, the two culinary friends and heavyweights challenged each other to see who could lose more pounds over a three-month period. The two found trainers and sponsoring gyms while trading trash talk and taunts online.
Although the result was very close, in the end Goldstein won by a slight edge. In addition to each chef wagering HK$20,000 to go to charity, the losing chef had to agree to work in a waitress uniform in the other’s establishment.
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Leung, the self-described ‘Demon Chef’, made the most of the humiliation with glossy red lipsticks and stuffing apples into his bra. The backless waitress garb included fishnet stockings, frilly ruffles and a pair of high-heel pumps. The attire was designed with humour by Hong Kong’s top couture fashion designer Barney Cheng, famous for his luxurious dresses and gowns for top celebrities and stars. We suspect this look won’t be making any Best Dressed list.
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Not to be outdone, Goldstein spent the night in a tuxedo with a gold-coloured bow-tie. The two presented a cheque for HK$170,500 for Goldstein’s charity of choice, Heifer International.
The lucky diners at the sold-out event enjoyed an extravagant HK$1,488 eight-course meal (some made it extra extravagant by paying significantly more to top up the dishes with white truffles). The dishes were prepared by chefs from Goldstein’s current and upcoming restaurants, including Gold and the soon to open Sushi To By Harlan Goldstein and The Penthouse (due to appear in Causeway Bay area in January). Leung’s team from Bo Innovation prepared an appetiser as well as debuting a surprise dessert.
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The theatrical brand new concoction is profanely called Bo Shit, involving the use of a can of Red Bull and ingredients that a cow might, um, process. The result was surprisingly sweet with bits of malt chocolate, beer jus, caramel pop corn and ice cream. The dish will replace Leung’s infamous Sex On The Beach as a charity a la carte item on Bo Innovation’s menu.
As you might expect, there were numerous high-powered VIPs in attendance. Among them were Goldstein’s business partner Simon To, former Hong Kong government official Steven Yip, current legislator Abraham Shek, actresses Cecilia Yip and Bernice Liu.
Goldstein claimed afterwards that he and his staff took Leung down to Wan Chai’s girlie bar district for a late night drink while still in the dress. However, “nobody wanted the poor girl.”
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