Richard Ekkebus was born in the Netherlands and describes his upbringing as his “best apprenticeship”. He was born to cook. His grandparents owned a restaurant and they taught him about the seasons, how to pick only the best ingredients and how to hunt and fish near their Holland home. To this day Richard selects his ingredients with the same passion and hands-on commitment. He goes out of his way to source only the finest producers the world over. He was taught to cook by two of the finest chefs in Europe, Michelin-starred Dutch chefs Hans Snijders and Robert Kranenborg. He honed his skills under some of the most famous French masters, learning the importance of individual ingredients from Alain Passard, and about how to think globally about food from Guy Savoy. Although he mastered his technique under Pierre Gagnaire, Richard maintains that “I did not learn to cook in France, What I developed there was a deep appreciation for French peoples’ pride in their fertile land and what they farm or raise.”

After his time in Europe he completed tours in Mauritius and Barbados before finally ending up at Amber in Hong Kong’s Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel. He is famous for his commitment and work ethic. He must be doing something right as he has led his 45-man team of Chinese and European chefs to two Michelin stars for the last two years.