A season of culinary collaborations begins with two kitchens, two visions and the rare alchemy of four hands at work
Some dining experiences are designed not for the spotlight but for the table itself. This September, Amber and Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic will share kitchens for two consecutive nights as part of DBS Private Bank’s ‘Culinary Delights’ series. Both restaurants were named among the Tatler Best 20 Hong Kong 2025 winners, recognised for shaping the city’s dining culture with clarity, originality and conviction.
On 10 September, Cristal Room welcomes Amber’s Richard Ekkebus into its crystal-lit dining room. Here, executive chef Marc Mantovani carries forward Anne-Sophie Pic’s philosophy of modern French refinement. His plates are precise and architectural, favouring purity of flavour over flourish, each course a study in balance and restraint. Together with Ekkebus, Mantovani will present a bespoke menu that reflects a dialogue between two approaches: one rooted in French tradition, the other in contemporary innovation.
The following evening, on 11 September, Amber hosts the return encounter. Ekkebus has long been one of the city’s most influential figures, reshaping fine dining in Hong Kong through a lighter, produce-driven lens. His menus emphasise purity and sustainability, with dishes that are elegant in form yet deeply considered in substance. In Amber’s elegant dining room, Mantovani joins the culinary conversation across six courses. It is less a collaboration in the sense of fusion and more an exchange: two chefs, two philosophies, meeting in parallel.
For DBS Private Bank, the Culinary Delights programme is an expression of how it serves its clients beyond the realm of banking. More than investment strategies and portfolio advice, it is about understanding the habits, passions and inspirations that shape the lives of its wealth clients. From art to lifestyle to gastronomy, DBS Private Bank works to curate experiences that are as personal as they are memorable. These collaborations, shaped by Tatler Best award-winning chefs, stand as refined illustrations of that ethos.
Dining and Cooking