Ever wondered why Chinese culture is often reduced to a few flashy festivals and stereotypes? Amy Poon, daughter of the legendary Bill Poon—the man behind the world’s first Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant—is here to set the record straight. In her cozy west London kitchen, she’s prepping for a hotpot party, but don’t call it just another Chinese New Year gimmick. “People think Chinese food only exists during festivals,” she quips, bundling coriander and spinach. “It’s like they forget we eat the other 363 days of the year too!” Poon isn’t shy about calling out the Crazy Rich Asians-inspired fetishization of Chinese traditions. “How many families actually sit around wrapping dumplings together?” she challenges. “It’s a myth, and I’m here to bust it.” But here’s where it gets controversial: Poon believes the West often oversimplifies Chinese cuisine, reducing it to clichés. “Is it fair to boil down an entire culture to a few dumplings and fireworks?” she asks. Let’s dive in.
Poon’s culinary legacy is no small feat. Her father’s Covent Garden restaurant, Poon’s, was a magnet for icons like Mick Jagger and Frank Sinatra. Yet, Amy spent years dodging her destiny—until 2018, when she opened a pop-up in Clerkenwell. Fast forward to 2022, she launched her own sauce-making business, and now, she’s reviving Poon’s with a permanent spot at Somerset House. “It’s like coming full circle,” she admits, surprisingly calm days before the grand opening on November 5th. Her husband, Michael Mackenzie, a former financier turned wine expert, is curating the restaurant’s wine list, adding another layer of sophistication to the venture.
Tonight, their home is buzzing with a “winter meal”—a hotpot feast in their open-plan kitchen. At the center? A steamboat, a bubbling pot of water where ingredients like pork tenderloin, rump steak, and wood ear mushrooms are poached to perfection. “It’s like fondue, but better,” Poon explains. “Everything’s marinated, so it’s anything but bland.” And this is the part most people miss: the magic lies in the dipping sauces. From ginger spring-onion relish to Poon’s signature chilli oil, each sauce tells a story. “Steaming is my favorite way to cook,” she adds. “It’s feminine, subtle, and communal—perfect for breaking the ice with difficult in-laws.”
The guest list is as eclectic as the menu. Travel writer Colin Thubron, Shakespeare scholar Margreta de Grazia, and Booker Prize-longlisted novelist Tash Aw are among the friends gathered. The conversation? A wild ride from Wham!’s 1980s China tour to cooking Mongolian camel’s pizzle. Mackenzie’s wine pairings steal the show, featuring cool-climate gems like Jade Gross’s Chiguita and a Sicilian Etna Rosso nodding to de Grazia’s heritage.
As the night winds down, the broth is served with rice noodles, followed by jasmine tea and pandan chiffon cake—light, airy, and “slightly trashy,” as Aw jokes. But here’s the real question: Can Poon’s new restaurant challenge Western perceptions of Chinese cuisine? “It’s not just about food,” she reflects. “It’s about reclaiming our culture, one hotpot at a time.” What do you think? Is Chinese cuisine unfairly stereotyped, or is there room for these traditions to evolve? Let’s debate in the comments!
