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What makes a modern Chinese restaurant truly great? And what wine should you be drinking with it? 

In this episode of The Wined Up Podcast, Trent sits down with Victor Liong, the chef behind Lee Ho Fook, for a conversation that spans food, wine, family, culture and the realities of building one of Australia's most respected restaurants. 

Victor shares stories from growing up between Brunei, Malaysia and Sydney, visiting his grandfather's kopitiam, walking away from a business degree to pursue cooking, and the journey that led to Lee Ho Fook becoming a fixture of Australian dining. 

They also dive into opening Lee Ho Fook Sydney, balancing fatherhood with business ownership, handling criticism, overcoming imposter syndrome and why great restaurants focus on refining ideas rather than constantly chasing trends. 

For wine lovers, Victor discusses the wines that shaped his palate, why Lee Ho Fook champions Australian producers, and his favourite Chinese food pairings. 

It's a conversation about hospitality, identity, creativity and the philosophy of serving guests above all else. 

If you love wine, food, restaurants, hospitality, entrepreneurship or Australian gastronomy, you'll enjoy this one. 

Chapters 

00:00:00 Intro 

00:00:55 Icebreakers 

00:09:50 Victor's Background Story 

00:18:47 Culinary Influences 

00:21:10 Li Ho Fook Story & Philosophy 

00:24:43 Defining Modern Chinese Cuisine 

00:33:00 Wine Journey 

00:46:57 Wine of the Day - Gronju Chardonnay 

00:52:06 Wine at Li Ho Fook 

00:57:13 Wine Pairings with Chinese Food 

01:01:28 Rapid Fire Questions 

01:08:33 Proudest Moments & Future 

01:12:58 Closing 

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 Go check out https://www.leehofook.com.au/ 

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