Wok On with Chef Fong Kong Loong
Rebecca Jamieson Dwyer meets a chef who takes inspiration from his family and his Southeast Asian heritage…
Name:
Fong Kong Loong
Age:
37
Position:
Head Chef
Restaurant:
Chinadina, Noosaville
How/why did you become a chef?
My mum and grandma always loved to cook, and when I started to become curious about food they passed on all their skills to me. They taught me to make wontons, dumplings and lots of other traditional Southeast Asian meals, as well as pastries and cakes.
What has been the most rewarding moment of your career so far?
I worked in a restaurant in Melbourne prior to moving to Noosa, and built up a great customer base of people who knew and loved my cooking. They started to tell their friends and family, and word spread about my food – it was very rewarding being recognised for creating high-quality dishes, and many of those customers also became my friends.
What do you love about being a chef?
Being a chef can be very challenging but I love that I’m always growing and learning on the job. Whether it’s perfecting a new signature dish, getting comfortable in a new kitchen or learning the best timing for cooking multiple dishes, I’m always striving to develop.
What do you love about local produce? Any favourite local producers?
The seafood here in Noosa is great, and the beef is awesome too. Accessing the full range of Asian ingredients can be challenging, but I like incorporating Australian vegetables such as broccolini into my dishes to give them a twist.
What’s your approach to food?
My specialty is flavouring sauces and soups with fruit and other natural ingredients – I love lemons, lychees, longans, oranges, and ‘papples’, which are a cross between Chinese and Japanese pears.
Who would you love to cook for?
My nephew and my niece, who live back home in Malaysia. I miss them lots.
Who is your culinary inspiration?
Both grandma and my mum. My grandma taught me all her secret Asian recipes, and I’m so glad I learned from her. Most of my mum’s side are hawker street-food vendors – one of my aunties is a great pastry chef, and my uncle is very famous for his flat noodle stir-fries.
So that’s where I picked up my wok skills.
Do you cook at home? If so, what do you cook?
When I’ve been cooking the whole day, mostly something very simple like noodles.
What’s your favourite dish to eat or cook?
Anything with crab – my favourite is Singapore chilli crab (which is actually hitting the menu this month!).
What do you love about being IN Noosa?
It’s very relaxing and beautiful, and there isn’t the stress that comes from living in cities like Melbourne and Sydney. And I’m lucky that my boss Tim is very supportive.
Any advice for young chefs?
Young chefs these days are very different from my generation because they’re focused more on plating rather than the most important thing when it comes to cooking, which is taste.
My advice to them is to learn the basics, work hard and be humble.
What’s your favourite kitchen utensil / tool?
My wok and knife.
What’s your favourite ingredient?
Pandan leaves because they have an attractive flavour and aroma for dessert.
You have to try our Chinadina Pandan Crème Brûlée with coconut ice cream!
