On the 22nd, several Hong Kong food brands hosted a “Taste of Hong Kong” Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at Tim Ho Wan in Irvine. More than 100 Hong Kong food enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the holiday and enjoy an authentic taste of Hong Kong.
The event was transformed into a scene reminiscent of a Hong Kong street market. At the entrance, guests were welcomed with refreshing iced chrysanthemum tea prepared by Wah Tea House, a Hong Kong tea brand with four generations of history. Further inside were booths featuring Lee Kum Kee, Kee Wah Bakery, and Black & White Evaporated Milk. Kee Wah offered samples of several of its newest mooncake creations, while Lee Kum Kee set up a prize wheel where guests could win a variety of its sauces, seasonings, and branded merchandise.
Black & White Evaporated Milk, an essential ingredient in authentic Hong Kong-style milk tea, also served up cups of smooth and fragrant Hong Kong milk tea. Many longtime Hong Kong immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades were moved to say, “Now this is authentic Hong Kong-style milk tea!”
The organizers also prepared traditional Hong Kong-style lanterns for guests to make themselves. Once the lanterns were unfolded and switched on, the entire restaurant was illuminated by colorful lanterns filled with distinctly Hong Kong characteristics, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a Hong Kong cha chaan teng, with its blend of Chinese and British colonial influences.
The celebration brought together Hong Kong immigrants as well as people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds who share an interest in Hong Kong’s food culture. One immigrant who has lived in the United States for 40 years said it was the first time he had experienced such a strong Hong Kong atmosphere during the Mid-Autumn Festival in America, and that the event brought back many memories of Hong Kong.
Tim Ho Wan, a Michelin-starred Hong Kong restaurant, was founded by Mak Kwai Pui, who previously worked as a supervisor at Lung King Heen, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong. The restaurant is known for its freshly made Hong Kong-style dim sum, prepared to order and steamed fresh.
Tim Ho Wan entered the Southern California market late last year. Its CEO of International Markets, Andy Li, said that food plays such an important role in Hong Kong that Cantonese has the expression “搵食” (wan sik), commonly used to describe making a living. Literally translated, it means “looking for food.” The expression, he said, reflects just how seriously Hong Kong people take food.
For people who grew up in Hong Kong, food culture is deeply personal and meaningful. Food can evoke memories of family gatherings, favorite dishes, and time spent sitting around the dining table sharing a meal. Brands such as Kee Wah, Lee Kum Kee, Black & White, and Wah Tea House have deep connections with Hong Kongers. They are not simply household names; they are part of the childhood memories, family traditions, and everyday experiences of generations of Hong Kongers, helping shape the city’s distinctive character and emotional identity.
The Mid-Autumn Festival may be the holiday that most closely resembles Thanksgiving in the United States—a time for family reunions and gathering around a shared meal. By bringing together the flavors of Hong Kong and enjoying good food with loved ones and friends, the organizers hope to introduce some of Hong Kong’s most beloved culinary traditions to people around the world and, in the process, become global ambassadors for the taste of Hong Kong.
For the occasion, the restaurant created a special menu featuring more than a dozen dishes, including its signature baked BBQ pork buns with a flaky pastry crust, pan-fried turnip cakes, shrimp rice-paper rolls, shrimp and pork siu mai, vegetarian spring rolls, garlic cucumber and wood ear mushroom salad, beef chow fun, and other Hong Kong favorites.
The special menu gave guests an opportunity to enjoy a warm and nostalgic Mid-Autumn Festival filled with the flavors and cultural memories of Hong Kong.
