Local Icon: Get to know Chef Kelvin Cheung

In this Local Icon series, Chef Cheung shares his favourite restaurant, go-to takeaway order, and more!

Chef Kelvin Cheung, Michelin-selected and award-winning, is pioneering “third culture cooking” at Jun’s, ranked #7 on MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list and awarded One Toque by Gault & Millau UAE.

Go-to takeaway?

Hashmi BBQ’s chooza (fried chicken).

Perfect family meal?

Bone broth and noodle soup, a comforting meal we enjoy together at home.

If you could dine from one TV show’s menu, what would it be?

God of Cookery. The BBQ rice bowl, representing cooking with love, is simple yet perfect. It’s a dish I grew up eating every day after school.

A nostalgic treat?

Gummies—shared with my mother; they remind me of simpler times.

Morning routine?

A big glass of water, followed by morning hugs from my family.

What is your favourite restaurant in the GCC?

Tresind Studio.

Drink order?

Black coffee or lactose-free milk latte.

What are your top 3 Spotify artists?

First Take Podcast, Biggie, and 741 Hz.

Most memorable dining experience?

Dining with Chef Tonn at Nusara in Bangkok.

Surprising facts about you?

I’m passionate about sports, video games, cartoons, and gummies!

If you could host a dinner party with three guests, who would they be, and what would you serve?

I’d invite my mother, father, and grandmother—they’ve never had my food at Jun’s. I’d serve the current tasting menu.

What’s the one dish you love creating?

The Heirloom Carrots dish at Jun’s. It was inspired by my mom’s favourite sandwich, the smoked salmon bagel that she would make for my school lunches.