Chefs tend to be notoriously short tempered, but the executive chef at Hakkasan, Lee Kok Hua, is perhaps the friendliest chef Abu Dhabi Week has ever met.

While things heat up in the kitchen, Kok Hua has to keep his cool. Managing a team of 32 staff, he has all the ingredients for a smooth day – even if it does mean working a rather long shift: “Working in a kitchen is tough: the hours are long, it’s hot and the pressure is always on. I have to keep everyone happy – both in and out the kitchen. I’m a very calm person and I think my positive attitude rubs off on the whole team.”

The executive chef explains his typical working day in the Hakkasan kitchen:

“I’ve been in this industry for a long time,” he says with a cheerful smile. “It’s been 22 years in fact; I started when I was very, very young – by 16 I was already in the kitchen.”

The fresh-faced chef doesn’t look old enough to have worked in the kitchen for so long – nor does he look at all flustered and tired – something that we’d almost expect from a man who starts his job as early as 7am some days.

“We don’t start serving food at this time of course,” he smiles. “But we need to be in early as some of the food – such as the dim sum – takes quite a while to prepare. And I’m a perfectionist, too,” he adds. “So it all has to be just right.”

Preparing the dishes for the day and prepping the team is a big task – and one that can take him up until lunchtime, where he takes time for a break.

“As a chef, naturally food is very important to me,” he laughs. “I love Peking duck and wagu beef, but on an average day I will eat in the canteen,” he explains.

A lot of chefs in the Hakkasan kitchen work an average of two shifts a day for roughly ten hours, but for Kok Hua, the afternoon is still part of one long shift for him as he prepares for the evening.

“It’s hard work but I love my job: I like the challenge. I worked at Hakkasan in London for seven years before taking the position here in Abu Dhabi. It’s tiring – but I wouldn’t change a thing!”

Adapting the menu to suit GCC guests is something that keeps Kok Hua busy, as well as ensuring only the very best food is prepared and ready to go. A lot of his time is also spent training and teaching the team of chefs.

“I like to ensure that the quality of the food here is simply the best. I have a wonderful team – we’re like a family – so when I teach, everyone learns well.

“I’m a very nice chef; I never shout in the kitchen as I want everyone to learn in a positive atmosphere – I believe it reflects in the way we cook and deliver the food.”

After an already long day of prepping and teaching, Kok Hua and his team prepare for 6pm when Hakkasan opens for dinner.

“We’re always very busy,” he comments. “Once we open for dinner though, the atmosphere in the restaurant is fantastic. It’s a really lovely venue that has a wonderfully intimate feel, but the atmosphere carries through – thanks to the great ‘cage’ structure.

“Guests give us chefs energy, which is wonderful. All our guests are VIPs to us so hearing their feedback is important. The kitchen at Hakkasan is quite open; diners often request tables near the kitchen area so they can see us in action!”

Kok Hua needs to maintain all that energy as the evening entails ensuring everything runs smoothly from the kitchen, to the tables.

“There is never enough time,” he laughs. “I have a lot to manage but the whole experience of running a kitchen is wholly enjoyable.”

As the restaurant finally closes, the day is still not quite at an end for Kok Hua. “I’m the first in the kitchen in the morning so naturally I’m the last to leave too.”

With the kitchen to clean and close down, it’s sometimes midnight by the time he hangs up his hat and apron.

“By the time I finish for the day I’m ready for sleep!” he admits. “But I do like to find some time to relax with a good book as I love to read, or take some time to browse the web.”

And when he’s not working? “I actually have some time with my family next month when they come to visit although I shall most likely end up cooking anyway! Sometimes it’s nice to order a takeaway and leave the oven off!”

Final thoughts: “I feel very lucky to have this job, there’s a lot of competition for my kind of role and the satisfaction you get when you receive a thank-you from a guest makes it all very worthwhile. Everyday is different here. Being a cook runs in my family – and I can’t imagine doing anything, or being anywhere else.”