Our third interview for Malbec Month in Hong Kong featured Jacky Luk, Chief Sommelier at the three-Michelin starred Cantonese restaurant Forum.
One of Hong Kong’s most aspiring and innovative sommeliers, Luk got his first start in wine as a waiter, where he discovered his passion. After years of wine sales and hotel experiences, he worked his way up as a sommelier and eventually was named as Chief Sommelier at Forum.
He also holdsWSET advanced qualification, Sake Sommelier Service Institute (SSI), and the Court of Master Sommelier Advanced level.
Witnessing the lack of wine variety at Forum back in 2015, Luk expanded and curated the restaurant’s wine list to enhance the tasting experience of Forum’s exquisite Chinese cuisine. Now Forum’s wine list not only features familiar names from Bordeaux and Burgundy, but also a wide range of varietals from different wine regions across the globe, including Malbec from Argentina.
Speaking of his wine pairing philosophy, the sommelier believes there is no such thing as correct wine and food pairings. Apart from pairing Forum’s signature braised oxtail with reds – a safe choice, Luk would go as far as pairing lobsters with red wines, which is generally seen as an incompatible combo. The key is in how the ingredients are prepared and the sauces used, he says. Even when it comes to bitter melon, fish intestine or barbecue pork bun, he finds a way to recommend a glass of Malbec!
In our interview, the adventurous sommelier revealed the secrets behind these innovative pairings, his Eastern interpretation of Malbec’s image, his top picks of Malbec at Forum and why he thinks Malbec resembles the two-sided “Hulk” from the Marvel movies.
You can watch the video here:
