This 1st and 2nd Quarter, Leading Nation and Hongkong Land are set to unveil the city’s most thrilling new hospitality destination in a generation. Forty-Five, located in LANDMARK heralds a new chapter in Hong Kong’s vibrant arts and culinary scene, bringing five stunning new experiential concepts to one location atop Hong Kong’s most prestigious lifestyle destination, LANDMARK.
From magic hour cocktails on a dazzling Sky Terrace that boasts 360-degree views of the iconic cityscape, to a one-of-a-kind encounter between the most decorated female chef in the world with a total of 10 MICHELIN stars across her restaurants, Anne-Sophie Pic’s first French fine-dining restaurant in Hong Kong together with luxury house Baccarat, the unique space celebrates Asia’s most brilliant contemporary artists, global creators, and designers. Under the same roof, one will also find refined traditional Shanghainese dining, a world-renowned teppanyaki experience, and a private members’ arts club for entrepreneurs and creatives.
“Forty-Five embodies a unique convergence of the culinary and creative arts and will define the next generation of hospitality,” says Gerald Li, co-founder of Leading Nation, on the opening of Forty-Five.
“Reaffirming Hong Kong’s reputation as one of the world’s finest places to live and visit is of utmost importance,” adds Kevin Poon, co-founder of Leading Nation, who spearheads everything art. “We are thrilled to launch this celebration of the finest global dining experiences within a truly peerless space.”
Alvin Kong, Executive Director of Hongkong Land, reveals how Forty-Five will add to both Hong Kong and Asia’s hospitality landscape: “As Hong Kong relaunches itself in the consciousness of upscale global travellers, there is no timelier debut for this remarkable new destination located in the beating heart of Central. Forty-Five is the perfect complement to our mission of building lasting value in the heart of cities powering Asia’s growth.”
Forty-Five : Where Art Meets Gastronomy
Upon arrival at the top floor of Gloucester Tower, the guest experience begins with a warm welcome by the elegant reception team from Alfred’s Guest Services, Leading Nation’s loyalty and VIP platform.
The Merchants: Shanghainese Dining
The Merchants serves classic dishes from Shanghai and her surrounding provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, offering traditional flavours with a touch of modernity. Located at Forty-Five, atop Gloucester Tower in LANDMARK, The Merchants offers sweeping views of Hong Kong’s iconic Victoria Harbour. Helmed by multi-award-winning Head Chef Chen Tian Long, previously of Jade de Jardin where he maintained its Michelin Star standard of culinary excellence, classic recipes from Shanghai are re-interpreted with modern flair.
A collaborative effort between Sean Dix and Victoria Tang-Owen pays homage to belle époque Shanghai. The elegant space features custom cherrywood banquettes and vibrant jade onyx detailing the interiors. Aligning the walls is a delicately embroidered wallpaper that was handcrafted by artisans in WuXi.
The Merchants will soft open to the public in end-March 2023.
Cardinal Point: Restaurant Bar & Sky Terrace
Cardinal Point represents the definition of ‘magic hour’ atop Hong Kong’s most prestigious address. This iconic rooftop venue, complete with restaurant, lounge, and Sky Terrace, offers sweeping views of Hong Kong’s skyline and Victoria Harbour. Created by John Nugent, Beverage Director of Leading Nation Hospitality, Cardinal Point’s drinks programme is inspired by the spirit of travel and exploration, celebrating ingredients from all over the world with creative and retro takes on the familiar.
Both the indoor and outdoor bar are open daily until late with music curated by a resident DJ, while Cardinal Point also serves a selection of dishes from all over the world, from authentic Asian classics to renditions of international offerings. Both indoor and al fresco dining are available in a space that can host up to 350 guests.
Cardinal Point will soft open to the public in early / mid-April 2023.
Kaen Teppanyaki
Kaen (meaning flame or blaze “火炎”) Teppanyaki is a Japanese steakhouse scheduled to open in late April 2023. Featuring both teppan and binchotan cooking in an open setting with stunning city views, the restaurant allows diners to combine sight, taste, and emotion to create an unforgettable dining experience.
The restaurant is helmed by Chef Yoshiyuki Sato, who carefully selects the highest quality ingredients for his dishes using both traditional and contemporary cooking techniques while showcasing intricate knife skills.
Kaen Teppanyaki features a wide selection of wagyu sourced from trusted merchants and direct from farmers and auctions to ensure a truly unparalleled offering. In maintaining transparency with its guests, all cuts of meat are traceable to the farm and slaughter. Seasonal seafood and vegetables are carefully hand-selected and flown in daily from Japan and Europe, depending on seasonal availability.
Kaen Teppanyaki will soft open to the public in late April 2023
The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic: French Fine Dining Restaurant
The symbol of joie de vivre meets one of the most celebrated chefs in the world. The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic presents a one-of-a-kind encounter between Anne-Sophie Pic, the most decorated female chef in the world, and Baccarat, the luxury House that has been creating enchanting universes for almost 260 years.
The 40-seat restaurant is designed by Gilles et Boissier, the famed Paris-based architecture and interior design studio. Passion, boldness, and virtuosity come together to offer a unique and captivating experience.
The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic will soft open to the public in July / August 2023
Gloucester Arts Club
The Gloucester Arts Club is a private, members-only social club that fosters a community of culture and creativity. The contemporary space serves as a sanctuary for creatives and entrepreneurs to come together and exchange ideas about art, architecture, fashion, literature, music, and gastronomy through a curated program of events and experiences.
Gloucester Arts Club will soft open to the public in summer 2023.
Discerning Art & Design at Forty-Five in LANDMARK
Leading Nation’s co-founders Gerald Li and Kevin Poon have collaborated with some of the most celebrated artists and designers to bring the space to life. As a key player in the
international art and fashion scene, Poon brings an urban appeal to fine dining, approaching culture, lifestyle, and business as a unified artistic whole, while Li’s strategic approach to operations and keen sense of culinary trends places the group at the progressive forefront of F&B in Asia.
The interior design aims to showcase the distinctive culinary and creative DNA of the five concepts, while reflecting a unique sense of place in Hong Kong. For example, the walls of Forty-Five are adorned by a rotating collection of artworks curated by Poon, also a prominent international art collector, displaying thought-provoking and cutting-edge Asian and Western artists such as Cai Guo-Qiang, Ayako Rokkaku, George Condo, Scott Kahn, and Brian Calvin.
Sean Dix of dix design + architecture spearheaded the design concept across the common areas of Forty-Five in LANDMARK, in addition to restaurants The Merchants, Kaen Teppanyaki and Cardinal Point. Hong Kong-based LC Studios were commissioned to transform Gloucester Arts Club, while the famed Parisian studio Gilles et Boissier designed The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic.
On Forty-Five’s commitment to championing art in all its forms, Leading Nation’s co-founder Kevin Poon says, “Our members and guests are unified by a love of the arts and culture in all its forms – be it visual art, architecture, fashion, film, literature or music. Whether heritage and contemporary, ‘high’ or ‘low’, the present and the future are all part of the same exhilarating conversation as we keep members on the pulse of contemporary culture.”