Why Hong Kong's Famous Chef May Chow Is The Boss Of Bao

Ed’s Note: Sometimes, life surprises you. A dish, an event, even meeting someone new can flip your expectations. This is what happened when JJ Yulo went to cover the pop up by Hong Kong’s Little Bao and Manila’s Your Local, where he met Little Bao’s chef-owner May Chow. It’s safe to say, she made a lasting impression.

My jaded self was blinded by the hype of it all. Rock star chef from Hong Kong who also happens to Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2017, May Chow of Little Bao—this restaurant was a mere sliver of space in Hong Kong’s Fragrant Harbour, but was so popular that the lines of hungry diner never stopped—she was coming to town to cook and collaborate with Chef Pat Go of resurging hotspot Your Local.

And I thought to myself, here it goes again, cool kids doing their cool things again… grumble grumble. 

Well, they are still definitely cool kids, and they’re definitely still doing their cool things—but ultimately, I was happily impressed. And all it took was five minutes (oh, fine—maybe ten) with Chef May herself. 

Exhausted from a frantic lunch service for food media, and needing to prep for the start of the popup in the evening, she gamely and calmly sat through a whole bunch of people probably asking very similar questions. But one is rewarded for being inquisitive, as we discover that Chef May’s philosophy behind what she does is her greatest strength. The human touch—and the rarity that is true human connection—is what drives her.

Born in Canada, raised in Hong Kong, further schooled in the US, she is a product of diverse cultures, and has managed to get the best bits of each one to make her own. From the States, the idea of female empowerment made a mark: despite being talented enough to work with some of the city state’s hottest kitchens, like Bo Innovation, and Yardbird, she knew that what she really wanted was to be her own boss, and that is how LIttle Bao began. 

Little Bao began by winging it naively through a good idea, without many clues as to how the script went. It was a hit, so much so that on any given day, you might find about 120 people outside the door, all waiting for a chance to eat inside the tiny 20-seater. Slammed every single day—and the food cognoscenti certainly took notice! And from this chaos, May Chow rose as a female hometown hero, repping her beloved Hong Kong—a phenomenon that was a bit unheard of when it all began.

Of course, let us not take away from her that she can make really good food! She has the chops and the creativity to back up all the hype. Like all the really good cooks, it probably is because she hasn’t ever lost sight of the blueprint of her food. Her signature—the bao—is really still a bao, and will taste like childhood to an old uncle. But every other component… that's where the beat drop is. Taking the process seriously, respecting the blueprints, and adding her touches to propel dishes into the realm of our contemporary food culture—this is how her cooking tells stories, and together with her wife, the enigmatically fascinating Joya, and her team, they continue their roles as storytellers of the modern Hong Kong food scene. 

Nowadays, after more than a decade in the biz, May Chow acknowledges that she is in another chapter of her life, constantly trying to remain aware of who she is, what her voice is saying, and what she brings to the table. Her success has brought her to many parts of the world, and has opened doors for her to meet many people and foster friendships—creative types in disciplines other than food. 

She is all about collaborations, too: she knows her food has gained fans, and aims to bring the Little Bao experience to them, all the while making even more connections, interacting with the creative class. “We’re just three days behind Taylor,” she quips, when asked about Little Bao’s Asia Tour 2024. “This world tour of ours is just like a concert!” Cooking and using food to bridge the gap between cultures, and trading stories and ideas. This is the big hit by May Chow, the ringleader in the concert tour of the Hong Kong hometown hero who plays her music as deliciousness in a fluffy bun. 

Your Local | 106 Esteban corner Rufino Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City, Philippines | IG: @yourlocalph |  FB: @yourlocalph 

Little Bao | 9 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong | IG: @littlebaohk | FB: @littlebaohk