Originally from France Tina is a vegan chef. Tina moved to Hong Kong as a fashion designer and instantly fell in love with Hong Kong, for her Hong Kong is special. She became well known for designing jewelry crafted with semi-precious stones and sold at high end stores such as Lane Crawford and on Peddar Street in Hong Kong and Le Bon Marche in Paris. However, in 2008 the financial crisis hit and business reduced dramatically. Tina tells the story how this ultimately led to her opening her first café, Maya Café,
The café served vegetarian food and Tina tells the story of how every weekend she had queues of people outside wanting to try her zoodles. Noodles made from zucchini in a French style. Hong Kong people are very curious about food says Tina and started creating her own sauce recipes.
Her current restaurant is called "Ma…and the Seeds of Life". Her cooking is vegan. Tina shows her customers a creative way to try vegan cooking. A sensory experience, vegan fine dining, in a spacious environment, with very delicate plating and very delicate taste.
Tina has recently started weight training. She was starting to lose strength and she fell down a few times and suffered broken ribs. After just two weeks she noticed she found her strength was improving and she can now carry more and she feels so good. Tina shares this and other stories in the podcast.
Timing
04:25 I was a fashion designer in France…
6:49 Hong Kong is very special – either you love or you hate it …
7:17 I start my own collection as a jewelry designer… I do fashion shows ….
9:06 My dream is to be on Peddar…boom I’m on Peddar…
11:10 In 2008 the economy crashed…. my orders went down …scary… I survive…I have to change…
13:16 OK I can put my jewelry in your shop… first place we find is in Moon Street… we choose food…
17:05 I love cooking … we are going to do vegetarian food…[I got]inspiration from my grandmother…my mother was a pioneer … eating super healthy…
20:10 [Story] How to make raw food… I feel so high… it’s just the enzymes…
22:31 I fall into raw food without knowing it…
22:52 I started creating some dishes of raw food…
26:16 The restaurant is called “Ma…and the Seeds of Life”… your body knows…
28:00 My cooking is vegan… a sensory experience…show [people] them a nice way …
30:24 Vegan fine dining… very spacious…comfortable… very delicate plating… very delicate taste…
34:01 Some people want to try… I am more on the soft side…
35:33 [Business Development] Two things. … To gain a Michelin Star…To open a Vegan Hotel… could be a farm
37:08 I grow my basil…
39:16 [Routines] a glass of hot water…stretching .. shower… play with cat… breakfast… meditation in the garden…
41:12 [Passions] If I don’t live passionately I can’t survive… passion is the drive…
42:47 [Weight Training] I started going to the gym… I never think it’s important… I want to do some weight training…
45:00[Weight training story] A box of 12Kg… Gym 2 to 3 times per week … I feel so strong…
48:14 Never give up … do everything with Passion …
Contact Tina
https://marestaurant.com.hk/
https://www.instagram.com/ma.restaurant/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/cheftinabarrat/?hl=en
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