Contemporary Cantonese cuisine: tradition through a modern lens
Cantonese cuisine is shaped by a respect for ingredients, balance and techniques refined over generations. Steaming, roasting, braising and wok cooking allow the character of each ingredient to remain at the centre of the dish, while seasoning is traditionally considered and precise.
Contemporary Cantonese cuisine does not leave those foundations behind. Instead, it gives chefs room to interpret them through new ingredients, techniques and presentations, creating food that feels relevant to the way people dine today while retaining a clear connection to Cantonese culinary tradition.
At Silver Waves by Boon in Bangkok, this philosophy is reflected in the cuisine of Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon, whose more than 35 years of international experience have shaped an approach that is both rooted in Cantonese cooking and informed by a global culinary perspective.
What is contemporary Cantonese cuisine?
Contemporary Cantonese cuisine takes the principles and techniques of traditional Cantonese cooking and expresses them with a modern point of view.
Rather than changing tradition for the sake of novelty, the approach begins with an understanding of classic techniques. Ingredients may be introduced in unexpected combinations, presentation may become more refined, and familiar dishes may take on a different expression, while balance and respect for the ingredient remain fundamental.
This can be seen throughout the menu at Silver Waves by Boon. Traditional dim sum sits alongside creations such as glutinous rice with baked scallops and Parmesan, while familiar Cantonese ingredients and techniques appear in dishes including Peking duck with Kaluga caviar, braised emperor’s seafood and steamed Thai mud crab with uni rice.
Cantonese tradition at the foundation
For Chef Ho, contemporary cooking begins with a strong understanding of tradition.
Dim sum remains one of the clearest expressions of this craftsmanship. The menu at Silver Waves by Boon includes steamed, baked, fried and grilled dim sum, from har gao and siu mai to cheung fun, alongside Chef Ho’s own interpretations.
The same philosophy extends across seafood, poultry, meat, vegetables, rice and noodles. Techniques including steaming, braising, roasting and wok frying remain central, allowing contemporary ideas to develop without losing the identity of Cantonese cuisine.
Chef Ho Chee Boon’s contemporary perspective
Chef Ho Chee Boon’s cooking has been shaped by more than three decades working internationally. Rather than defining his cuisine simply as traditional or modern, his approach brings the two together.
At Silver Waves by Boon, premium ingredients from different culinary cultures can appear alongside recognisably Cantonese flavours and techniques. Foie gras, caviar, truffles and Parmesan, for example, are incorporated into dishes without replacing their Cantonese foundations.
The result is a style of contemporary Cantonese cuisine that feels distinctly Chef Ho’s: informed by his international career, but grounded in the cooking traditions that have shaped his work.
Contemporary Cantonese dining in Bangkok
Located on the 36th floor of Chatrium Riverside Bangkok, Silver Waves by Boon brings Chef Ho’s interpretation of Cantonese cuisine to a setting overlooking the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok skyline.
Guests can experience different sides of the cuisine throughout the day, from handcrafted dim sum at lunch to an extensive dinner menu designed for sharing.
For private occasions, the Teochew Private Room accommodates up to 46 guests, offering a dedicated setting overlooking the river for family celebrations, business dinners and private gatherings.
Discover Cantonese cuisine by Chef Ho Chee Boon
Contemporary Cantonese cuisine is not simply about making traditional dishes look modern. At its most considered, it is a continuing conversation between what has been passed down and what a chef brings to it today.
At Silver Waves by Boon, Chef Ho Chee Boon continues that conversation through Cantonese techniques, carefully selected ingredients and a perspective shaped by a lifetime in the kitchen.
Discover Silver Waves by Boon
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