SHANGHAI'S leading kitchens are filling with fresh culinary talent, bringing new ideas and a jolt of creative energy to well-loved restaurants serving authentic Chinese and Western cuisines. — Li Anlan

Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai — Phillip Taylor

Phillip Taylor, chef de cuisine at Fifty 8° Grill at Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, doesn't chase trends when it comes to the pursuit of quality. The most important thing is sticking to simplicity and good quality, he explained.

“Trends come and go. As long as you stick to what you want to do, and are constantly passionate about it, you will build a customer base over time,” he said.

Coming from Australia, Taylor has 10 years of experience in the culinary world. He has worked at two Michelin starred restaurant Pied à Terre in London, the one Michelin starred Galvin at Windows at London Hilton on Park Lane, and Altitude at Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney. Prior to joining Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, he was chef de cuisine at Aria in Shangri-La China World Hotel in Beijing.

This summer, Taylor is adding the Carnivore’s Club Brunch in Fifty 8° Grill on Sundays. The menu is crafted for meat lovers and features signature dishes like the Fifty 8° Grill Charcuterie board, which presents the board chicken parfait, Iberian chorizo and country pâté as well as the classic barbecued chimichurri flank steak, homemade chorizo sausage, dry aged Jack’s Creek côte de boeuf.

Traditional breakfast items like poached eggs, avocado salsa and tomato compote are joined by some of Taylor’s new seasonal creations, such as succulent crisp frog legs, sweet garlic and parsley with grilled octopus.

Desserts including strawberry and lime granita, yogurt pana cotta, chilled hibiscus tea, warm chocolate tart with caramel ice-cream, cheesecake and strawberry clafoutis with vanilla ice-cream are ideal to satisfy a sweet tooth.

The three-course brunch is priced at 368 yuan (US$55) per person, and the four course is 418 yuan plus service charge and taxes.

The Langham, Shanghai, Xintiandi — Justin Tan

T’ang Court Executive Chef Justin Tan hails from a family of top chefs and began his culinary career at the tender age of 16. He grew up in Guangdong Province, the heartland of Cantonese cuisine, and worked at esteemed restaurants in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

In 2004, he moved to Zhejiang Province where he began interpreting classic Cantonese cuisine and won a wide following among gourmands. He joined Langham Place Ningbo in 2013 as executive chef of contemporary Cantonese restaurant, Ming Court.

With its headquarters in Hong Kong, Langham Hotels has long fostered a refined enjoyment of Cantonese cuisine. Spotting his technical mastery, creative talent and dedication to his craft, Chef Tan has been appointed Chinese executive chef of T’ang Court at The Langham, Shanghai, Xintiandi.

“Fine Cantonese cuisine has been my lifelong passion and it is a dream come true to be preparing Cantonese dishes to the finest standards at the esteemed T’ang Court in Shanghai,” says Tan. “I strive to explore creativity through simplicity. This is a great skill, because simplicity is the hardest thing to achieve perfectly. By refining the basics and thinking creatively we are seeking to achieve ever-higher levels of taste and enjoyment for sophisticated modern palates.”

Tan’s new menu at T’ang Court is divided into appetizers, barbecued meats, a daily rotation of seasonal soups, seafoood, bird’s nest, abalone and sea cucumber, premium meats and poultry dishes, rice and noodles. Two daily eight-course business lunch set menus and a choice of four eight-course dinner set menus, plus a vegetarian set menu are also offered.

The Westin Bund Center Shanghai — Angel Zheng

Angel Zheng is a Shanghai born and raised pastry chef who started her Westin Journey in 2006. Zheng boasts more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. The sweetness and artistry of pastry helps Zheng maintain a childlike enjoyment of life and her craft. During her leisure time, Zheng spends her time with her young daughter who is her favorite person and main source of inspiration.

In March 2014, Zheng was approached by a Westin guest who was planning a joint celebration for herself and her daughter’s very first birthday party. The guest wanted the party to be fun and themed around elephants. Understanding the vision of the guest, Zheng started mapping out ideas many months before the event and came up with the idea of an elephant family doll house completely made of sugar.

The artistry and time put into this adorable doll house project speaks for itself — with all furniture, decorations and accessories in the nine room candy structure being hand made out of sugar. If you peaked through the windows, you would see the elephant family inside enjoying their meals at the kitchen table, sleeping peacefully in their beds and even enjoying a bubble bath.

On presenting the doll house to the guest on the day of the party, Zheng opened the doors to a magical elephant wonderland including big bubbles blowing onto the wowed party guests. The elephant doll house was truly a masterpiece that not only delighted and surprised guests, but was also a testament to Zheng’s expertise, artistry and imagination.

Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai — Lucian Sun

Since May, executive chef Lucian Sun has overseen the five kitchens at Andaz Xintiandi Shanghai, including signature Shanghainese restaurant Hai Pai, Japanese eatery 88 Sushi Bento Bar, the Éclair Patisserie bakery as well as Xuan Bar and Andaz Lounge.

With 20 years of experience, Sun is a Shanghai native who has worked for several top restaurants and hotels. He was part of the opening team of Park Hyatt Shanghai, and joined Park Hyatt Masters of Food & Wine events from 2011 to 2013. He led cooperations with several distinguished Michelin-starred chefs from France, including Alain Ducasse, Marc Haeberlin and Anne-Sophie Pic.

“Cooking is not only my career, it is all about my passion,” said Sun. “I look forward to collaborating with the team to take the Shanghainese cuisine at Hai Pai, as well as the hotel’s other restaurants and bars, to new heights.”

Under Sun's supervision, Hai Pai is reinventing local summer classics for modern palates. The new menu developed by chef Gao Zhanglin features a range of seasonal offerings cooked in new ways.

Drunken crayfish on ice prepared in a marinade of rice wine and plum sauce beautifully present this tasty crustacean, a staple of summer dining in Shanghai. The cold crayfish take more than a day to prepare. They are handpicked and boiled with onions, celery and lemon leaves. They are then frozen and set in the flavorful marinade sauce.

On the lighter side, the wok-fried fresh lotus seed, lotus root with water chestnut and sweet bean makes a refreshing dish.

Hyatt on the Bund — Benjamin Hoetter

Benjamin Hoetter, the new chef de cuisine of VUE Restaurant at Hyatt on the Bund, brings a bevy of recipes from his hometown Düsseldorf, Germany, to the classic European restaurant.

Hoetter was trained at the Michelin-starred Hummerstübchen and Victorian. He joined Hyatt Regency Cologne in 2011 and then worked at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, Hyatt Regency Dubai and Grand Hyatt Shenzhen.

For the last two years, he was chef de cuisine at Grand Hyatt Dalian.

Now, with 12 years of Western cuisine experience Hoetter hopes to present the finest European cuisine to his guests in Shanghai.

“This is a very different, unique and beautiful restaurant," he said. "I’m going to stick to the classics, but add in some new textures and further extend the menu into the realms of fine dining.”

Düsseldorf is famous for mustard, and Hoetter has brought his family's recipe for slow poached black cod, langoustine with Düsseldorf mustard emulsion to the menu. The dish features fish from the Netherlands that’s then poached with vegetables, juniper berries, bay leaves and peppercorns.

Renaissance Shanghai Zhongshan Park Hotel — Mattia Salussoglia

Mattia Salussoglia began his culinary career in his hometown of Aosta, Italy in 1998, where he worked in top fine-dining restaurants and five-star luxury hotels. He later worked at hotels such as St Moritz’s Badrutt’s Palace and Capri Palace’s two Michelin starred Restaurant Olivo.

After stints in Switzerland and England, Salussoglia then moved to Asia, where he helped open an Italian restaurant in Tokyo. In 2008 he moved to the MGM Grand Macau. In 2010, he worked at Hilton Shanghai as chef de cuisine for Italian fine dining restaurant Leonardo’s. In 2014, he continued his career as executive chef at Renaissance Shanghai Zhongshan Park Hotel.

“As a chef, I must be able to reach each individual, with harmony, perception and creativity, giving new memorable feelings which keep you delighted and curious through past and future voyages of discovery.” Salussoglia said.

His mission is also to gather around him professionals who are imbued with dedication and respect for high-quality cuisine, and attentive at the balance between tradition and innovation. For the Italian chef, this respect is expressed in the best choice of natural ingredients and cooking procedures, in compliance with their colors, scents and fragrance.

“I remember, when I was a kid walking around my grand parent’s garden, where they used to grow their own vegetable and fruits. I start to be fascinated by the smells, flavors and colors that surrounded me… In the kitchen I follow my memories, bringing into my dishes those smells, flavors and colors which I grow up with,” Salussoglia said.