Chefs often talk about where they’ve come from, where they’ve been, what kitchens they’ve worked in and who they’ve worked with. If you ask Chef Peng what inspired him to start cooking, he wouldn’t be able to give you an answer. From when he was 14 years old, he knew he wanted to work in a kitchen and that was it.

His statues are high up near the ceiling of the restaurant, along with some of the antiques he’s collected over the years, and his favourite brush paintings line the walls. The restaurant has had a refurbishment since 1982, but it is still the same.

What makes Hunan unique is our approach to dining. We want everyone to try everything, and to try different things, so there is no menu. Instead, each table is served a selection of small dishes, often more than 15 in one sitting. Each plate is a photograph for the palate, capturing memories of Taiwan, Sichuan, Guangdong and beyond.

The food is simple, but the flavours are infinite. It is about teasing out the best of the ingredients. Subtle blends of chilli and Sichuan peppercorns push enormous pearly scallops to edge while keeping them fresh and sweet. With three vinegars, four chilli sauces, sprinklings of sugar, pinches of salt, dashes of Shaoxing rice wine and slivers of ginger, spring onion and garlic, Chef Peng created hundreds of tried and tested dishes. We always use the freshest ingredients of the highest quality.