David Lai
Executive Chef
NEIGHBORHOOD - Bistro French
#19 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020
Chef David Lai began cooking while studying Fine Arts and Art History at UC Berkely. After university he stayed in the Bay Area and trained at top restaurants such as Masa’s under Chef Julian Serrano and The Dining Room at Ritz Carlton under Chef Sylvain Portay whom Lai considers his most important mentor. He moved back to Hong Kong in 2003 to help open Alain Ducasse’s Spoon at the Intercontinental Hotel. In 2009 Lai opened his first restaurant On Lot 10 (closed) and in 2014 he opened Neighborhood, which, in addition to multiple accolades, has been included in Asia’s Best 50 list since 2018.
