Diners in Hong Kong are a restless, demanding lot. They don't want plain and simple dishes. They want novel sensations and culinary culture shocks. These needs are now being fulfilled by the city's molecular gastronomy movement, one that is slowly but surely picking up steam.

A handful of restaurants have incorporated the concept into their menus, featuring stylized and technologically advanced dishes based on the principles of Hervé This, the chemist who originally coined the term ‘Molecular Gastronomy' in the late 1980s. Molecular gastronomy is the study of food from a physical and chemical standpoint. Chefs adopting this approach typically apply scientific techniques alongside the likes of calcium chloride and liquid nitrogen to serve up a brand new interpretation of food.

Sometimes it works; other times, it feels like you're being ripped off. You decide whether it's a hit or miss at Bo Innovation, the Mandarin Oriental's Krug Room, or the dozens of barkeeps adding chemistry to shaken-and-stirred staples to help you savour and sip that ‘wow' factor.

Leader of the Pack: Chef Alvin Leung
Bo Innovation Changes Our Perception of Chinese Cooking, Fulfils Our Need for Escapism

On being the face of the city's molecular dining movement (since he earned two Michelin stars for Bo Innovation), Leung says he's honoured but completely puzzled by it. "I didn't get two stars for molecular gastronomy. I wouldn't call Bo a molecular gastronomy restaurant because only 10 percent of my menu is based on those principles. I call my menu ‘X-treme Chinese' and I cook food to excite people, which is why it has elements of molecular gastronomy, but that's about it."

We stand corrected. But Leung also understands why he's gotten so much attention for toying with this culinary philosophy. "It's a double whammy: I use a relatively new concept (i.e. molecular gastronomy) and I also introduced a lot of Chinese elements to it, which wasn't done before."

Leung prefers to be called the "Demon Chef" as inked on his arm, demonstrating his predilection for the radical when it comes to cuisine. If foie gras with toro sounds farfetched on paper, then you are in for a surprise at Bo Innovation, where Yeung pairs the two to mouthwatering effect.

Despite no formal culinary training, Leung earned his four-year-old restaurant two coveted Michelin stars last year and some serious street cred. "I had no idea they were reviewing my restaurant but I do assume they will review me every year from now, so I'd better keep up the standard."

What is your take on the city's molecular dining movement?
Molecular cuisine is the newest kid of the block. It is appearing in every major city with a food scene, including Hong Kong. The movement is still young in Hong Kong but that's the case all around the world. This is all still very new: bringing food to the space age.

Instead of formal culinary training, you've spent most of your life watching the pros work their stuff. So what's your take: Formal culinary training vs informal self-training behind a kitchen?
Neither is better nor worse, it just depends on the person. But I believe that if you've got ambition, it doesn't matter what kind of training you get, it's more an issue of: Is what I'm doing somewhat artistic or has any artistic element involved? That's something you have to learn from yourself and from observation. Nobody taught Rembrandt or Picasso how to draw, yet they both ended up drawing very well.

Tell us what's it like behind the scenes at Bo Innovation, especially with molecular preparations?
My concept of molecular gastronomy is as a fusion of ideas, similar to the fusion concept of mixing different elements of culture into food, like East meets West. It's all to make a new taste sensation. For me, molecular gastronomy has an added show element that's the difference. It's that show element that is expensive to create.

What do you mean by "show element"? As in show-ey theatrical preparations, or initial visual presentation?
Both: and that's a lot of work. There is always a surprise element in the food. But it's a lot like watching movies - you watch it once, twice, then three times and it's a chore.

Once the surprise element is gone in molecular gastronomy, the food is not as addictive, compared to traditional, classic food. So basically that means I have to make a new movie every year! You got to keep on coming up with the new stuff as people need stimulation. So molecular dining is actually really difficult and not profitable.

Take my la mei fan, which I present like an ice cream. People eat it and get this "wow" factor, but the second time round, the response would be "Hm, not bad". And you'll probably only have it once every week after that. People eat my version for the element of surprise but once the surprise is gone, you have a problem. This means you have to constantly create new dishes with new elements.

Traditional food has less surprises but it's comforting, whereas molecular gastronomy takes you away from your comfort zone to excite you.

So it's tradition vs modern principles. So how did old-school folks react to your version of cheung fan (rice flour rolls) or pei dan (‘thousand year old' preserved eggs)?

I've had old-school folks come in and not like what I do. But you will always have this issue no matter what you do. It's the same as if your dad says, "Why are you wearing that short skirt?" Everyone is entitled to his opinion, so I won't call you old-fashioned just because you don't like it.

For more information go to Shop 13, 2/Fl., J Residence, 60 Johnston Road Wan Chai, tel: 2580-8371, or check out www.boinnovation.com. Their 13-course tasting menu is priced at HK$1,080 per person, featuring pomelo nitro-bombs, toro and foie gras (pictured above right) and oysters with onion and lime served with ginger-flavoured snow.