2 Hat Chef: Victor Liong, Lee Ho Fook

Victor Liong is the chef and owner of Lee Ho Fook in Melbourne, awarded two hats in the Good Food Guide in 2026.

Lee Ho Fook Sydney was also awarded two hats in the Good Food Guide in 2026. The Sydney venue is led day to day by executive chef Brad Guest, with Victor providing the creative direction behind the restaurant.

Finding a voice through modern Chinese cooking

When Lee Ho Fook first opened, it stood apart from many of the expectations surrounding Chinese restaurants in Australia.

Rather than focusing on tradition alone, Victor built a menu that combined technique, quality produce and a contemporary restaurant approach while remaining connected to Chinese flavours and culture.

The result was a restaurant with a clear point of view.

For chefs, that clarity is often what separates good restaurants from memorable ones. Every dish feels like it belongs to the same conversation.

Building a restaurant that lasts

Opening a successful restaurant is difficult.

Keeping it relevant year after year is often the greater challenge.

The Australian dining landscape moves quickly, with new openings constantly competing for attention. Yet Lee Ho Fook has maintained its standing by continuing to evolve while staying true to its identity.

That balance is something many chefs strive for.

Restaurants naturally change as teams grow, suppliers shift and customer expectations evolve. The challenge is knowing what should change and what should stay the same.

Taking Lee Ho Fook to Sydney

In 2025, Lee Ho Fook expanded into Sydney as part of a partnership with Trippas White Group.

The move presented a new challenge.

How do you carry the identity of a successful restaurant into a different city while allowing a new team to make it their own?

The Sydney venue is led day to day by executive chef Brad Guest, with Victor providing the creative direction behind the restaurant.

In 2026, Lee Ho Fook Sydney was awarded two hats in the Good Food Guide.

The recognition highlights the strength of the Sydney team, while also showing how clearly the Lee Ho Fook identity has been carried into a second city.

Why clarity matters

Many chefs spend years refining their style.

What stands out about Victor's career is the consistency of his vision. Whether through the food, the restaurant design or the way the team approaches hospitality, there is a clear understanding of what Lee Ho Fook represents.

For working chefs, that may be the biggest takeaway.

Trends come and go, but restaurants that endure are often built around a strong sense of identity.

Victor's success shows that when a restaurant knows exactly what it stands for, it can continue to grow while maintaining the standards that earned recognition in the first place.