Chef May Chow Launches Collective Brand “May Chow” with New Retail Line of Exclusive Chinese New Year Delicacies and Merchandise

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“May Chow”

In 2009, Canadian-born May Chow first debuted her now iconic Bao Burger at Taikoo’s Tong Chong Street Market (formerly known as Island East Market). With a rapidly sold-out crowd and overwhelming cult following, May Chow soon realized her unique ability to bring to life the best of East meets West through food. In 2013, she opened neighborhood and international visitors’ favorite Little Bao on Staunton Street in the Soho dining district and subsequently the award-winning, neo-Chinese concept Happy Paradise, finding fans in culinary legends like Anthony Bourdain. A decade and a half and countless accolades later, May’s ability to meld food, culture and community has left an indelible mark on the fabric of Hong Kong. Arriving in 2025, she is raring to expand her community of culinary explorers tremendously in every aspect of her profession, with the launch of her new collective brand “May Chow” (@maychowprojects).

“I’m so excited to share all our upcoming projects. I’ve always wanted to share our culture and touch people’s hearts through food and stories. I’m thrilled to do this through international expansion, books, and retail products. It perfectly reflects what I want to represent—innovative, delicious, and heartfelt. I hope you get a taste of what the future holds for us and that I can continue sharing the joy of redefining what modern Chinese food can be.”

 - Chef May Chow, Founder of “May Chow”

With the launch of May Chow, May is excited to share her passion on all fronts, including her first official opening in London in 2025, taking her creative vision and cuisine to the United Kingdom through a fresh concept, a cookbook compiling her culinary journey to date slated 2026 serving as an essential guide for food lovers and home chefs alike. More immediately, she is thrilled to launch a brand new retail line as part of May Chow on Monday 6 January 2025, starting with her Festive Cake series with an all new May Chow branded collection of signature Chinese New Year cakes in celebration of the auspicious Lunar New Year this month. 

May Chow Festive Cake Series

The May Chow Festive Cake Series embodies her philosophy of honoring Chinese culinary traditions while reimagining them with creativity and care. These six handmade cakes, rooted in generational family recipes, showcase her artistry using premium ingredients free from white sugar, MSG, and additives. Thoughtfully packaged with built-in slicing guides, they offer a pure and elegant experience, blending tradition, innovation, and Chef May’s passion for meaningful, shared moments.

Beetroot Turnip Cake (900g) - HK$ 288

The first original turnip cake signature by Chef May Chow. As a beetroot lover herself, Chef May noticed the similarities between turnip and beetroot. It dawned on her that not only could beetroot replace turnip, but it would also be an even better combination for its natural auspicious color and sweetness (naturally eliminating the need for white sugar!), while adding the distinct earthy and sweet beetroot flavor and retaining a great turnip-like texture. As an elevated version of this classic invention by Chef May, this premium cake features the highest ratio of turnip to flour while incorporating the best ingredients like Hong Kong's iconic brand Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages, top-grade dried Hokkaido scallops, and Japanese shiitake mushrooms, all-natural sun-dried Thai dried shrimp, and yuzu peel. This beetroot turnip cake has instantly become a fan favorite since its first iteration.

Purple Sweet Potato Taro Cake (900g) - HK$ 288

The Purple Sweet Potato Taro Cake preserves Chef May’s love for traditional Taro Cake (芋頭糕) with a modern twist, featuring generous cubes of Nai Po Taro from Western Guangzhou, celebrated for its delicate aroma and luxurious creamy texture. Chef May went a little less traditional with the density; she decided to soften the cake with the finest mashed purple sweet potatoes, giving it a rich, moist mousse-like texture that gently wraps around the taro’s natural heartiness. Each ingredient is perfectly balanced with one another, featuring premium components like Hong Kong’s iconic Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages and Chinese bacon, top-grade dried Hokkaido scallops and shiitake mushrooms, all-natural, sun-dried Thai shrimp, white pepper, and five-spice. This cake’s natural purple color is not only visually striking but also symbolizes good fortune and wealth, making it a perfect addition to the New Year’s feast.

Golden Salted Egg Yolk Pumpkin Cake (900g) - HK$ 298

A dream-come-true for salted egg yolk lovers, offering a luxurious blend of savory salted egg yolk and local sweet pumpkins. The Golden Salted Egg Yolk Pumpkin Cake boasts an impressive total of six salted egg yolks in each cake (yes, you heard right), ensuring a “healthy” and iconically recognizable core of egg yolk. The sweetness of the pumpkin adds a delicate balance, complementing the boldness of the salted egg yolk while lending a smooth, creamy texture for a perfectly harmonious bite. Hong Kong's iconic Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages, top-grade dried Japanese scallops and shiitake mushrooms, all-natural sun-dried Thai shrimp, and low-in-fat canola oil are incorporated to tie the cake together, masterfully balancing richness and depth, sweetness and umami, promising to be the new indulgent favorite at your festive gatherings.

Classic Turnip Cake (900g) - HK$ 278

Many of our guests asked for an original creation—and now, it’s here, refined and perfected over the years. Chef May’s Classic Turnip Cake is crafted to celebrate the natural sweetness of turnips, with each ingredient added for flavor enhancement to ensure one does not overpower the other. Three distinct cuts of turnip are used to achieve a seamless blend of flavor, texture and structure, as well as Hong Kong's iconic Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages, top-grade dried Japanese scallops and shiitake mushrooms, all-natural sun-dried Thai shrimp, and low-in-fat canola oil to elevate this timeless classic. Whether pan-fried to a crispy golden finish or steamed to tender perfection, this cake offers a taste experience that leaves a lasting impression, not unlike the one you remember fondly from your childhood. 

Ruby Red Date Glutinous Rice Cake (450g) - HK$ 108 

Online Exclusive

A symbolic and indulgent treat, the Ruby Red Date Glutinous Rice Cake remains true to Chef May’s commitment to purity, quality, and authenticity. This cake features the finest Xinjiang red dates, renowned for their health benefits and association with longevity, imparting a natural sweetness and depth of flavor. Blended with ginger, glutinous rice flour, tang flour, Thai coconut sugar, and rich coconut milk, it balances sweet and earthy notes while achieving a delicate, chewy texture reminiscent of its traditional counterpart. A touch of salt perfectly balances the sweetness, ensuring a delectable finish that’s “not too sweet”. Its vibrant red hue symbolizes happiness, wealth, and good fortune in the coming year – making it the perfect centrepiece for your celebration. 

“Jade” Matcha Coconut Glutinous Rice Cake (450g) - HK$ 138

Online Exclusive

Chef May’s latest creation; the “Jade” Matcha Coconut Glutinous Rice Cake is a blend of tradition and innovation, offering an adventurous tribute to classic Chinese flavors. Using ceremonial-grade matcha, this cake offers a delicate and authentic matcha flavor that is both soothing and refined – not too overpowering, but true to the essence of matcha. The natural sweetness of coconut milk and Thai coconut sugar pairs perfectly with the earthy bitterness of the matcha, creating a balanced and sophisticated flavor profile. The use of glutinous rice flour contributes to a delightfully chewy and smooth texture. Symbolizing prosperity and renewal, this cake brings contemporary auspice, a touch of tradition and modernity, to your Chinese New Year celebrations. 

Celebrations Gift Sets

True to the New Year spirit, the Festive Cake Series will also take the forms of 4 bountiful gift sets with exclusive additional goodies, curated by May Chow to share the joy with your friends and family during the auspicious weeks. Aurora (大紅大紫, HK$ 588), like its Chinese title meaning “striking and popular”, showcases the bold and radiant flavors of the Beetroot Turnip Cake (900g) and Purple Sweet Potato Taro Cake (900g) kicking off the new year with a bang. Solstice (光域, HK$ 588) refers to the auspicious Golden Salted Egg Yolk Pumpkin Cake (900g) and Classic Turnip Cake (900g), offering an elegant addition to the celebrations. Mosaic (福聚拼花, HK$ 628) includes 450g each of all four aforementioned savory turnip cakes, allowing everyone to enjoy the full May Chow turnip cake experience. 

The ultimate gift set comes in the form of the limited edition The May Chow Collection (The May Chow 限量版經典禮盒, HK$ 1,088) offering 450g each of all six savory and sweet festive cakes, as well as the professional-grade May Chow Off-Set Spatula. This small, flexible spatula with a 23cm stainless steel blade and a gold polish finish, is designed for precision in plating, flipping pan-fried turnip cakes and handling delicate dishes. Its sleek, balanced design offers exceptional control and elegance with every use. The May Chow Collection also includes the brand new May Ma Hot Sauce “Original” and May Ma Hong Kong Hot Sauce. May Ma Hot Sauce “Original” is a long-time favorite in the Chow family household by Chef May’s mother, marrying garlic, fermented black beans and bird’s eye chillies, slow cooked to bring out the sweet nutty garlic flavor, balanced with the umami of black bean and a spicy kick. With May Ma Hong Kong Hot Sauce, Chef May’s mother fuses Hong Kong-style flavors for a boldly spicy, sour and sweet hot sauce attributed to red long chili, ghost pepper, garlic, sweet potato, with a smoky aftertaste from agave nectar. Both of May Ma’s Hot Sauces (HK$ 75 each) and the May Chow Turnip Cake Off-Set Spatula in Gold (HK$ 78) and Stainless Steel (HK$ 68) are also available for purchase.

How to Purchase:

All festive cakes and gift sets are available for purchase on May Chow’s new online retail store maychow.com now, and from c!ty'super at ifc in Central, Hong Kong from Thursday 9 January 2025 until Tuesday 28 January 2025 (Chinese New Year Eve). All our products are handmade and with limited availability, so be sure to secure your festive treat early.

Delivery and Pick-Up:

Orders can be delivered Hong Kong-wide excluding Lantau Island and Outlying Islands with the option to pick-up at Little Bao Central, 1 Shin Hing Street, Central or Little Bao Causeway Bay, Shop H1, Fashion Walk, 9 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay.