Elin Fu is the co-owner of the new Nordic-style cafe Venner on Hollywood Road in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood. She spoke to Andrew Sun.
I was born and raised in Hamar, a small town in Norway, but my parents are from Shanghai, so growing up, food was always a blend of two cultures.
In Norway, the food is simple and hearty, with lots of bread, potatoes, meat, pickles and cured fish. Eating out usually meant a sandwich or some kind of meat-and-potato dish.
Even now, I can’t go a day without bread – it just doesn’t feel right – although at home, my parents cooked rice and Chinese food.

One of my favourite lunch spots is Kinjo’s Izakaya (27 Elgin Street, SoHo. Tel: 2362 9992), a cosy hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant that’s been around for years.