BEDU Presents Art and Spices-Inspired Chef Menu from 24 March to 30 April 2025

Hong Kong’s vibrant art scene is set to inspire more than just the canvas. This spring, BEDU’s talented Head Chef, Ali Ahmadpour, is joining the creative buzz of Hong Kong Art Week with a special chef menu. Available daily at dinner service from 24 March 2025 to 30 April 2025, the menu celebrates the artistry of Middle Eastern flavours, colours, and spices, making it a feast for both the taste buds and the eyes.

Chef Ahmadpour, profoundly inspired by the city’s art community, seamlessly connects the vibrant ethos of Middle Eastern cuisine with the imaginative spirit of art. The carefully curated menu showcases a variety of Middle Eastern spices, each with a distinctive aroma, including Sumac, Baharat, Za’atar, Dukkah, Saffron, and Smoked Paprika. At the beginning of the meal, diners are introduced to these exquisite spices through a thoughtfully arranged spice box, serving as a tribute to the heritage and artistry of Middle Eastern cooking.

The menu is priced at HK$520 per person and includes a selection of sharing appetisers, sharing main with sides, and an innovative dessert to conclude the experience.

The experience begins with a Mezze Platter, a vibrant medley of Truffle Hummus, Mixed Pickles, Garlic Za’atar Labneh, and freshly baked Pita Bread. Following this, indulge in BEDU’s must-try signature: the Honey-Baked Feta. Served piping hot in a cast-iron skillet, this masterpiece melds creamy feta cheese with a drizzle of honey infused with house-made lavender. It is topped with sun-dried tomatoes and a sprinkle of fresh thyme, creating an aromatic and beautifully balanced dish.

The hot appetisers feature the earthy Winter Pumpkin, paired with basil hummus, pistachio dukkah, and the sweet tang of pomegranate for a harmonious blend of nutty, fresh, and fruity notes. Alongside this is the Chef’s Special Pan-Fried Scallops—perfectly cooked Hokkaido scallops dressed with coriander chermoula sauce and smoky harissa, enhancing their natural sweetness with bold, savoury flavours.

For the main course, the indulgence peaks with a succulent Lamb Rack. Tender and succulent, the lamb is complemented by pistachio butter, creamy labneh, and a zingy sumac sauce — a perfect balance of richness and zest. This is accompanied by a refreshing Tabouli Salad and fragrant Saffron Spiced Rice, embodying a Middle Eastern feast’s warmth, vibrancy, and depth.

For dessert, Chef’s ingenuity takes centre stage with Darak — drawing inspiration from the vibrant turquoise oceans and expansive desert landscapes of South Iran along the Sea of Oman. This dish harmoniously blends vanilla cream, Pakistani mango, lotus crumble, orange blossom, and Spirulina — a nutrient-rich blue-green algae loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and protein — to mimic the ocean's mesmerising blue hue. "Darak" serves as both a visual and palate tribute to the stunning interplay of nature's colours and textures.

Be part of BEDU’s tribute to the artistry of spring — where every plate, like a carefully crafted painting, tells a unique story. Catering to up to 42 seated guests, BEDU evolves from a delightful lunch spot to an intimate dining destination throughout the day. It offers a soothing vibe amidst sophisticated interiors that serve as the perfect canvas on which the culinary team presents its contemporary take on traditional fare, which will seduce food lovers at the restaurant's semi-open kitchen.

BEDU is located at 40 Gough Street, Central. For reservations, please visit www.bedurestaurant.com; or follow the restaurant on social media @bedu_hk.

About Chef Ali Ahmadpour

Born and raised in Iran, the computer software engineering graduate-turned-chef Ali Ahmadpour has a solid 12 years of culinary experience in Middle Eastern and Persian cuisine. He was exposed to the culinary world at the tender age of 15, working part-time in an Italian eatery while studying, and fell in love with the art of cooking.

Chef Ahmadpour followed his passion for cooking, giving up computer software engineering and enrolling in a hotel management education programme after completing his military service. Despite his family's opposition, he aspired to become a chef, and his commitment to take on the culinary challenges kept him going.

After completing his formal training, Chef Ahmadpour worked his way up through some of Iran’s most popular kitchens, including Tanje Café Restaurant and Kaffeine Restaurant in Isfahan province, before joining Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Hotel in Muscat, Oman, where he was the chef of Middle Eastern cuisine.

At the end of 2023, the young chef decided to leave his comfort zone and move to Hong Kong, joining the team at Meraki Hospitality to take up the role of head chef at BEDU. After years of being mentored in some of the most extraordinary kitchens and five-star hotels, Ali has created a signature style that pays homage to his roots while employing the sophisticated techniques he has learned and developed during his career.

About BEDU

BEDU takes inspiration from the nomadic wanderings of the Bedouin tribes across the deserts of North Africa to the rocky sands of the Middle East. Their journey, guided by the night stars, has influenced the rich culinary traditions, exotic products, flavoursome spices and cooking methods that have been passed down through generations, defining Middle Eastern cuisine today.

Availability

The art and spice chef menu is available from 24 March to 30 April 2025 during dinner service, and it is priced at HK$520 per person

Address
40 Gough Street, Central

Reservations

WhatsApp +852 6343 5622

Website bedurestaurant.com

Instagram
@bedu_hk

Seating

42 seated

Opening Hours

Monday to Thursday 12 pm – 3 pm; 6 pm – 10 pm

Friday 12 pm – 3 pm; 6 pm – 12 am

Saturday 12 pm – 4 pm; 6 pm – 12 am

Sunday 12 pm – 4 pm; 6 pm – 10 pm

Meraki Hospitality

Meraki Hospitality Group is a Hong Kong-based company founded in 2018 by brother and sister duo Alexis and Laura Offe. Having grown up in Hong Kong, where street food culture is cherished and widely celebrated, they are passionate about exploring rich culinary traditions that are representative of everyday life and are intent on recreating them in modern yet approachable ways for today's diners.

Hong Kong's first Brazilian-Japanese street food restaurant, Uma Nota, opened in 2017 as a nod to the botecos of Brazil and the long history of Japanese migration to São Paulo. In 2018, following the success of Uma Nota Hong Kong, Meraki Hospitality Group opened Uma Nota Paris, introducing Nipo-Brasileiro cuisine to the Parisian dining scene. Soon after, BEDU opened in 2018 on Gough Street, Central. The cosy Middle Eastern restaurant and bar showcase the region's diverse street food culture, as well as local and seasonal produce, with a modern twist, making it unique to Central Hong Kong.

The concepts are unpretentious, open-minded, and lively, qualities that are reflected in their design, food, and drinks. Meraki is about uniting groups of like-minded people through a community of locals, travellers, and the team. With each new idea, Alexis and Laura seek a connection to the soul of the cuisine, reinterpreted through the lens of creativity and a love for food and culinary traditions.

In 2024, Uma Nota expanded its reach to Manila, opening its doors to bring the brand's unique fusion of Brazilian and Japanese flavours with a local twist to this vibrant city. Uma Nota continues to embody its core values of warmth and diversity, offering a taste of cultural richness to the exciting Manila food scene.