To many of us who have dined at Carbone, the restaurant feels synonymous with glamour and the golden age of Italian American dining.
By contrast, the man behind the restaurant, Mario Carbone, is far more unassuming in real life. But don’t let this quiet, “unassuming” demeanour fool you. In the ever-changing culinary world, few chefs command—and have consistently commanded—as much respect as Carbone. His eponymous flagship restaurant in New York City isn’t just a dining spot that serves New York-style Italian cuisine, it’s a full-on experience that draws you in with rich flavours and warm hospitality.
Carbone’s Hong Kong outpost is also steeped in the same essence. Recently, it celebrated a decade of culinary excellence in the city. The chef, who flew to our city to mark this occasion, sat down with Tatler to reflect on Carbone’s success story and shared why dining is more than just a meal.
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How did your family’s culinary traditions shape your approach to food and Carbone?I would say I was not drawn to Italian American cuisine; I was born into it. It’s the food I grew up on. For instance, when we had guests coming over to our home it would not be unusual to serve them veal parmesan. Growing up in an Italian American family in the Queens, this was the food I saw all around me, be it in my own kitchen or in the neighbourhood eateries.
The food we serve as Carbone is my attempt to preserve this food and this culture. It’s nothing new, it’s not driven by innovation, it’s driven by a sheer commitment to not let this cuisine vanish.
Carbone’s aesthetic is bold, retro and dramatic—did you worry it might not resonate in fast-moving Hong Kong?There’s always that worry no matter where you open the restaurant, be it in New York or Hong Kong. I always worry if people will see our vision or if they will be in sync with that vision. But we can’t let that worry from pursuing our passion. With Carbone, we strived with all our heart to capture the essence of a bustling Italian American kitchen, which is full of warmth and hospitality—and we hoped people would get that.
Mario Carbone has recaptured the essence of an Italian American kitchen in Carbone (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
What’s the secret to Carbone’s ten-year success in Hong Kong’s competitive dining scene?There’s no one secret, it’s a combination of things. The Black Sheep Restaurants (BSR) team here—Asim [BSR founder Syed Asim Hussain], Chris [Christopher Mark, BSR co-founder] and the rest of the people—work so hard every day to make it a success. It’s truly a team effort, the kitchen staff, the chefs, the front-of-house team, all of us together have made Carbone what it is today—a known and beloved entity in Hong Kong’s culinary scene.
Did you have to tweak any dishes or ideas to suit Hong Kong diners or is it pure New York?Not at all, we brought pure New York-style dishes, because it would have been unfair to assume anything about Hong Kong’s palate. It’s all authentic New York food, the kind of that I have grown up on. This is the kind of food that I know well, so that’s what I am offering at Carbone.
How do you think indulgent dining fits into a wellness-obsessed world today?Both can exist in the same space, it’s all about striking a balance that works well. I believe in bookending indulgent meals with wellness. You work out, you go to the gym, but you also pop a bottle of champagne or enjoy pasta or cheese occasionally. I am into wellness as well, but I enjoy an indulgent meal from time to time. Doing any one thing all the time can be gluttonous in its own way.
Mario Carbone feels that the Black Sheep Restaurants team is integral to Carbone’s success (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
What are you most proud of about Carbone Hong Kong’s place in the city’s dining scene?The fact that it’s celebratory, it’s indulgent, it evokes a joyous vibe, it’s a whole experience. It’s not a replica of Carbone New York, we never wanted to copy-paste the New York experience, we wanted Carbone Hong Kong to be its own thing with its own character and that’s what it has become in these ten years. People recognise it as its own success story. The whole Black Sheep Restaurants team has played a pivotal role in this.
How do you see Carbone evolving in the future?We are opening Carbone London soon; Carbone Dubai is also in the pipeline. And as for Carbone Hong Kong, it has become this expansive, lived-in, comfortable and yet luxurious experience that resonates with Hongkongers in a big way. Post Covid, Hong Kong is back to its buzzy, vibrant self, people from all over the world are flying into the city, and we see Carbone growing in harmony with the city for the next ten years at least.
Mario Carbone talks about his restaurant’s future prospects in Hong Kong (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
What keeps you connected to Carbone, despite your global restaurant empire?There are many ways to be connected. We recently held a training programme for all the Carbone chefs from all over the world in New York. Being connected can mean different things at different times, whether that’s me flying to Hong Kong or answering a query by WhatsApp. Especially with so many locations in which Carbone operates, one has to adapt to stay connected and to maintain that connection.
So does it mean you have to be always “on”?Not at all! I am definitely not “on” all the time. I love my off time, I love relaxing on the couch and watching TV, with a bowl of cereal in front of me. I mix three different kinds of cereal in it and call it my cereal salad.
Apart from making your “cereal salad”, do you also enjoy cooking at home?When I cook at home, I keep things very short and simple. I am talking grilling and baking, nothing that takes more than 20 minutes. If it takes more than 20 minutes, I’m out.
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