Hamish Pollitt

When it comes to food, Hamish Pollitt believes in starting at the beginning– with the ingredients.  "The best ingredients create the best meals," he explains, adding that his philosophy when it comes to ingredients is to "never accept anything less than the best."

Best Ingredients for the Best Meals
Prior to joining M, the Sydney native was Head Chef at Coast Restaurant in Sydney and also spent time at Manta Ray and in London.  In Shanghai he enjoys exploring the bounty of local, and locally-grown, produce that is available here, adapting and experimenting with delicious results.  (This is something he delights in: Hamish's vacations are often spent in places like Tuscany and southern France, happily going to markets and then cooking up what he’s harvested.) "Although we'll always use a mix of local and imported produce, it's nice to help promote local produce," he says.

Classic Cooking with a Twist
Hamish describes his style as "classic cooking with a twist," clean flavors that may require considerable technique and time in the kitchen, but which are simple, delicious, and never fussy.  M's Famous Dishes remain on Hamish's menus -- the Slowly Baked, Salt-Encased Leg of Lamb, Crispy Suckling Pig and M's Very Famous Pavlova, but diners might find a boudin noir or a Mulligatawney soup there, too.

Personally, Hamish is a big believer in spending time around the table with friends and family, sharing good food, good wine and good conversation. He couldn't be more pleased that M on the Bund shares his philosophy – and that his cooking is the centerpiece of so many great evenings at M.