I wanted to show you a day in the life a regular chef, having busted my chops in five-star hotel kitchens before running my own restaurant. So I went on the ‘hot' kitchen line at FINDS last Friday for a full shift, but found a better story on the way.

Tuscany by H is one of the top rated Italian restaurants in WOM Guide 2009. After two meals there recently I can understand why. The dishes are all so appealing, the food cooked with a deft hand and the service is solid.

The man behind the restaurant is the well-known chef Harlan Goldstein, who has many foodie admirers. For me his affable and somewhat commanding presence in the restaurant provided a connection between the diner and the kitchen, adding to the pleasant evening.

Uno Mas is an absolutely fantastic Barcelona-inspired tapas & bar in busy Wanchai, and as soon as you get off the street and head upstairs, you'll feel like you stepped into a hip, modern Spanish hotspot. The high ceilings, clever use of mirrors, spacious tables, choice of either bar-style, table seating, banquette, outdoor terrace or even stand-up (just like in Spain), gives diners a variety of choices on how to enjoy their experience.

I found it to be different from any restaurant or bar in the area, and for Hong Kong it commands what appears to be a vast but cleverly segmented welcoming space.

Food Art has been produced by The Hong Kong Jockey Club to showcase the talents of its two chefs, the Derby Restaurant’s Donovan Cooke and the Fortune Room’s Bobby Tak Yan Lo.