“Wealth is not about money. To me, wealth is being able to enjoy life, spend time with friends and family, play tennis when I want, and seeing my chefs achieve their own success.” Bombana defines wealth this way. When diners tell him they truly enjoyed the meal and experience at his restaurants, that reward feels equal to money in his eyes. “My work is very important for me. It’s an expression of what I like to do.”
He carries a deep-rooted love for Italian cuisine. From Italy to Asia, he has built a legendary career, earning three Michelin stars and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Diner’s Club® Lifetime Achievement Award. For him, passion is the core driving force behind his achievements. “It is the most important thing. If you don’t enjoy what you do then you will never truly be a success. I like making people happy, offering nice food and delicious meals. Italians are passionate people although I am not so expressive but it is important for me to do my best and try to work with the best ingredients and people.”
In the world of fine dining, “eternal passion” means finding something one is truly good at and willing to devote a lifetime to. “I think everybody wants to find something they are good at and develop a career in that field, not just any ordinary job. I am lucky that I discovered I like cooking and working in Italian cuisine. The white truffles has always been a part of my background experience, so it is natural I develop an affinity.” He shares the story that changed his life: he originally helped organise a charity auction for white truffles, and from that people began calling him the “King of White Truffles.” “I never imagined the ingredient would gain such popularity in Hong Kong and China.” His grandmother had been a chef for an aristocratic family, and he first tried the ingredient simply in pasta. “That is still how I like to present it, just with some cooked eggs, in a very simple, light way letting the creamy eggs be a vessel for the truffles’ personality to explode on your palate.”
His dedication to cooking has also allowed him to strike a balance between tradition and innovation. “I am always interested in new concepts and technology. It is important to keep learning. Learning never stops, at any age. I think Italian cuisine, like any culture, will keep evolving and changing. But it has to make sense, in the right context. You cannot make changes just for the sake of changing. It has to make sense in taste, in technique and in texture.”
“Quality and sustainability are measures one must maintain in order to have a long term business. You must be true to yourself. No short-cuts.”
The pressure of maintaining Michelin stars is immense, yet Bombana always keeps his focus on the guest. “I have been blessed and honoured to receive so many Michelin stars in my career but in the kitchen my focus is on creating the best dish possible for the customer. I never think, ‘Will this be Michelin worthy?’ or ‘Will this get a star?’ It has to satisfy the guest, and is this the best dish I can cook? If not, how can I make this dish be even better.”
To him, fine dining is the highest expression of culinary creativity. “The goal is to reach the highest standard in every aspect of the service. It should be the best cut of meat, the best sauce, the most accomplished plating, and the service and wine has to match this level of excellence too.” Hong Kong diners have very high expectations, so he places equally high demands on himself to meet them.
Today, he channels his passion toward the next generation. “Hong Kong is the best city in the world. The city has grown a lot gastronomically… I feel I have achieved all my dreams here. Now I want to help others reach their goal. I want my chefs, the ones working for me, to reach their culinary potential.” Facing the challenges of the industry, Bombana is frank: “Restaurants is not an easy industry. It requires much hard work, discipline and learning.”
Looking back on a path paved by passion, he says: “With passion, the priorities never change, but you can adapt and explore new methods and ideas. I maintain the idea that I can always improve.” Ultimately, he hopes people will remember not the Michelin stars on the wall, but the flavours that stay in the memory. “I hope they remember meals that last in their memory. The dishes that impress them or flavours that delight. The Michelin stars are meaningless if customers do not also enjoy the food at our restaurants.”
For Umberto Bombana, passion is not a fleeting impulse but a lifelong choice. When a person truly loves what they do and is willing to refine it day after day, wealth ceases to be mere material accumulation. It becomes the lasting fulfilment and legacy that allows a life to shine for years to come.
Photography: Freya Chan
Photo Courtesy of Umberto Bombana
