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Ask anyone to list the things they love about Hong Kong, and cha chaan tengs will likely be near the top. Whether it’s because there’s no better value for money anywhere in the city, the way a post-night-out bowl of instant noodles just hits different at 2am, or the fact that you’ve been going to the same one since you were a kid, these establishments are so embedded in our daily lives that we rarely stop to examine them – but this new exhibition at Airside suggests it’s about time we did!
Curated by architectural historian Charles Lai and product designer Kay Chan Wan Ki, ‘The Cha Chaan Teng Codex: Tales of Invisible Designs’ exhibition brings together a team of cross-disciplinary creators – including architects, product designers, carpenters, graphic designers, filmmakers, and even chefs – to examine everything from the science behind perfectly scrambled eggs to the visual language of hand-painted signage.
The exhibition unfolds across seven chapters, each tackling a different dimension of cha chaan teng culture. Chapter one displays artefacts from decades past, including the original 1951 licence applications from Yuk Woo Cafe and the preserved neon sign of Wan Chai’s now-shuttered Sun Fung Kee. Visitors will then pass the actual sign and door of the former Hoi On Cafe in Sheung Wan to enter chapter two, which reconstructs a vintage cha chaan teng complete with seating booths that first emerged from local small-scale furniture makers, who adapted Nordic designs with regional materials.
Visitors can also step into the shoes of a waiter in an interactive game and memorise the cryptic cha chaan teng jargon on the wall. When the phone rings, pick it up, listen carefully, and jot down the items using the shorthand you’ve just learned as quickly and accurately as possible.
Moving on, chapter three features a full-scale recreation of the beverage station – the compressed, hyper-organised nerve centre of any cha chaan teng – alongside displays tracing how things like teapots, menus, and ceramic teacups have evolved over the years. Chapter four takes a scientific turn, deconstructing classic egg dishes these places are known for, and includes an interactive olfactory installation where you can literally smell the aromas of classic cha chaan teng dishes like soy sauce chicken leg, curry beef brisket, and Hong Kong-style milk tea.
Finally, chapters five to seven bring in contemporary voices: young chefs and chocolatiers reinterpreting cha chaan teng signatures; filmmakers and art directors discussing how these spaces have served as cinematic backdrops since the 1980s; and a retail area where takeout coffee, yuenyeung, pineapple buns, and egg tarts have been transformed into cute plushies, hand-tufted rugs, and even cha chaan teng-flavoured chocolate.
‘The Cha Chaan Teng CODEX: Tales of Invisible Designs’ is running from now to July 31 at Airside’s Gate33 Gallery. The exhibition is free to enter until March 31, after which tickets will cost $20 (except for kids aged three and under).
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